[ad#468x15]

You’ll have a lot of options as you begin to build your criminal empire in Mafia Wars. This is one of the best things about the game, but it can also make it hard to figure out where your priorities should be. All of the decisions you make early on will have a significant impact on the speed at which you’re able to advance in the game. Here are a few helpful hints on pitfalls to avoid if you want to succeed quickly in Mafia Wars.

Fighting

There’s nothing wrong with fighting, but you’ll want to pick your battles wisely. Don’t start a fight unless you know you can win it. Going after someone just because they attacked you is a good way to waste valuable time and resources. You’ll have plenty of time to pick fights later on when you’re rich and powerful. Best to wait ‘til then to take your revenge.

Property

Each property offers a slightly different return on your investment. When you’re first starting out in the game, you need to get some cash coming in, but you probably won’t have a big mafia in place yet to protect your investments. Don’t go out and build up a bunch of hotels and casinos at this point because you’ll just be asking someone to come rob you. Just focus on buying up the property you’ll need to build these on later on.

Godfather Points

You’ll be tempted constantly with different novelty items to buy with your Godfather points. Resist this urge. Godfather points are valuable and hard to come by. You’ll need as many as you can get your hands on later on, and you’ll regret it if you squander a bunch of them early in the game.

Skill Points

You can use skill points to improve your character in several different ways. Don’t waste your skill points increasing your character’s attack and defence rating, however. The assorted weapons and other armaments you buy along the way will take care of you in those areas. It’s a waste to spend your skill points on these character aspects and it won’t do you much good anyway.

The Bank

While the bank’s 10% laundering fee can be frustrating, it’s better to put your money in there where it’ll be safe. If you just leave all your extra cash lying out in the open, you’re just begging someone to come along and take it. You can’t lose money in a fight if it’s in the bank, so keep it there until you’re ready to use it.

You have a lot of options in Mafia Wars and a lot of different territories to explore. Cuba and Moscow are now open for business, and there are new regions coming soon as well. You want to be prepared to take on these new challenges as they become available, so conserve your resources and spend your money wisely. You’ll benefit big time in the end if you do, and before you know it, you’ll wind up in charge of the biggest and most powerful mafia around.