I’m really not sure how much I can say about a fishing game. This one is certainly well made – and has nicely detailed graphics and a nice split-screen, but it’s also extremely boring – but only because it aims to be accurate (even if still heavily sped up compared to how long it could take in real life). Finding fish is a big part of catching fish.

While driving around the lakes in your boat, a Garmin Fishfinder (some kind of sonar device) will help you detect fish. Where the bass are will depend on the year and weather, sometimes preferring shallow waters sometimes hiding out in the deep (the instructions for each tournament will give you an idea), although sometimes you can still drive* around for a very long time before finding something. When you do get some fish markers on your sonar, it’s time to stop and fish.

*I looked into the use of what word to use here, with options for sail, steer and pilot, however it seems that “drive” is the most appropriate for using a small motorised boat in this manner.

A lot of the controls feel quite similar to fishing in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, with waggling the stick to entice fish, reeling and pulling to the side to get them closer and so on. There is more in-depth stuff – you have to pull back to hook and set tension, but it really does highlight how much Zelda got right in just a small bonus part of the game.

Which kind of bring us to the game’s biggest flaw: Ocarina of Time’s fishing is just more fun. Bass Hunter has a lot more depth and detail, but that’s tedious stuff, and I suspect people who enjoy fishing also like the whole outdoor nature of it. In Zelda, you can just get straight to the fishing (well, once you get to the fishing pond), and there’s even a hidden fish to try and catch. In this, the hunt for fish is just slow and boring, without the enjoyment that comes with the environment around you in real life.

Fine

So, if you’re fish-crazy, this could be a thing for you, offering, as it does, a comprehensive river-bound package. For the rest of us, though, we’ll probably get more satisfaction in catching the Hyrule Loach and trying to whip the hat off the odd chap in the fishing shop. And you can’t say fairer than that.

Jes Bickham, N64 Magazine #34. Review Score: 67%

Remake or remaster?

More recent fishing games likely do more.

Official ways to get the game.

There is no official way to get In-Fisherman Bass Hunter 64