Fishing video game
{{Short description|Video game genre}}
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A fishing video game is a genre of video games in which the player conducts virtual recreational fishing, usually in the form of angling and/or fishing tournaments.{{Cite web |last=Sina |date=n.d. |title=What is a Fishing Game? [Simple Definition and More!] |url=https://www.slo-fishing.si/games-apps/537-what-is-fishing-game |access-date=16 June 2023 |website=Slo Fishing}}
Considered a subset of sports video games, and although not as prolific as other genres, fishing video games have historically been popular{{cite magazine |title=Review Crew: Reel Fishing |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=103|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=February 1998|page=120}} and have been released in arcade, console, PC and mobile platforms.
History
Gone Fishin' (1977) developed by William Engel is considered to be the very first fishing video game.{{Cite news |title=Hook, line and sinker: How fishing minigames became a video game mainstay |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2022/11/18/fishing-minigame-zelda-genre/ |access-date=2023-03-31 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=2023-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331003955/https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2022/11/18/fishing-minigame-zelda-genre/ |url-status=live }} Fishing Derby (1980) by David Crane was released three years later for the Atari 2600, and is the first fishing video game to incorporate graphics.{{cite book |last1=Lendino |first1=Jamie |title=Adventure: The Atari 2600 at the Dawn of Console Gaming |date=4 June 2018 |publisher=Ziff Davis |isbn=978-1-7323552-0-0 |pages=85–87 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JkaoDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA85 |access-date=6 April 2021 |language=en |quote=Like Dragster, Fishing Derby is memorable for its ingenuity, as a first take on a popular sport in a video game. |archive-date=21 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221214334/https://books.google.com/books?id=JkaoDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA85 |url-status=live }}
"Fish games" also refers to a type of arcade redemption game involving shooting fish. These games first appeared around 2005 in China. These games also became popular in the United States in the mid-2010s, starting in the Pacific rim before spreading in popularity. The legal status of these games has been disputed in many countries and states due to gambling issues, and association with organized crime.{{cite news |last1=Rath |first1=Robert |title=Why Cops Are Raiding Arcades Over a Fishing Game |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/why-cops-are-raiding-arcade-over-a-fishing-game/ |access-date=6 April 2021 |work=Vice.com |date=23 November 2016 |language=en |archive-date=5 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305002209/https://www.vice.com/en/article/znm8zx/why-cops-are-raiding-arcade-over-a-fishing-game |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=McCarty |first1=Alma |title=Game Over: Police Cracking Down On 'Fish Table Games' in Greensboro |url=https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/game-over-police-cracking-down-on-fish-table-games-in-greensboro/448188230 |access-date=6 April 2021 |work=WFMY |archive-date=24 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124195527/https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/game-over-police-cracking-down-on-fish-table-games-in-greensboro/448188230 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Douglas |first1=Anna |title=People are winning — and losing — big at this hot NC arcade trend. But is it legal? |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/latest-news/article213508384.html |access-date=6 April 2021 |work=The Charlotte Observer |date=15 August 2018 |archive-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216234313/https://www.charlotteobserver.com/latest-news/article213508384.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Tracy |first1=Erin |title=Deputies raid illegal gambling operation involving fish-hunting game north of Modesto |url=https://www.modbee.com/news/local/crime/article239538078.html |access-date=6 April 2021 |work=Modesto Bee |date=23 January 2020 |archive-date=8 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200508032112/https://www.modbee.com/news/local/crime/article239538078.html |url-status=live }}
Gameplay
Most fishing games feature a wide variety of fisheries, game fish species, and tackles and other paraphernalia such as rods, baits/lures, reels and boats.
The gameplay of fishing games usually revolves around acquiring/choosing adequate baits/lures, casting, hooksetting in reaction to on-screen signals, along with some sort of button pressing combination or the use of specialized game controller to reel in the fish.Xiao, Leon Y. 2023. “What’s a Mini-game? the Anatomy of Fishing Mini-games.” OSF Preprints. May 10. doi:10.31219/osf.io/4g9ku In-game scoring is often determined by the cumulative "weight" of the fish caught in a single fishing session, sometimes with added bonus points given for the capture of trophy fish as well as quicker catches and performing special manoeuvres.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}
Fishing minigames
Minigames of fishing are also common inside larger action-adventure games. Examples of fishing minigames can be seen in the Legend of Zelda series, Pokémon games, Red Dead Redemption 2, and many others. Open world games often include fishing mechanics as an optional gameplay feature.[https://kotaku.com/the-five-best-fishing-mini-games-1838787493 The Five Best Fishing Mini-games] This is especially common in simulation videogames, where fishing is required to complete collections, fulfill missions, and obtaining crafting ingredients. Fishing games are a common element in most farm life sim games, going back to the original Harvest Moon on SNES.
Accessories
Many gaming consoles incorporate the use of additional accessories to play fishing video games.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}} Examples of such accessories include the Sega Dreamcast reel and rod, the Wii Rod, and the Tsuricon 64{{Broken anchor|date=2025-04-26|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Nintendo 64 accessories#Tsuricon 67|reason= }}.[https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/01/dreamcast-fishing-games-ultimate-guide.html Dreamcast Fishing Games: Ultimate Guide] These accessories are often sold in licensed packages with fishing video games, although unlicensed accessories do exist.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}