A fishing video game is a

genre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

s in which the player conducts virtual

recreational fishing Recreational fishing, also called sport fishing or game fishing, is fishing for leisure, exercise or competition. It can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is occupational fishing activities done for profit; or subsistence fishing, ...

, usually in the form of

angling Angling (from Old English ''angol'', meaning "hook") is a fishing technique that uses a fish hook attached to a fishing line to tether individual fish in the mouth. The fishing line is usually manipulated with a fishing rod, although rodless te ...

and/or fishing tournaments. Considered a subset of sports video games, and although not as prolific as other genres, fishing video games have historically been popular and have been released in arcade,

console Console may refer to: Computing and video games * System console, a physical device to operate a computer ** Virtual console, a user interface for multiple computer consoles on one device ** Command-line interface, a method of interacting with ...

, PC and mobile platforms.

History

Gone Fishin' (1977) developed by William Engel is considered to be the very first fishing video game. '' Fishing Derby'' (1980) by David Crane was released three years later for the

Atari 2600 The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...

, and is the first fishing video game to incorporate graphics. "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.

Gameplay

Most fishing games feature a wide variety of fisheries,

game fish Game fish, sport fish or quarry refer to popular fish species pursued by recreational fishing, recreational fishers (typically angling, anglers), and can be freshwater fish, freshwater or saltwater fish. Game fish can be fish as food, eaten aft ...

species, and tackles and other paraphernalia such as rods, baits/ lures, reels and

boat A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size or capacity, its shape, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically used on inland waterways s ...

s. The gameplay of fishing games usually revolves around acquiring/choosing adequate baits/lures,

casting Casting is a manufacturing process in which a liquid material is usually poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowed to solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or ...

, hooksetting in reaction to on-screen signals, along with some sort of

button A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole. In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, or ...

pressing combination or the use of specialized

game controller A game controller, gaming controller, or simply controller, is an input device or Input/Output Device, input/output device used with video games or entertainment systems to provide input to a video game. Input devices that have been classified as ...

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.

Fishing minigames

Minigames of fishing are also common inside larger

action-adventure game An action-adventure game is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Definition An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements from an action ...

s. Examples of fishing minigames can be seen in the ''Legend of Zelda'' series, ''

Pokémon is a Japanese media franchise consisting of List of Pokémon video games, video games, Pokémon (TV series), animated series and List of Pokémon films, films, Pokémon Trading Card Game, a trading card game, and other related media. The fran ...

'' games, ''

Red Dead Redemption 2 ''Red Dead Redemption 2'' is a 2018 action-adventure game developed and published by Rockstar Games. The game is the third entry in the ''Red Dead'' series and a prequel to the 2010 game ''Red Dead Redemption''. The story is set in a fictiona ...

'', and many others. Open world games often include fishing mechanics as an optional gameplay feature. 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. Examples of such accessories include the Sega Dreamcast reel and rod, the Wii Rod, and the Tsuricon 64.Dreamcast Fishing Games: Ultimate Guide
/ref> These accessories are often sold in licensed packages with fishing video games, although unlicensed accessories do exist.

References

{{Video game genre Fishing video games Video game genres