There’s no feeling like the one of standing next to a beautiful body of water, waiting for that hitch and getting it, but sometimes it’s not available to us for whatever reasons and fishing video games are the next best thing.
The same way you wouldn’t want to waste your time fishing in a bad spot where the fish don’t bite, you shouldn’t waste your time on sub-par titles, so we’ve prepared a list with the seven best fishing video games.
The Strike (2009) – Xbox 360, Wii
We’re used to holding a rod while fishing, so holding a mouse or a controller isn’t going to cut it completely, and that’s why The Strike is probably the best game of the bunch as it comes with an Xbox controller rod. The rod itself is great as it has rotors inside and they shake providing tension to simulate the fish biting on the bait. But that isn’t the only great feature as the developers really captured the essence of sports fishing.
Sega Bass Fishing (1999) – Dreamcast
Get ready for some nostalgia and some good news too as we take a look back on the favorite from the Sega Dreamcast (and arcade before that) – Sega Bass Fishing. Regarded by a lot of people as the most fun fishing game, it found successors on practically all platforms in the past several years, including iOS. Even though the sequels for other platforms are pretty good, nothing beats playing it on an arcade with a fishing rod, and on a Sega Dreamcast, so we know you’ll start looking for the console in your attic as soon as you’re done reading this article.
Pro Fishing Challenge (2004) – Xbox
This is probably the ultimate simulation of fishing, and it’s the perfect choice for the most demanding anglers as it is as real as it gets. You can get lost in customizing your look and choosing the right gear, which makes the game pretty great for people who might lack the resources to play with different types of equipment in real-life. We recommend playing Pro Fishing Challenge with an Xbox fishing rod, as it really elevates the gaming experience to a whole new level. The only thing we can hold back against Pro Fishing Challenge is that it’s too real at times, as driving your boat across a big lake can take a couple of mundane minutes.
Shimano Extreme Fishing (2009) – Wii
If for playing other fishing video games you might get flak from other non-gamer anglers saying that there’s no need to do it on a screen, you need to bring out Shimano Extreme Fishing and ask them to tell you about the time they went underwater spear fishing in a tropical paradise. As one of the three fishing experiences you can get out of this game, it has an adventure feel to it because you need to watch out for sharks and alligators, but there are also two more ordinary ways to fish – the traditional rod-and-reel approach and bow fishing. With the simple multiplayer options the whole family can easily get involved and compete against each other, but we know who’s going to win.
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing (2010) – All
Fishermen like to compare and brag; it’s one of the stereotypes about us that we must confess are correct, and Rapala Pro Bass Fishing played on those cards as it’s all about competing with other players in head-to-head action or tournaments. Scoreboards, where your catches get measured and put up against other players, will drive you to do better and learn all the tricks the game has so you can get the ultimate bragging rights of winning a championship season while professional fishing commentary Barry Brueland narrates your accomplishments.
Do you agree with our choices? What titles do you consider the best fishing video games?
