Summary
Fishinghas been central to game mechanics for a long time, acting as acore gameplay feature in franchises such asAnimal Crossing,Red Dead Redemption, andMinecraft. Fishing can take many forms, with some games focusing on river and lake angling through course fishing. Conversely, other titles have leaned on ocean fishing as a gameplay component, with players braving the elements in the hope of catching a whopper.
While many fishing games are arcade-like in appearance, some prioritize realism over everything else, capturing the authenticity, relaxing nature, and beauty of real-world fishing. Several titles stand out in this regard, with realistic fishing mechanics that encapsulate the various types of fishing, from casual to commercial.
28th October 2010
Platform
PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360.
Rapala Pro Bass Fishingwas a legendary fishing title that stood at the forefront of realistic fishing mechanics when it was released in 2010.Pro Bass Fishingfeatured innovative fishing tournaments that pitted players against pro bass anglers in fully commentatedfishing contests.
For its time,Rapala Pro Bass Fishingset the standard for realistic graphics that established the tone for its scenic setting and for the thrilling fishing matches players could compete in. The title also came bundled with a wireless rod and reel peripheral controller, faithfully recreating the feeling of a fish on the hook and the precision needed to cast a rod.Rapala Pro Bass Fishingis arguably one of thebest fishing games evermade.
Seamless Fishing With Friends
Fishing Planet
Fishing Planet® is a highly realistic first-person online multiplayer fishing simulator. Developed by avid fishing enthusiasts to bring you the full thrill of actual angling on your PC.Fishing Together with other players on the same boat. Our ocean fishing yachts can accommodate 2, 3, or 4 friends simultaneously.Compete online with other players in events and competitions with personal scores, achievements, leader boards and top-players lists.Highly realistic world of fishing on your screen:200+ species of fish with complex AI driven behavior depending on seasons, climate, time of day, water current, bottom type, water and air temperature, wind and more.26 scenic waterways with photorealistic graphics from all around the world with their own climate conditions, landscapes, bottom topography and vegetation. All waterways are based on real locations.Freshwater and saltwater fishing with their own features for realistic and immersive experience.Four types of fishing - float, spinning, bottom and saltwater trolling.
One of the newer titles on this list,Fishing Planetis an online multiplayer angling game that enables players to fish with up to four friends across the game’s vast number of environments and tournaments.Fishing Planetfeatures over two hundred fish and a dynamic weather system with seasonal integration.
What makesFishing Planetunique is its seamlessfour-player multiplayerthat increases immersion and realism for players who want to feel like they are fishing with their friends in a stunning setting.Fishing Planetis also unique in its many different environments, from the open sea to the many lakes.
While not a full-blown fishing game,Red Dead Redemption 2has excellent fishing gameplay that is, graphically, the most realistic in the genre.Red Dead Redemption 2enables players to catch 15 types of fish, sell them, or cook them.
Legendary fish also play a core role in the fishing mechanicsofRed Dead Redemption 2; these species are rarer than other fish and requirespecial lures to catch them. While the title is not the most sophisticated fishing game, it is the best-looking, with stunning graphics characteristic of theRed Dead Redemptionseries.
The Ultimate Fishing Tournament Experience
Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour
Fishing Sim World: Pro Touralso enables players to create their own tournaments with friends, adding to the fishing competitions' already lifelike and tense nature. This title has been embraced by fishing legends such as Ali Hamidi and Scott Martin, giving it a major stamp of approval.
The Best Commercial Fishing Simulator
Fishing: North Atlantic
The sequel to the popular simulation game Fishing: Barents Sea invites you to put on your captain’s hat once again: Explore the large ocean of Nova Scotia, try your hand at entirely new fishing methods and enjoy huge range of highly detailed ships in the commercial fishing simulator Fishing: North Atlantic.Discover majestic world of Canadian Nova Scotia while admiring the vast diversity of ocean life. Explore the fishing zones with upgradable ships and gear as you progress in your career.Like our predecessor game Fishing Barents Sea, Fishing: North Atlantic makes you experience an atmospheric and realistic game world based on real maps, boats and fish species. Get ready to enjoy new weather systems with upgraded atmospheric effects, North American Vessels and fishing techniques like harpoons, deep-line-buoy-fishing and lobster pots. Purchasing larger boats and better gear will increase your fisherman skills.Fishing: North Atlantic offers you 29 ships at your disposal for all types of fishing styles and fishing techniques like the harpooning, which is used to hunt swordfish and tuna. Start with harpooning, then work your way up to setting deep lines, catching snow crabs or lobster. As well as longline, net and trawling. Do you have what it takes to fulfill this challenging task?
While most of the tiles on this list focus on the casual and competitive side of angling,Fishing: North Atlanticconcentrates solely on the salable side of fishing. A commercial fishing simulator at its heart, this title lets players explore the vast waters of the North Atlantic to fish and make cash.
Asfishing profitsgrow, ships and equipment can be upgraded for better yields and progression.Fishing: North Atlanticis the genre’s most realistic commercial fishing simulator.
Open World Fishing At It’s Finest
Call of the Wild: The Angler
Call of the Wild: The Angler is an open world fishing game that delivers the challenge of the catch and the freedom to explore. Play solo or with up to 11 friends and experience the thrill of finding and fighting Legendary fish species.Find and fight a wide variety of fish species with behaviors influenced by various factors such as time of day, location, and your actions.Immerse yourself in authentic fish fights. Learn about different species’ habits, preferences, and traits, and use your knowledge and skill to land the most elusive fish, the Legendaries.Fish anywhere you like within the reserve. Relax and unwind in realistic natural settings inspired by some of the world’s most beautiful real-life locations.Master different varieties of fishing techniques, including float fishing, lure spinning, and bottom fishing.Choose from a wide range of rods, reels, tackles, and lures. Experiment with different combinations as you expand your inventory and grow in skill.Fish, compete, and bond with up to 11 friends in online multiplayer, or relax in solo mode.Select your preferred time of day to increase the chance of catching your target species. Choose whether to fish in the morning, day, evening, or night.
Call of the Wild: The Anglerputs exploration at the core of its fishing mechanics; hence, its name. An open-world game, the title allows up to 12 players to play together. Players can explore the world on foot, by car, or by water, catching a vast array of fish, from common to legendary.
Call of the Wild: The Angleralso has excellent customization options, such as customizable rigs, clothing, and other fishing components. Players can also hold competitions with friends, adding to the realistic nature of the title.Call of the Wildis the best game on this list in terms of realistic fishing exploration in the wild.
