For all of the fantastical worlds and heroic stories put to gaming, there’s a remarkably huge segment of global gaming revenue that comes from games that imitate real life in some way. Within this bracket, you’ve got the ever-dominant sports games, as well as fishing. Picking your bait and lure, casting a line, waiting for the strike, and battling the unknown fish on the other end of the line is a sequence that millions of players love to return to.
Over the decades, fishing has embedded itself in the entertainment medium, both as standalone outings and welcomed reprieves in the form of mini-games. From this ever-present cultural appeal, we continue to get bigger, better, and more bombastic fishing experiences to meet the demand.
Total Fishing Games for Full Immersion
We’ve been getting dedicated fishing games for decades, with one of the most famous classics being Nushi Tsuri 64, which was published in 1998. The following year, we can start to see the ascent of ‘Bass’ as a form of high-tier brand in fishing games. Bass Landing, In-Fisherman Bass Hunter 64, SEGA Bass Fishing, and Fisherman’s Bait 2: Big Ol’ Bass all came out in 1999 and most received sequels. Suddenly, everyone wanted to catch digital bass!
These games entirely revolve around casting a line to try to catch the biggest and best fish. More have followed, with likely the best modern addition to the selection being Fishing Planet, which is an incredibly expansive game. However, also have several novel takes on the fishing formula, too. The impressive Dredge announcement trailer video covered here at OurCulture showcases such a unique take, and Moonglow Bay brings pixel art to the scene.
You can also look to a different form of online gaming for a prime example of games tapping into the classic prevalence of fishing games. Big Bass Bonanza popularised both the fishing theme and the fishing feature in online casino gaming. It did this by tapping into the nostalgic appeal of those early fishing games. On top of this, it infused fishing into an inventive new feature mechanic that reflects the fishing experience. For a comprehensive look at this game’s features, check out the Big Bass Bonanza review with free spins and features by iGamingNuts.
A Welcomed Break Amidst a Grand Adventure
Standalone fishing games remain very popular, but arguably, it’s the fishing mini-games that end up having the greatest impact. When made well with a good loop and potential for big rewards, fishing mini-games can become huge time-eaters in genres like RPG or adventure. Some fine early examples would include the fishing in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening in 1993 and Digimon World from 1999.
More have followed through the years, with prominent recent examples being enjoyed en masse in games like the pixel life sim Stardew Valley, even if ConcernedApe says the fishing in Stardew Valley may be too hard. Similarly, the pixel adventure RPG Sea of Stars, and the vast open-world action games Stellar Blade and Monster Hunter Wilds have inserted fishing into their games with success. The key to all of the outings is a mix of simplicity, variety, challenge, and randomness.
Fishing naturally lends itself to video gaming because of how the sport actually functions. You can prep well and use skill to try to catch the right fish and land it. However, there’s always that element of chaos where any other kind of fish could latch on, or a particularly large one could cause you more of a challenge than expected. Until you’ve done the work to bring the silhouette to the surface, you just don’t know what you’ve got.
A welcome staple of gaming for decades, fishing will continue to have its place in the arena. As more creatives seek to leverage it as a whole game or mini-game, we’re bound to get even more immersive and creative outings.
