I love fishing video games. I do not forget that, as youngsters, my buddies and I might huddle round a Mattel Bass Fishin’ handheld on summer time street journeys to the Lake of the Ozarks, a well-known Missouri scorching spot for cash laundering fishing. We had the time of our lives with that low-tech masterpiece. That’s as a result of fishing is our beloved pastime: an ideal combination of zen and enjoyable. We will’t get sufficient in actual life or in video games.
For normal folks who get fairly sufficient of fishing, the fishing minigame affords an ideal nibble-sized portion of the pastime, typically leaning extra on the “enjoyable” aspect of the zen/enjoyable spectrum. And fortunately, fishing minigames have confirmed common sufficient to flourish in all genres: turn-based RPGs, motion RPGs, MMORPGs, Technique RPGs, and what we right here at RPGFan consult with because the “Different” style. Right this moment, I’m right here to present you just a few examples of nice fishing minigames. I’m not rating full fishing video games, fishing or fish-raising simulators, or different video games whose fundamental gameplay includes fishing. I’m additionally omitting video games like Breath of the Wild, the place you don’t catch fish a lot as gather them like a consumable merchandise pickup (I suppose which may be much like gigging, however that isn’t the sport’s intention).
Whereas my buddies and I will be the solely folks on Earth who like all fishing video games and minigames, there are sufficient bites in gaming for everybody to hook at the very least one keeper. So take a look at this listing of the highest fishing minigames to discover a keeper of your personal, beginning with just a few honorable mentions:
Honorable Mentions
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
I do know I disqualified Breath of the Wild for not having precise fishing, however I discover it so humorous that in The Wind Waker, a sport with a setting that’s 99% ocean, the one factor you possibly can fish for is treasure. Whether or not it’s rupees or maps resulting in shards of the Triforce, Wind Waker‘s sea is bountiful, simply not with fish (at the very least non-talking fish).
The Pokémon Sequence
Pokémon’s fishing minigame is charming and easy. You register your trusty rod, whether or not it’s “previous,” “good,” or “tremendous,” to the Choose button, then forged it repeatedly in hopes of snagging one of many sequence’ considerable water Pokémon. I really like the benefit of use right here, and it’s particularly helpful for locating an early browsing Pokémon.
Nonetheless, it isn’t with out its wiles. In Gen 3 (the one with an excessive amount of water), GameFreak launched essentially the most crooked Pokémon fishing factor of all time: catching a Feebas. To catch this ineffective and slippery flopper, you should discover certainly one of six spots within the sport’s largest and most fishable zone, route 119. Meaning you will have a 6/528 probability of discovering its spot. Then, you should encounter it (which means you should test each spot 5+ instances), battle it, and catch it. What a chore!
The Listing
10. Paper Mario: The Origami King
The Paper Mario/Mario RPG sequence is filled with lovable minigames and tightly managed quicktime mechanics, from extra-damage battle maneuvers to overworld button-press puzzles and extra. The most recent entry, The Origami King, is not any exception, even making the sport’s battle system a kind of minigame by itself.
It could come as no shock, then, that my favourite minigame on this entry is the fishing one. In it, you possibly can seize small and enormous Cheeps and Bloopers (and some surprises) utilizing Toad’s trusty rod and well-timed ‘A’ button presses. Whereas it’s comparatively easy right here, I just like the revolutionary inclusion of movement controls for casting — it feels nice to throw your bobber proper in entrance of a large Cheep and catch a chunk immediately. It feels even higher once you pull in a Toad and get to whack him with a hammer.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Twilight Princess‘ fishing minigame is my favourite within the 3D video games — whereas Ocarina of Time‘s fishing minigame is memorable, it’s a extra irritating detour than the one on supply right here. It’s only obtainable in a single location, and controls and visibility are missing. In Twilight Princess, nonetheless, you possibly can equip your rod to any button, fish nearly wherever with it, and it really works with a single button press. Better of all, you should utilize your caught fish to lure the actual prize: kittens.
I additionally love Twilight Princess‘ fundamental fishing gap. In it, you possibly can swim with the fish, catch a useful bottle, get a coronary heart piece, and hand around in a beautiful fishing backyard. And, with its fishing minigame, you possibly can simply catch a whopper sans the clunky controls in OoT. In my view, this spot is essentially the most zen on the listing, with easy fishin’ and peaceable surroundings to immerse your self in.
8. Hearth Emblem: Three Homes
In case you’ve learn our latest Hearth Emblem: Have interaction evaluate, you’ll know it’s a tighter, extra battle-focused sport than 2018’s Hearth Emblem: Three Homes. A few of us at RPGFan love this return to fundamentals. Others, myself included, miss the interactions and distractions Three Homes affords. One such distraction is fishing, which will be difficult for newcomers however affords insane rewards for devoted anglers. To fish, you decide your bait from the bait store, publish up on the close by watering gap, and play a timed button-press minigame (nearly like a rhythm sport) to catch the largest fish you possibly can. One such fish is the Goddess Messenger, which can give a companion elevated dexterity, protection, and stamina for a month of sport time! Whereas I discover this exceedingly worthwhile, some would possibly discover this fishing minigame a bit powerful. I’d make this one larger on the listing if it had been extra approachable.
7. Persona 4
Persona 4‘s fishing minigame definitely takes some getting used to. It’s finicky and hard to be taught. It makes use of a considerably complicated double button-press minigame that followers of Madden NFL Soccer will acknowledge as much like the kickoff/area purpose mechanic. Nonetheless, when you get the dangle of the Persona 4 fishing minigame’s timing, it turns into a commonly rewarding method to move your worthwhile “actual world” time in Inaba. Attempt catching the Sea Guardian to complete your social hyperlink with the hermit Fox — certainly one of my favourite quests within the sport.
6. Closing Fantasy XV
Closing Fantasy XV is the sport that impressed this listing — I used to be addicted to fishing on this sport after I performed it for the primary time. It’s the most concerned entry on the listing, with six lures, a number of kinds of rod and rod elements, a lot of fishing places, and 100 fish to catch. The mechanics additionally supply depth with a number of reeling mechanisms like angle and slack. There are additionally a number of rewarding questlines involving fishing, permitting you to feed hungry kitties, bond with occasion members and strangers, and earn loads of cash, AP, and different rewards alongside the best way.
There’s loads right here for fishing followers to like: I dumped 60+ hours into fishing on this sport and was in hogfish heaven the entire time. Personally, this could prime my listing of favorites, however I concede that the training curve right here is steep — informal anglers might not discover it worthwhile.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Hyperlink’s Awakening
Hyperlink’s Awakening is the primary fishing minigame I ever performed, and it’s a banger. You’ll be able to see all of the fish on-screen on this side-scrolling minigame, however that doesn’t make it easy. Your process is catching the largest whopper you possibly can, however stated whopper is often striding the underside of the lake or tucked away in a nook (see image above) with many obstacles between it and the floor. In case you contact one of many small fish in your manner down, you’re locked in and should pay extra rupees to start out over.
There shall be some shenanigans alongside the best way, however in case you win this one and catch a whopper or two, you possibly can earn your self two coronary heart items, a bottle, and plenty and plenty of rupees. Of all of the video games on this listing, I’d say this one may be essentially the most rewarding for the least quantity of labor!
4. NieR: Automata
A lot of NieR: Automata is a nonstop onslaught of stimulation with frenetic taking pictures and melee combating sections backdropped by explosive shifting surroundings. It handles this high-octane motion easily and gracefully with a rock-solid framerate and unimaginable visible design. Nonetheless, when the sport slows down, it additionally shines with melancholic pauses accompanied by ambiance in its music and surroundings. A method that gamers can break up the hectic sections is by fishing. NieR: Automata retains fishing easy right here, with solely two buttons to press, however it helps you to catch over 50 fish. Hardcore anglers would possibly discover it too easy, however collectors and completionists will adore this fishing minigame. And no matter the place you lie, NieR: Automata‘s fishing affords a welcome escape from its fast-paced, chaotic fundamental gameplay.
3. Shenmue III
I admit that, like many, I didn’t love Shenmue III fairly as a lot as the primary two. It didn’t fairly have the extent of allure the primary two supplied with their wacky, finicky, typically pointless (however at all times enjoyable) minigames. Nonetheless, the sport’s saving grace for me is its wonderful fishing minigame. In it, you possibly can catch certainly one of 18 kinds of fish in various serene watering holes. When you’ve picked up or rented a rod within the sport, you possibly can fish in these spots, and thru a mixture of rod/deal with decisions and skillful management, you possibly can snag just a few subaquatic critters. I actually just like the intelligent use of the proper stick for reeling (by way of spinning the stick round), and the left stick adjusting the rod’s angle. This dual-stick management feels extra real looking than every other fishing minigame on the listing.
Along with stable management, the sport’s compelling vistas persuade anglers to cease for a second. In my view, Shenmue III‘s fishing holes are tranquil paradises with thick foliage, peaceable sounds, calm waters, and delightful backgrounds. I may bask within the zen of those attractive coves for days — and what’s Shenmue if not a sequence about basking within the zen of immaculately crafted locations?
2. RuneScape
Once I was 11, I ran a fishing empire in RuneScape. I used to be raking in 100K a day in lobsters alone on my fishing alt account. Passers-by would purchase them in stacks of 25 for his or her journeys to the Wilderness (the sport’s PvP zone), and I might barely undersell the competitors and use daring inexperienced textual content to lure them in. I used to be notoriously ruthless to my competitors — this was my fishing turf, nobody else’s. I might run to a waterfront, do some semi-afk fishing (RS fishing works like many MMOs the place you merely click on a useful resource node and await fish to return out; its complexity largely lies in selecting fishing gear), and produce again fish for my revenue machine.
This was my favourite method to play RuneScape as a result of its fight is admittedly a few of the worst in any MMORPG I’ve performed. Nonetheless, relating to jobs like fishing, woodcutting, cooking, and so on., it’s a shining beacon amongst pretenders like World of Warcraft and Closing Fantasy XIV. I can’t advocate it sufficient for fishing or every other job — simply don’t get in the best way of my empire.
1. Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is an immaculately targeted expertise. ConcernedApe crafted each factor of its gameplay exactly, highlighting simplicity, accessibility, and enjoyable over complexity or aptitude. The sport’s fishing is not any completely different — you will have one button to press to forged and the identical button strains up your cursor as you reel the fish in. It has responsive controls, a minigame type that’s simple to be taught and rewarding to grasp, tons of fish to catch, a number of fishing types, various rods and bait, and lovely watering holes to fish. The sport can also be completely balanced to reward a dedicated angler with out overshadowing — or being overshadowed by — different rewarding duties like farming crops, tending animals, or dungeon crawling. Additionally it is one of many solely fishing minigames that gives the power to make use of fish for relationship-building. For its ease of use, rewarding nature, and fascinating implementation, Stardew‘s fishing tops this listing. Play the sport your self and uncover why it’s topped this listing.