Reel Fishing is a series of fishing video games by Natsume Inc. The first game, Reel Fishing , was released for the PlayStation in 1996. Originally a localization of Victor Interactive Software's (now Marvelous Interactive) Fish Eyes series from Japan, Natsume Inc. has since diverged from that series to create their own games.
There are several games in the series. The first two games, Reel Fishing (released in 1996) [1] and Reel Fishing II (released in 2000) [2] appeared on the PlayStation. They were followed by Reel Fishing III in 2003 on the PlayStation 2. [3] A special fishing reel controller was released with the first game that was also compatible with the sequels. The first game was successful enough to reach "Greatest Hits" status.
Reel Fishing: Wild was released for the Dreamcast in 2001, making it the first non-Sony entry of the series.[ citation needed ] In 2006, Natsume Inc. released Reel Fishing: Life & Nature [4] and Reel Fishing: The Great Outdoors for the handheld PlayStation Portable.[ citation needed ]Reel Fishing: Life & Nature was also planned for the Nintendo DS, but was canceled.[ citation needed ] Two installments for the Wii, Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream and Reel Fishing Challenge (the latter on WiiWare) were released in 2009. [5]
| Title | Year | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Reel Fishing | 1996 | PlayStation, PlayStation Network |
| Reel Fishing II | 2000 | PlayStation |
| Reel Fishing: Wild | 2001 | Dreamcast |
| Reel Fishing III | 2003 | PlayStation 2 |
| Reel Fishing: The Great Outdoors | 2006 | PlayStation Portable |
| Reel Fishing: Life & Nature | Cancelled | Nintendo DS |
| Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream | 2009 | Wii |
| Reel Fishing Challenge | 2009 | WiiWare |
| Reel Fishing Challenge II | 2010 | WiiWare |
| Reel Fishing Paradise 3D | 2011 | Nintendo 3DS |
| Reel Fishing: Ocean Challenge | 2012 | WiiWare |
| Reel Fishing Pocket | 2013 | iOS |
| Reel Fishing Paradise 3D Mini | 2013 | Nintendo eShop |
| Reel Fishing Pocket 2: Ocean | 2014 | iOS |
| Reel Fishing: Master's Challenge | 2015 | PlayStation Vita |
| Reel Fishing: Road Trip Adventure | 2019 | PlayStation 4; Nintendo Switch; PC |
| Reel Fishing | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Victor Interactive Software |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Platform(s) | PlayStation, PlayStation Network |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Fishing |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Reel Fishing (known as Fish Eyes in Japan [6] ) is the first in the Reel Fishing series of fishing video games. It was released on the PlayStation. It was published by Natsume Inc. [7]
When hooking a fish, the player must wait until its mouth has completely covered the hook, then hit the reel button to set the hook. Once the hook is set, the player can reel it in. If the player reels when the fish is resisting, there is a greater chance of the line snapping and of the player losing the fish. When the fish is speeding away and then slows, the fish has a lesser chance of resisting.
One a fish is caught, the player can put it into their personal aquarium, in which the fish can be fed and raised. [6]
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 6.5/10 [8] |
| GameSpot | 1.4/10 [9] |
| IGN | 6/10 [10] |
Reel Fishing received mediocre reviews. While most critics were pleased with the graphics, [8] [10] [11] most also found that the gameplay's combination of slow pacing with excessively high difficulty removed the motivation to keep playing. [8] [9] [10] IGN 's Jay Boor said he couldn't catch any fish at all, and that the persistent lack of payoff for one's efforts makes the game too frustrating. [10] GamePro said the game has a good amount of strategy involved, requiring players to learn about individual species, but concluded it would only appeal to fishing enthusiasts. [11]
The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly were somewhat divided. Lead reviewer Sushi-X found that the fish are very easy to hook and extremely difficult to reel in, a combination he regarded as both frustrating and blatantly unrealistic. His three co-reviewers, however, all gave it a moderate recommendation, praising the atmosphere and the aquarium. [8] Josh Smith completely panned the game in GameSpot , ridiculing the appearance of the mixed media interface, the way the fish jerks between its limited animations, and the interminable length of the later levels. However, his primary criticism was how the fish always move and react the same way, requiring the player to perform the same excessively difficult timed inputs every time. He summed up, "Primarily FMV-driven, with otherwise stupid, deficient graphics, and perhaps the most repetitive gameplay to ever retard the potential of the PlayStation, Reel Fishing is really a dog." [9]
| Reel Fishing II | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Victor Interactive Software |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation |
| Release |
|
Reel Fishing II (known as Fish Eyes II in Japan[ citation needed ]) is the final Reel Fishing game on the PlayStation. It was published by Victor Interactive Software. It features 19 levels and tons of different types of fish.
The main menu gives an options menu, Free mode, and Season mode. The game menu is the Aqua Lodge, in which the player may view records, tackle, and a fishing magazine which gives monthly tips and news. In the tank room, the player can care for and watch caught fish. Gameplay consists of a full motion video background and a point of view from the boat. The player may cast anywhere into the play area, but may not move. Some areas may have different spots with different assortments of "hotspots" and a different current. Once a fish has "bitten," the screen shifts to an 3d underwater view and the player must either entice the fish using a lure, or wait for fish to arrive using bait. The hook must be set at the right time, and the fish must be fought to the surface. At the time it reaches the surface, it is automatically brought onto the shore and size is calculated.
Reel Fishing II contains two modes of fishing: "Season," and "Free." In "Season" mode, the player starts with two areas available, Ocean Variety and Carp fishing, but will unlock more. Time progresses in months, and the player is limited on time during fishing. Players unlock new areas by meeting the goals of unlocked areas. Tackle is unlocked upon each visit. In "Free" mode, the player can fish in any unlocked area with any unlocked tackle. There is no time limit, and the month can be selected before fishing. As there are no goals, nothing can be unlocked. Scores will still be kept.
Reel Fishing: Wild (known as Fish Eyes: Wild in Japan) is a Reel Fishing video game for the Sega Dreamcast. It was published by Victor Interactive Software. It features 14 levels and a fairly wide variety of fish, including a yellow piranha.
While gameplay is similar to Reel Fishing II, there is no Season or Free to compete and locations can be chosen at any time of day without restrictions. It also has a smoother 60 FPS unlike the two previous games. Unlike both Reel Fishing games, players cannot keep caught fish in tanks as caught fishes are always released back into the water.
| Reel Fishing III | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Victor Interactive Software |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Release |
|
Reel Fishing III (known as Fish Eyes 3 in Japan) is a fishing game for the PlayStation 2 platform. It was published by Victor Interactive Software.
The story is about a man and his dog. You get a letter from your friend from your childhood. He says that he will be going out of town for a bit and requests that you look over his lodge, named "The Aqua Lodge". You eventually befriend a dog and find pages of your friend's journal as a reward for accomplishing fishing goals.
Reel Fishing III is based around freshwater fishing. Unlike Reel Fishing II, players are restricted to fish in freshwater, as to make the story feel more realistic. It ranges from bass fishing, trout fishing, mountain fishing, stream fishing and many more.
| Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Marvelous Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Platform(s) | Wii |
| Release | |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream, known in Japan as Fish Eyes Wii, is a fishing video game for the Wii platform. It was released on April 30, 2009 in Japan and in North America on August 25, 2009. [12]
The game is part of the Reel Fishing series of games. Owners of Angler's Dream will be able to unlock extra content in the WiiWare game Reel Fishing Challenge.
| Reel Fishing Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Marvelous Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Platform(s) | WiiWare |
| Release | |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Reel Fishing Challenge (Fish Eyes Challenge in Japan) is a WiiWare fishing video game by Natsume Inc. It was released in North America on June 29, 2009 [13] and later in Japan on July 14, 2009 and the PAL region on February 26, 2010.
The game is part of the Reel Fishing series of games. Owners of the Wii game Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream will be able to unlock extra content including additional fish and challenges in Reel Fishing Challenge. [14]
Players catch fish by making a casting motion with the Wii Remote to cast their line, and shaking the Nunchuk to reel it back in. Once they have a hooked a fish, they must follow a series of prompts to make the catch. Players can also alter their gear to help lure specific types of fish.
The game features a free play mode and a challenge mode that revolves around completing objectives set within a time limit.
Nintendo Life believed the game to be shallow compared to other games in the genre. [14]
| Reel Fishing Paradise 3D | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Natsume Inc. |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 3DS |
| Release | June 28, 2011 [15] |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Reel Fishing Paradise 3D is a fishing video game developed and published by Natsume Inc. as part of the Reel Fishing franchise for the Nintendo 3DS. [15] [16] [17]
Gameplay, like other games in the fishing simulator genre consists of casting a line from a fishing pole to reel in fish. In the game, the player casts the line and reels in fish with the touch screen. Whether or not a player can catch a fish usually depends on timing and the placement of the tackle. The game includes multiple fishing techniques, including bait fishing as well as fly fishing. The game also includes 15 stages, 40 fish, and over 100 pieces of tackle. Players can also keep caught fish in a fish tank for display. [18]
Reception, though minimal has been universally mixed. Nintendo Gamer gave the game a 6.5/10, calling it a "A pleasant fishing sim." [March 2012, p. 101] Nintendo Power gave the game a 6/10 and stated "We recommend a catch-and-release approach to Reel Fishing Paradise 3D; it probably isn't destined for your trophy wall." [July 2011, p. 89] [16]
Super Mario Kart is a kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The first game in the Mario Kart series, it was released in Japan and North America in 1992, and in Europe the following year in 1993. Selling 8.76 million copies worldwide, the game went on to become the fourth best-selling SNES game of all time. Super Mario Kart was re-released on the Wii's Virtual Console in 2009, on the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2013, and on the New Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in 2016. Nintendo re-released Super Mario Kart in 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition.
Mario Bros. is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo as an arcade video game in 1983. It was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi, Nintendo's chief engineer. Italian twin brother plumbers Mario and Luigi exterminate creatures emerging from the sewers by knocking them upside-down and kicking them away. The Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System version is the first game produced by Intelligent Systems. It is part of the Mario franchise, but originally began as a spin-off from the Donkey Kong series.
Balloon Fight is an action video game developed by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. The original arcade version was released for the Nintendo VS. System internationally as Vs. Balloon Fight, while its Nintendo Entertainment System counterpart was released in Japan in 1985 and internationally in 1986.
Excitebike is a motocross racing video game developed and published by Nintendo. In Japan, it was released for the Famicom in 1984 and then ported to arcades as Vs. Excitebike for the Nintendo Vs. System later that year. In North America, it was initially released for arcades in 1985 and then as a launch game for the Nintendo Entertainment System later that year, becoming one of the best-selling games on the console. It is the first game in the Excite series.
Mario Kart DS is a 2005 kart racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD Group No. 1 and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was released in November 2005 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and on December 8, 2005, in Japan. The game was re-released for the Wii U's Virtual Console in North America and PAL regions in April 2015 and in Japan in May 2016.
The Virtual Console is a line of downloadable video games for Nintendo's Wii and Wii U home video game consoles and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
Harvest Moon: Magical Melody is a social simulation video game for the GameCube developed by Marvelous Interactive. It is an updated version of Bokujō Monogatari: Shiawase no Uta, which was released on March 3, 2005 in Japan. The updated GameCube version was released in the United States by Natsume Inc. on March 28, 2006.
Excite Truck is a racing video game developed by Nintendo and Monster Games and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It features malleable environments and tilt-based controls. The game was one of the Wii launch titles in North America. It is the third main game in the Excite series and the first to feature vehicles other than motorbikes.
Sega Bass Fishing, also known as Get Bass, is an arcade fishing video game developed in 1997 by Sega for the Sega Model 3 hardware. The game has since been ported to the Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii.
In-Fisherman Bass Hunter 64 is a single-player fishing video game for the Nintendo 64 developed by GearHead Entertainment and published by Take-Two Interactive. It was the first Nintendo 64 fishing game outside Japan, following the region-exclusive Nushi Tsuri 64. It was released in North America on June 30, 1999 and in Europe on October 22, 1999. A Game Boy adaptation of the game, titled In-Fisherman Bass Hunter, was announced to be in development at Tarantula Studios on June 1, 1998, but ultimately stayed unreleased.
Wii Play is a party video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii console. It was released as a launch game for the console in Japan, Europe, and Australia in December 2006, and was released in North America in February 2007. The game features nine minigames, including a Duck Hunt-esque shooting range, a fishing game, and a billiards game, each of which are designed to showcase the features of the Wii Remote controller.
Naruto: Clash of Ninja, released in Japan as Naruto: Gekitō Ninja Taisen!, is a series of 3D cel-shaded fighting games based on the manga and anime series Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto. They are developed by Eighting and published by D3 Publisher and Tomy. The series began with four GameCube games, with the first two available internationally and the last two released exclusively in Japan, before splitting into two parallel Wii-exclusive follow-up series: the Gekitō Ninja Taisen EX tetralogy released exclusively in Japan and its international counterpart, the Clash of Ninja: Revolution trilogy. The two Wii series share the same gameplay mechanics, but differ with respect to content and characters, with the international Revolution series being based on a localized version of the Naruto anime series. The first half of the original series and the entire Revolution trilogy are available in North America and Europe, the first two Revolution games are available in Australasia and all games in the series except the Revolution trilogy are available in Japan.
Wild Guns is a 1994 space Western shooting gallery video game developed by Natsume for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Set in the Wild West with steampunk and sci-fi influences, the story follows Annie and her bounty hunter Clint, seeking revenge for the death of her family. The player controls either Annie or Clint sidestepping and jumping in the foreground while shooting down enemy robots in the background and dodging enemy bullets. These gameplay mechanics combine elements from third-person shooters and light gun games.
Sega Superstars Tennis is a sports video game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. It is the second title in the Sega All-Stars series, preceded by Sega Superstars (2005), and crosses over characters, locations, and soundtracks from several Sega franchises, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Channel 5, and Super Monkey Ball.
Brain Challenge is a mental exercise video game, featuring "brain exercise puzzles". The game was developed by Gameloft Beijing for mobile phone and iPod and released on September 5, 2007. In 2008 was followed by a Nintendo DS version on January 8, an Xbox Live Arcade release on March 12, and a PlayStation 3 launch on November 27. The N-Gage 2.0 version was released on the day of the service's launch, April 3, 2008. A version for WiiWare was released in autumn 2008 on all three regions. The Wii version also uses Miis for the players profile. OnLive also had launched their new streaming game platform with Brain Challenge on July 27, 2010. The game was released for Mac OS X in January 2011.
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, and Xbox 360 video game consoles, with TOSE overseeing development for the Nintendo DS version. The game was first released on November 9, 2008 in North America. It is the tenth overall installment in the video game series based on the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) promotion, and the fifth game under the SmackDown vs. Raw name, named after the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brands. It is the sequel to 2007's SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 and the second game to feature the promotion's ECW brand.
Rhythm Heaven Fever, known in both the PAL regions as Beat The Beat: Rhythm Paradise, Minna No Rhythm Tengoku in Japan and Rhythm World Wii in Korea, is a music video game developed by Nintendo and TNX for Nintendo's Wii. It is the third game in the Rhythm Heaven series, following Rhythm Tengoku for the Game Boy Advance and Rhythm Heaven for the Nintendo DS, and was succeeded by Rhythm Heaven Megamix for the Nintendo 3DS in 2016. The game was released in Japan on July 21, 2011, in North America on February 13, 2012, in Europe on July 6, 2012, and in Australia on September 13, 2012. It was digitally re-released for the Wii U in Japan on July 27, 2016, in North America on November 10, 2016, and in Europe on November 22, 2016.
3D Pixel Racing is an arcade-style racing game developed by Vidia and released in 2011. The game was released as a downloadable game on WiiWare and in the App Store for iOS devices. 3D Pixel Racing heavily capitalizes on its graphical uniqueness. Unlike most 3D games, every object in 3D Pixel Racing is made of multi-colored voxels that are reminiscent of old 8-bit games from the 1970s and 80's.
Klonoa is a side-scrolling platform video game for the Wii developed by Paon and published by Namco Bandai Games. It is a remake of the 1997 PlayStation game Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, the first game in the Klonoa series, updating the game with fully 3D graphics, additional content, and gameplay changes. It was released in Japan in December 2008 and in North America and Europe in May 2009.
Virtual Fishing is a 1995 fishing video game developed by Locomotive Corporation and published by Pack-In-Video in Japan for the Virtual Boy. The player participates in a series of fishing tournaments at various different locations by catching a large number of fishes with a high average weight under a time limit. Its gameplay consists of two segments and features two additional modes of play.