Sega Bass Fishing

I am not an outdoorsmen; I have no passionate interest in fishing. I do, however, own a Dreamcast and am open enough to try new genres that I shell out the whopping 2 dollars it took to buy "Sega Bass Fishing". I vaguely recall playing Sega Bass Fishing on an old DC demo disc and remember having a fun time. Maybe it was the nostalgia of that Dreamcast abundant Christmas, perhaps there's just something inherently amiable about the mug of that bass on the cover, but, I bought a fishing game, and am happy to say, that I didn't regret my purchase.

I was impressed by just how smoothly the transition of "outdoors pastime" to "video-game" went. Sure, like the real activity, there are a lot of random elements and um, waiting, but there's also some skill and strategy to be found here. Factors like what lure you select, how forcefully you reel in your fish (which is an effectively incorporated element that manifests itself via a Tony Hawk manual-esque "balance bar") and what position you move your pole in (a simple game of command and response) all determine if you catch the big one. It really is rather engaging yet accessible. A nice bonus is the genuinely blood-pumping (if thematically inappropriate) rocking tunes that play once your fish takes the bait. It makes you feel as if you're in some sort of action-packed fighting game, and motivating you to catch that water-dwelling S.O.B. if your life depends on it.

Graphically, Super Bass Fishing is about average to marginally above average. The water effects are mildly dated, but the fish look pretty realistic, as does the scenery. The game is functional and comely, but not exactly a jaw-dropper.

The game is also divided into two distinctive "modes". One seems to be a straight, unadulterated arcade port, complete with infinite continues and a mere 4 stages. It's a good introduction to the game and seems to be geared towards gamers (like myself) who aren't completely engulged in fishermen culture. In contrast to "Arcade Mode", "Original Mode" seems to be geared towards the tackle box and can o' night crawlers demography who bought this game the day it came out, with it's out of 40 ranking system, heartier challenge, and added realistic wheather patterns. These two modes give the game some versatility and wider appeal.

If you're looking for a good fishing game then look no further than Sega Bass Fishing it does just about everything you could want from the genre. Gamers expecting more might be a little disappointed, but if you're the type of person that wishes he could fish 24 hours a day this game was made for you.