
The Best Fishing Mini-Games of Recent Years
Sat by the riverbank, rod resting beside you and the steady sound of flowing water keeping you company. It’s a serene image, isn’t it? It’s no wonder, then, that so many development teams put the work into lovingly crafting fishing mini-games and diversions for their videogames. We think it was high time that someone celebrated the best fishing mini-games of recent years, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Hey! Don’t laugh! Companies like Bet O’Clock are dominating the entertainment industry by providing folks with an easy way to play virtual poker online. Why has virtual fishing got to be any different?
Red Dead Redemption 2
So much of the appeal with Rockstar’s latest open world epic came from how it immersed the player in the great outdoors. Nowhere was this better exemplified than with the in-game fishing diversion. Wander down to your boat or stand by the water’s edge, cast a line out and just watch the stunningly rendered world laid out before you. Did you catch a fish? Probably, but it hardly mattered: you were there for a chance to soak in the view.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
These days, it feels like the changing of the seasons matters more in our Animal Crossing villages than it does in real life. A new season means a new look for the village, new events, new flowers and—most importantly—new fish! Why do we love Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ fishing so much? It’s a mixture of the “gotta collect ‘em all” nature of the activity along with the fact that the different species come and go along with the seasons and, of course, the silly little puns that accompany each catch!
Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV may not be the first JRPG, or even the first Final Fantasy title, to include a fishing mini-game. Where it takes a step or two (or three) above many of its peers, however, is in the sheer depth of the fishing gameplay on offer. There aren’t just a plethora of fishing spots and aquatic creatures to catch, there are also different pieces of fishing gear, upgrades and a skill system too. Plus, unlike a lot of fishing diversions in gaming (*cough* NieR Automata *cough*), the main character expresses a genuine interest in fishing. What more could you want in a fishing mini-game? Oh, except for puns, of course.
Which fishing mini-games have captured your interest in recent years? Are there any which you prefer over the main game itself? Let us know in the comments!
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