SEGA Bass Fishing

A genre that is long overdue for an appearance on the Wii is that of Fishing. “Fishing isn't about fishing at all, but about telling the tales,” as stated on the Mighty Boosh (a popular comedy in the UK), and there is many a tale to tell about SEGA’s cult game: SEGA Bass Fishing. The franchise has had it’s name brandished around most major platforms in the past few years, and it’s now made it’s way across to the Wii.

SEGA Bass Fishing is a simple fishing game that requires no instruction, and because of this easy premise, there really is very little instruction on how to cast and reel the lines in the game. There’s a very brief tutorial on how to play the game, and that’s it. Fortunately, the game is very intuitive, and the controls feel completely natural when playing the title. To cast a line the player must waggle the Wii Remote, and to draw the line in, the player must waggle the Nunchuck. The game mechanics may be basic, but they work.

After a fish has taken to the lure, the player must waggle the Nunchuck and the Wii Remote to try and reel the fish in. However, to make the game a little harder than fishing in Ocarina of Time, there’s also line tension. If the tension on the line gets too high, the line will snap and that huge fish will get away, leaving the player with nothing. This basic premise is the same across all of the different play modes in the game, and there are are three of them: Arcade Mode, Nature Mode and Tournament Mode. In Arcade Mode, the player is up against the clock to catch as many fish (in as big a size) that they are able to find. As long as they hit the target set before them, it doesn’t matter how the job is done.

In Nature Mode, everything is done at a very different pace. The player is given the option to choose any of the levels of play, the time of day...pretty much everything. There are no goals, no time limits, it’s basically just fishing as if it were real life – free. This is a welcome distraction from the fast paced Arcade and Tournament modes, and it also extends the game’s lifespan somewhat, too.

Finally, there's the Tournament Mode -- aptly named, as it is a tournament between the player and various computer players. Similarly to the Arcade Mode, the player must attain all of the targets set before them to move onto the next level of play.

SEGA have clearly thought through the transition onto the Wii; however, the only unfortunate thing about the modes of play is the lack of any form of multiplayer mode. Playing fishing with mates may not seem like a great idea, but playing the Tournament Mode online against other like-minded individuals would undoubtedly increase the lifespan of this budget game.

Aside from the modes of play and the very simplistic style of gameplay, SEGA Bass Fishing has had a welcome update on the graphical front. Granted, the game will not win any awards for being the next Okami or Twilight Princess, but it’s a welcome update in comparison to the old Dreamcast graphics. Across the board the graphics are clear, clean and crisp and at no point will a player confuse a reed for a fish as they’re clearly different – even in low light.

As with many SEGA games from the 90s, there’s the classic over-enthusiastic announcer who will cast his verdict on how you’ve done – whether you want to hear it or not. This is a welcome throwback to the arcade version of the game, although it can become a little tiresome after hearing "Failure!" for the hundredth time. The rest of the music is much the same as before: clear and good enough for its setting, but as with many games of this type, it’s ultimately forgettable.

The menu screens are the biggest flaw in SEGA Bass Fishing, as they are old, clunky and tired. This goes from the very entrance screen right through to the options for changing lures and players. However, considering the game’s menu screens were developed nearly a decade ago now, it could be forgiven.

Final Verdict - 6/10
SEGA Bass Fishing is a game that needs no introduction, as most people (gamers, at least) will probably have heard about this game series at some point in their life. The Wii iteration of the title is a good throwback to the 90s, but is ultimately a little tired and needs a revamp. However, at the budget price it’s being marketed at, it’s definitely worth picking up.