games with GOD TIER fishing in them

MILF list !!!!!!!

( i want to keep this limited to games that aren't traditionally fishing games since sega bass fishing and sega marine fishing would just win by default unless ... )

really did not expect them to top shadowbringers in terms of fishing but the overhauls are actually insane . there's more variety to what you can do and the fact that they had a whole section dedicated to changes and additions in the producer live stream ???? yoshida i kneel .
pretty much the same as the original with some spruced up graphics and some changes that either reflect how much time i've spent fishing in the original or it really is just that much easier . either way it's just as enjoyable here as it was in the original and that fisherman questline still brings a tear to my eye . it's got a new coat of polish with the visuals making it a bit easier to tell where the fish is going ( especially in facade ) and the change to the color of the bar being blue now is kinda nice for visual clarity but i'm a little underwhelmed they didn't add any new fish varieties which is a shame because that would've made me spend about as much time as i did in the original here and maybe even more . oh well it's still a good experience and the haptic feedback makes it all the more enjoyable . still haven't told yonah which bank i'm going to ...
it's not a mits list if i don't include atelier somewhere on it ! i didn't really want to write up a ton of entries since fishing is a series staple at this point so much like pokémon, i simply chose my favorite entry ! i had a hard time picking between this or firis but ultimately i really like how it's pretty simply implemented here in ryza 2 with fishing being a mere button press that makes gathering a heck of a lot more convenient and also i picked ryza 2 mostly because of how fishing is pretty integral to a lot of the core recipes within the game ! anyways gust kills it with the music as always so it shouldn't be a surprise that even if there's not a lot of engagement the overall experience is still pleasant one !
honestly, this is an objective improvement with some of the changes they've made to fishing and also the addition of eight more fish on top of new leaf's total of 72 making the series largest roster of 80 but at the same time they dropped the eel and rainbow trout from the roster ! sure they might've added the snapping turtle and sturgeon to the roster ( both of which have cute models ) but i don't know how you could remove such iconic fish like the barbel steed and expect to get away with it ... nintendo i might forgive you just this once because fishing is still fun in new horizons but mark my words if they don't come back in the next one ....
i might be the only one here that's a little miffed they didn't add any new fish but anyways it's still as fun here as it was in the original ( aka pretty fun and relaxing ) . atlus may have baited some of us into buying this game again ( i was gifted it thankfully ) but all atlus really needed to tell me to buy this game was to add more fish ! morgana is still chill in this one though which is kinda cool and ryuji will forever be my homie for bringing me here ( if you didn't read the book by july 6th at least which i only noticed because i was trying to speedrun to the new content ) .
i'm really glad that this is even in fire emblem now because i have an excuse to put it on this list . i already like fire emblem a lot and the fact that byleth even fishes while on campus is a lot funnier than it should be given how you can spend your free time this way and just ignore hanging out with your students by instead fishing leads for some pretty funny headcanons i've come up with . the fishing variety in here is a bit small along with the fishing equipment but it's not a big deal considering the incentive to fish in the game is actually there which makes fishing rewarding as well ! byleth might be a great teacher and love teaching their students but sometimes you just need to unwind and that's what i think makes fishing all the more enjoyable in three houses .
the best expansion in the series also brings along one of the best additions to the game ???? ocean fishing is a blessing and i'm glad that it even exists so when shadowbringers signaled the addition of this update i already knew deep down that ffxiv fishing had peaked . the vistas here in shadowbringers to fish at are really beautiful and the ost being one of the best in the game already adds onto how much charm the expansion already has . the additions to the fishing log, questline, and skills are all cool but it is making my toolbars a bit more cluttered which is worrying LOL . anyways shadowbringers is an incredible experience so it only makes sense the fishing would be too !
sorry setsu i know you wanted to watch a movie but we are going FISHING instead . i know this is also a visual novel but the idea of two humans being trapped in a time loop in which every night they face the threat of being eliminated by a mysterious life form only makes the novelty of suggesting a fishing date all the more endearing so i wanted to include it . setsu also ended up enjoying it so i think it's a win for everyone !
so i already love this game to begin with and it does one of the few things most games aren't brave enough to do with a rerelease ... they added fishing ! bravo square for somehow making one of the best modern ffs an even better game somehow LOL also the addition of fishing here is also because of noctis so that's another great thing to come from ffxv ! the fishing here is also pretty simple with it being reminiscent of ffxii but it's great fanservice at the same time ( much like the entirety of this game in general ) paired with a relaxing ost and a very cool sequence that happens once you hit 10k points which i'll keep a secret for now because it is crazy and also just very cool !
it's your typical fishing update a la heavensward but the vistas here to fish at range from incredibly beautiful to " how the heck am i actually supposed to catch fish here ? " . i don't know if it was just my luck being bad but fishing during this expansion was kinda brutal with some of the requirements with what i needed to catch for the quests to the point i almost got desperate enough to buy the fish off the market board which defeats the whole purpose of fishing in the first place ! oh ya the stormblood ost is absolutely fantastic so that just makes the experience a little less unforgiving and all the more enjoyable !
breath of the wild has many new additions that add many activities for link to participate in yet sadly, fishing isn't one of them ... at least in a traditional sense . while it's cool to gather fish here to cook much like resident evil 4 your actual method of " fishing " is unintentionally really hilarious with fishing boiling down to throwing spears, fishing with the bow, or my favorite method, BOMB FISHING . one detail i do find pretty nice in terms of fishing however is the fact that you can also throw food materials into the water which acts as a certain type of bait . it's a cool little detail i only ever noticed by messing around . while hand fishing ( simply swimming up to fish and grabbing them ) is pretty useful i think the novelty of link just bombing these fish is pretty great and also less costly than other methods . you can also take pictures of the fish you " catch " which is a pretty nice addition that i didn't know i needed .
the fishing here is a pretty big step down from the original and while there are many things i could complain about in this game, fishing isn't really one of them . there's a cool variety to the amount of fish you can catch here and while it's simple gameplay wise with a single button press after the pod sinks to catch fish it's still pretty enjoyable for the small side distraction it provides . the vistas you fish at and the ost is pretty chill and overall makes fishing worth it in this game . it's a nice bit of storytelling to have some of the fish here also be robotic or affected by the environments they exist in how reflective it is of the world that remains in the wake of the devastation that came before it . it's poignant almost but i just wish it was a bit more engaging i suppose . there's also a funny fish ending here as well but i'd rather keep that a surprise for those who don't already know about it .
the " fishing " in here is pretty whatever in all honesty . my complaints with this game are pretty large in general and fishing is most DEFINITELY one of them because i don't know how you could take something that was super fun in the previous games and exchange it for a rail shooter that's honestly kinda boring after the novelty of the intro cutscene wears off . the music is pretty cool though and kiryu fishing in this one is kinda funny considering he's essentially actually retired i just wish they at least added this as a side thing to the fishing minigame instead of doing away with it completely but this game in general has a lot of design choices i don't really agree with so i can't blame them for wanting to try something new even if i didn't really work for me LOL
absolutely amazing fishing to the point where i believe the main game was originally just developed as a fishing spinoff but eventually became a mainline game because there's no way this game has this many unique lures and equipment, intricate fish behavior, GREAT usage of haptic feedback, well-designed fishing areas that are pleasant to look at, and on top of it all such a great variety of fish ! never has the struggle between man and fish ever been so beautifully realized and conveyed through mere gameplay and it's absolutely wild how this was just designed as a minigame that most people touch once and never again . now i don't actually think this game was initially developed as a fishing game first and foremost but the point here is that the fishing here is great, amazing even . it's the most fun i've ever had with fishing in a game ( yes, even more so than sega marine fishing and sega bass fishing ). one of the only reasons my save file for this game is even over 200+ hours at this point long after having done everything there is to do within it . fishing in gaming has peaked with final fantasy xv and there's no turning back !
this game may have had a lot of pointless additions that only made the calendar and time management aspects a bit more pick and choose than the older games but the fishing here is pretty awesome . as someone that loves ichigaya seeing it recreated here pretty faithfully is a nice feeling and the fact that joker can read a few books to not only figure out where to fish but also learn how to catch fish better using third eye is some really funny storytelling that works well with the gameplay ( it's almost like it's great ... LUDONARRATIVE UOOOOOOOOOOOH ) . the fishing mechanics here aren't too difficult but maybe that's the point . it's a pastime for joker to unwind and relax to while training his proficiency . the overall fish variety here is a bit lacking and while the BIG fish is pretty cool to catch at the end of the day it's just all about the vibes and those typical fishing vibes here are pretty well replicated . even morgana is feeling it which is nice because i swear that cat just wants me to sleep in all the time so i'm glad to know fishing is woke for him too !
the new skills they added are pretty cool and mostly add onto the preexisting toolkit that was present in xiv but the more important thing here is that the additions to the fishing log and vistas are very nice ! catching cool fish at cool places is always nice and hearing the heavensward ost on top of it is just a nice bonus .
fishing in this game at night has got a pretty awesome atmosphere depending on where you choose to fish along with the substories tied to it being really great as well . it's no yakuza 4 fishing but it's a nice qol improvement over what yakuza 3 did with the outlines of the fish being present making it a bit less unpredictable but also kinda nice if you're just looking to satisfy requirements . something about kiryu and majima finding enjoyment in fishing this early on into the series is also kinda endearing given context that they'd also continue to fish later on in the series . wholesome !
nintendo hired that man ... a fisherman to be exact ! while i don't think this version is that different mechanically from ocarina of time considering there are a lot of things i could complain about with this remake in general fishing is the least of my concerns and the addition of it here is probably one of the few changes i really like . the locales you fish at are nice and while it's essentially a copy and paste of ocarina of time's fishing it lacks the charm ocarina had . at least the fish look funny in this version so it makes catching them worth it .
this visual novel is one of my favorites and the fact it has a fishing scene in it as additional character development for lancer is not only hilarious but also really charming ! anyways, this doesn't really count since there's not any gameplay involved but i just wanted to put hollow ataraxia on here LOL
this game has some pretty beautiful vistas but it's pretty much the fishing in yakuza 4 here and one of the few minigames that makes ishin worth playing considering it's a bit of a downgrade considering how amazing kenzan was comparatively . all in all, it's yakuza 4 fishing that's only a bit cooler because you're doing it in a feudal period .
the fishing here is just awesome honestly . the recontextualization of the toolbar for having abilities tied to fishing here is pretty funny to me too despite it being like that for any job in the game but it's great anyways because this mmo has only realized my dream job in any final fantasy game ... being a fisher ! eorzea by default has some great vistas to fish at and the fishing log is not only robust but also varied which is pretty cool ! there's some neat bonuses that comes with fishing in this game as well including housing items and the fish you catch serving as ingredients for culinarian and alchemist among other jobs that require raw materials . while there's no real qol improvements for fishing just yet like macros due to how engaged the minigame itself is it's still pretty enjoyable and relaxing all the same. quite a large amount of my time in this game has been invested in the fishing and usually if i'm not raiding ... i'm fishing ! also the addition of ocean fishing expeditions is amazing and definitely something i think everyone should do at least once during their experience with ffxiv !
this game not only adds more fish in but also takes the system from yakuza 4 and makes it even more enjoyable much like the plethora of side activities in yakuza 5 in general . all in all, a great experience with great bait and fish variety in addition to the atmosphere making it just such an enjoyable experience . there's a lot of things i can praise this game for in general but the fact that they didn't just copy and paste the fishing from yakuza 4 here makes me a very happy person .
hoo boy is this game an IMPROVEMENT in more ways than one ! but i figure you're here for the fishing so let's get into it ! first of all they've upped the amount of fishing here with 72 total ! i don't know about you but that's a heck of a lot more fish ! this game also adds diving which opens up the fishing roster for some pretty cool fish to catch like deep sea creatures most of which are mollusks but it's still a nice addition even if there's not many varied methods to catching them ! i'm not sure if i'd consider the deep sea creatures part of the fishing but it's a cool addition regardless. all in all, new leaf is probably the closest to wild world in terms of enjoyment i had with catching fish probably because of how great the ost pairs with creating that comfy atmosphere ! all in all, new leaf is pretty great for just zoning out and fishing, as all fishing sessions should be !
this rerelease did what persona 5 royal couldn't ... IT ADDED MORE FISH ! three to be exact LOL so while it's not a huge addition ... i'm not complaining ! the small gameplay changes also feel like a proto version of persona 5's fishing ( which i suppose is a refinement in retrospect ) which is pretty cool in terms of making it a bit more engaging ! i also like how obtuse this unlock requirement for fishing at shichiri beach feels because it really does just feel like a spur of the moment decision and that's a feeling i think most people who like fishing can resonate with LOL
dead souls is a masterpiece . so it only makes sense that a masterpiece would have fishing in it ! the fishing is also like yakuza 4 except it's a lot cooler because you've been killing zombies before this and the novelty of fishing being a pastime even in the apocalypse is pretty funny to me even thinking about it now .
this minigame filtered a lot of people back then and even to this day. while the gameplay isn't super difficult in my opinion, i think the overall feel of the fishing is pretty great and it's something that while simple in nature still feels rewarding. fishing up a rhizodont also is one of my favorite experiences with this game ( which i already love anyways ) . i personally find the nature of fishing in nier a pretty great experience and while the fish and lure variety aren't the most robust comparatively to other games there's a certain charm to fishing in a bleak world in between all your crazy adventures with weiss, kainé, and emil. the fishing storyline also attached to this game is amazing and another reminder of what makes this game so great. i told yonah i'm going to the bank ... i didn't tell her which one though !

aforementioned malding can be found here :
https://youtu.be/gRqQ5QQGCAM
a much better improvement over the system that originated in three and just a funny experience too with some of the stuff you reel in . i like the focus on the overall experience being a bit more realistic with how your viewpoint is limited but more importantly the fishing here is fun and it's a very nice side distraction that i just wish had a bit more depth to it .
while i have a lot of complaints about this game in general i don't think fishing is one of them LOL it's safe to say the gameplay works really well with it and motion controls being used well makes me feel happy so i'd count it as a positive in this case ! funnily enough the fishing in here is probably one of the few things i even remember from this game . there's some pretty weird stuff you can fish in this game too like cats and ... women ???? don't ask me how it works because i don't know and apparently the npc that teaches you how to fish doesn't know either because the instructions are pretty unclear so it kinda just becomes a case of trial and error with fishing in this game lol . fishing in this game also makes your wrist pretty tired so maybe the wii instructions are onto something with telling me to take a break ...
the beginning of it all ... while not the most engaging due to small variety of fish you can catch in three the fact it's what even introduced fishing to the series is something i'm pretty happy about . fishing in okinawa is pretty cool in three and a large part of the game's atmosphere here carries over really well . it's a little boring but that's okay ! it also makes it a little bit more enjoyable thinking about how crazy the fishing becomes later on as well .
there's a total of 64 fish this time around, most of which are pretty nice additions and the addition of more saltwater fish is cool ! overall this has about eight more fish than wild world does but considering how deeply rooted city folk is in wild world feeling like an expansion at times i can't really do anything but cut it some slack as the experience itself outside of fishing is pretty great !
i didn't want to list out and write a note on EVERY single generation that's had fishing in it involved to some extent considering it's been there since the beginning so i just chose my favorite game out of the series ( !!!! ) mostly because the actual gameplay behind it hasn't changed much . however, the reason for this ranking so high is how the fishing itself plays into the world-building and i find it being contextualized here in a world where monsters roam around freely really endearing that such a hobby still exists and also plays a key role in certain story moments. the ost goes hard in most of these games anyways but the lake theme in platinum makes me go UOOOOOOOOH
fishing here is pretty simple but that's not a bad thing ! the atmosphere of inaba and overall small town feel makes this minigame feel right at home with it feeling as comfy as the rest of the game . it's a little simple with bait and equipment variety not leading for a lot of experimentation and the small fish variety kinda makes me sad but mashing o has never felt this comfy . the ost is also really great and it's very fitting for THE CHAD himself to do partake in such a great hobby . thanks atlus for adding in the only minigame i wished persona 3 had because fishing with mitsuru would be incredibly based but alas, it's not an atlus product if i don't feel a little disappointed .
first things first, this is NOT a relaxing experience given the energetic music and don't let those cute cell-shaded graphics fool you for a second . fishing in phantom hourglass uses the dual screen quite beautifully but my major gripe is largely in its lack of variety ranging from fish and equipment used but mostly the usage of the stylus making me think this minigame is just designed to scratch up the screen of the ds LOL
while simple in nature dios mio does this game have that early nintendo SOUL in it . i can't count how many times i've gotten people upset by winning since i knew which fish to catch . all in all, it's probably my favorite minigame from the collection and it's a pretty fun party game in general ! i never really expected this to be in the collection to begin with so seeing it was a nice surprise ! as for the people who keep catching small fry in this game ... simply fish better LOL
the fishing here is a bit of a downgrade mechanically from ocarina of time but the atmosphere while fishing is crazy good . catching the hylian loach in this one is a great experience and the novelty of link using a boat to just go fishing is really comfy . the music while fishing is also really great depending on which locale you're fishing at but overall it just has a great sense of atmosphere and calm ... until you start button mashing for dear life praying that this time ... just this once the hylian loach won't escape ! the lures here are also kinda cute and i liked being able to see the fish underwater while rowing my boat alongside them !
a game so inspired by zelda that is also has fishing in it ... and it's actually pretty good ! i love how the gameplay takes full advantage of the regular control scheme making for a fun minigame that's not too deep yet still pretty enjoyable . i also think the fact that amaterasu needs a human to fish for her kinda cute and fits pretty well within the world ! a bit of button-mashing here and there and not a lot of variety with fish in particular but it's peaceful for the most part and that's why i even bothered remembering it existed in this game to begin with !
the fishing here is a treat but mostly because of how cleverly hidden it is in the game . i know plenty of friends who never got around to even being aware it was in the game all these years later and it's also pretty enjoyable how funny the fishing in this game is because of how different it is from most other fishing minigames with the actual fishing in this game being stressful as hell due to it largely being qtes. still it's wonderfully designed and the fact it's just tucked away where most wouldn't notice despite it having some layer of depth to it just makes it all the more charming .
this pick might seem really unfair to a lot of people but this game right here is what sparked my love of fishing in videogames to begin with . from the first time i picked up a fishing rod and caught my first sea bass to the last time i donated to the museum, my excitement and love for fishing never ended and i continued to catch and set records for each fish i caught . it's ultimately still what ties a lot of my love to the series and especially this game to begin with . it might not be the largest roster of fish in animal crossing and the gameplay might be simple but the point here is that it's rewarding . given how atmospheric the tone of the themes that play throughout the day in animal crossing it's a comfy vibe which is what i love most with in game fishing ultimately . it's also one of the few games that made me break curfew and staying up at night to fish for the chance of catching a new one always had me excited . fond memories of catching fish while hiding my ds underneath the bedsheets and listening for that next splash of the lure falling underneath the water is a feeling no other game really seems to emulate for me and for that i'm thankful .
now this is one of those cases where the definition of fishing gets stretched but the fact you're even able to get fish in this game is incredible to me . the best part is i found out about this randomly while messing around with the weapons . resident evil 4 is a fan favorite for many reasons but my own personal reason is that nothing compares to the feeling of firing an infinite rocket launcher into the water and watching all those fish float up . it's not fishing in the strictest sense but it's fun and at the end of the day, i think that's what fishing is all about .
although there's really not much to say given how brief its appearance here is, the novelty of fishing in a sci fi setting like xenosaga creates this unparalleled atmosphere that's just pure vibes . i'd argue that's pretty much the only reason it's even this high on the list considering there's basically no incentive to fish after catching a red eye but the overall feeling while fishing is what really matters and i think it's pretty great here !
pretty much all my grievances with dark cloud 1 are addressed here but with a few things holding it back again . in dark cloud one you could see the fish underwater but now you can't ! with that aside though, the fishing here is a lot more engaging than one was so i can't complain all too much and the variety of areas to fish at is really nice with some pretty cool locales creating a great atmosphere .
not only is this game pretty underrated in terms of its appeal but the fact that the fishing here is also really great only makes me love it more. there's really not much i can say because the level of interaction here is pretty awesome . also one of the first games to remind me that maybe i shouldn't be fishing all the time because the game has a mechanic that's quite literally " fishing fatigue " which is funny because it literally only affects fishing performance . funnily enough it reaches its maximum after reeling in fish/items 200 times which made me realize how invested i became in it due to hitting this quota pretty much every day and eagerly waiting for the reset whenever i woke up to get back at it again . this game also lets you use macros to fish which is a nice qol feature but i like fishing so i never used it .
fishing on destiny islands not only makes sense contextually but it's also a great reminder that kingdom hearts is a memorable experience for many because of how much weird stuff is in there LOL swimming around and looking for that last fish on destiny islands is one of my fondest memories looking back on my early experience with kingdom hearts even if at the time i felt so lost looking for it and finding it took way longer than i'm willing to admit . the worst part about it all too is that they didn't even really need the fish to begin with ! NOMURA !!!!!!!!!!
this game has some pretty simple controls paired with a great ost that amplifies the experience . however, it's also the smallest roster of fish, has a limited amount of vistas to fish at for the most part, and ultimately you'll be filling out the roster pretty quickly . it's a promising start but a start nonetheless .
fishing is a little simple here but the overall music is really pleasant and i really like the whole planning aspect it has more of a focus on picking what bait and equipment to use ! the fish models in this one are crazy by the way but in a good way ... they're nice to look at ! i guess i wish it was a bit more engaging but the fish variety is pretty good and overall a pleasant experience even if i didn't spend much time with it compared to its sequel .
this game is a bit underwhelming with its fishing mostly because of how the ui takes while to get used to and the mechanics feeling a bit more forgiving but it's still pretty good considering breath of fire iii was essentially the peak ! the reel sound effect here sounds great though and the chirp of insects kinda adds to the atmosphere which is ultimately the criteria under which a lot of these fishing games tend to be judged on ! the music in this one is pretty funny in all honesty and i'm not sure how i'm supposed to feel while fishing because it's a bit hard to relax when i'm hearing bongos and other stock drum effects with a whistle blaring over it while the fish is being caught despite some really peaceful music playing over it previously . it's a good sense of excitement but i'm not sure why it just ends up being really funny to me to the point i almost forget it's a jrpg and not some comedy adventure game .
first of all, the fish in this game look really great and the actual minigame here is one of my fondest memories of the game . running from locale to locale to fish will always be an exciting moment for me and i think the mechanics here are fun enough for me to overlook the relatively small amount of equipment involved . there's not really a lot of planning involved here but the idea of just fishing in a place as sacred as lake hylia is a lot funnier than it should be . all in all, i wish the variety was a bit more robust but the mechanics here are solid along with the music it's paired with . hylian loach / 10 !
it's no CLASSIC jrpg generation if there wasn't at least a title in the ps1 era that had fishing in it to some extent and i'm glad that squaresoft recognized that . there's not really much i can talk about since the fishing prompts here a bit simple and there's not a lot of equipment to begin with but the animations and novelty of it even existing is pretty charming and the ost that plays during the fishing sequence is pretty nice . watching fei discover the joys of fishing is also pretty cool indirect characterization as well !
moon is one of the best love letters to the jrpg genre so it only makes sense that there'd be fishing in this game . while it does feel a bit tacked on due to little to no variety in what you catch and lack of an overall planning element to the minigame it also feels right at home with the game . sometimes you're not the most prepared to fish and sometimes you just want to catch whatever with whatever you brought ! the overall atmosphere of the game being comfy really pairs well here even if the fishing doesn't have much going on . fishing is cool and moon understands that, and that's something that makes me love the game itself a bit more every time i think about it .
PEAK FISHING ... in breath of fire at least . what's important here is that it not only plays great but it also looks great ! the fishing variety is a bit limited but the raw mechanics of it are what make this minigame so enticing to begin with . besides breath of fire iii being a pretty fun jrpg in general the real battles are here in the fishing as the timeless conflict of man and fish are put to the mettle with some pretty exciting and engaging gameplay only further highlighted by the dynamic shots of the actual fish and lively ui reflective of the energetic nature of the activity only further complimented by fun and vibrant ost backing most of these bouts . fishing looks and feels good in breath of fire iii and i can't simply recommend it enough .
now i know i said i wouldn't put any STRICTLY fishing games on here but god is this game horrifying and i need to let people know that . i don't know which eldritch abomination was controlling the programmers who made this but this game has a story mode for some reason and from what i can tell it actually has a decent fish variety ( i can't really tell because the virtual boy is just RED all the time and the sprites become a little less detailed because of that ) i do think this game is a pretty good indicator of what fishing in hell would feel like but that's kind of a compliment at the same time because ya know at least you're not burning any other part of your body other than your retinas and ears as the cascade of the sounds generated by the virtual boy's soundchip crashes down on your ears . in all honesty, this game isn't really that bad as far as fishing games go but i'm going to classify this as an immersive lovecraftian horror sim that happens to have fishing in it just so i can include it on this list .
while this game doesn't do anything too crazy with the fishing much like the previous entry what's here is pretty nice as a side activity and also has a bit of depth to it which is nice . nothing too mindblowing or difficult really but that's not what really matters and what really matters is if it's a vibe ! the fishing music in this game is kind of a meme and the simple nature of it is almost tedious at times but lol it only makes the game that comes after it more enjoyable so i don't want to put it down too harshly .
the fishing game in here is pretty simple because of how it's essentially just waiting and pressing one button but the story conveyed through this mechanic is pretty good ! feeding cid fish is one of the most stressful experiences i've had with fishing which sounds like it should be a negative but it makes sense here and it's also kinda heartwarming for how the fishing is incorporated into the main narrative . final fantasy vi is known for a lot of things and while one of those things might not be fishing it's still a nice addition that makes for great storytelling ! yoshinori kitase also designed this fishing minigame with the purpose of making it difficult with figuring out which fish to give to cid because he wanted the " bad route " to be the canon one , a decision which only makes me love him a little bit more .
honestly, i'm not a huge fan of the fishing here but it's a start for the series and also a gameboy game so the fact it's even in here is worth some merit . the music is alright and the fish behavior is pretty unpredictable but i still have pretty fond memories of fishing in this game when i was younger so purely for how accessible it is along with some cute animation i'll give it the credit i think deserves . it's pretty similar to breath of fire ii but i think it's a bit snappier here comparatively !
this is one of those cases in which while there is fishing in here it's not really that difficult due to it mostly being dependent on what equipment you have and what bait you have to use with fairly simple prompts as well . it's not anything too crazy but it makes for a nice sorta side thing that i feel like people don't really mention that often considering how most people just do it to fish for items instead of ... ya know actual fish . either way it's kinda nice how well contextualized it is within the world and it's a lot more useful in game than most realize . thankfully fishing only gets much better from here on out !

14 Comments


2 years ago

basado
where OoT and Wii Play doe

2 years ago

this is truly a great list

2 years ago

minecraft fishing

2 years ago

this is the big brain content backloggd needs

2 years ago

Holy shit I have 100%ed FFXII and had no idea there was fishing in it. Thought that entry was a clever bit!

2 years ago

Hey! Please add Stardew Valley

2 years ago

Best list I've seen so far
Really curious just coming back around to this (AMAZING) list what your thoughts were on endwalker fishing if you ever got around to that :3

1 year ago

Red Dead Redemption 2 was originally designed to be a fishing game. I believe there's like a dozen story missions that involve fishing.

1 year ago

@QuilDewIvy i'm glad you appreciated the list ! i updated the listed with my thoughts ( tldr i loved the changes LOL )

1 year ago

My favourite fishing minigame is in Solatorobo, i really recommend it

1 year ago

How did I never discover fishing in FFXII?? This list is great^^


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