Doing jobs is an essential part of the game. Doing a job requires energy points and some items which you must own. After completion of the job you will gain money and experience and you also have the chance to loot special items on some jobs or find collectors items which you can later put in your vault. You will need experience points to reach the next level, jobs are usually the best source of experience.

There are three options in fighting, the easiest is Fight in which you attack other mafia families with your mafia family in order to steal money from them and it also gives you a chance to loot items. Secondly you can go to the Hitlist and attack mobsters which have a bounty set on them by other players. To put a player on to the hitlist select the appropriate button on the player's profile. Lastly you can also rob other mafia members property and steal money. Through robbing much more money can be won than fighting however you do not have the chance to loot objects.

During fights players get hurt and their health decreases. For a certain amount of money a player can heal himself at the hospital, however only once in a while. Losing fights also mean losing money, therefore it is best to store your money somewhere safe while fighting or not playing, the best place to do this is in the bank. Although you pay a 10% laundring fee it is worth it. Withdrawing money is free of charge and unfortunately no interest is earned while your money is in the bank.

Every mobster needs guns, knives and bullet proof vests but also property to earn money. In Mafia Wars players can buy items in the inventory section. Some items only get unlocked after reaching certain levels and some are required for jobs. Items are also needed in fights, Some items cost upkeep money and therefore players need income, this is not only provided through jobs and fights but also by cashflow earned from properties. Players can buy lots and erect buildings such as restaurants, markets and even hotels and casinos on them.

The way Mafia Wars works is on a timer, energy for jobs and stamina for fights increases by one every 5 minutes. Health regenerates itself too but can be restored by visiting the hospital. Stamina and energy only get refilled after reaching a new level or a player can refill his energy by trading his Godfather points for an energy refill. Every 24 hours a player can also use an energy pack if another mafia family member sends one. An energy pack refills all energy plus 25% more. The gameplay is very interactive, the more friends play the bigger your mafia becomes, making it stronger in fights as you can use more weapons and cars. Constantly you will be attacked by other users or helping out your fellow family members, hence players must constantly check their profile.

In Cuba players cannot buy properties. Instead to make money players have to take over businesses. In total there are six businesses and five can be upgraded. The first business can be taken over for free, it is the Bodega which produces canned goods.The tobacco plantation, the sugar plantation, the factory and the cocoa field can all be upgraded to produce more, to hold more output and to produce a better quality, all meaning more profit. Profit from businesses is collected every three hours and is stored aslong as the business has available space, if a business is full it will not produce more until you sell of the stock. The latest addition to the Cuban businesses is the Bribery Ring which produces Politico Corruptos, these are needed to complete jobs in the last stages of Cuba, a player can only produce 10 a day.