Sega Bass Fishing Review: Check Out That Bass!

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In 1997, a lot of things happened in the game industry. Video game legend, Gunpei Yokoi, passed away in a car accident, Final Fantasy VII redefined the RPG genre, and Sega Bass Fishing was released in Japanese arcades. Shortly after the launch of the Dreamcast in 1999, the fishing simulation title found its way to Sega’s ill-fated console. Here in 2011, Sega Bass Fishing has been released once again on XBLA and PSN for $10.

Sega Bass Fishing features an Arcade Mode and an Original Mode, both having online leaderboards. In case you’ve got fish bait for brains, the game is about catching bass. The player has a limited window of time to catch as many bass as possible, but the number of fish is not important since the collective weight of all the caught fish is what will win you competitions. The game sports tournaments, unlockable lures, and a number of different locations to put your fishing prowess to the test.

The first thing gamers will notice is the dated presentation of the game. If there were ever a game that is a product of its console generation, it would be Sega Bass Fishing. The game features some cacophonous “muzak,” the visuals are fairly dated, and the game’s progression can leave something to be desired. That being said, those with an affinity for the Dreamcast’s heyday will be happy to see one of the console’s classic titles on the system preserved in a digital format. One of the bigger complaints Dreamcast purists are likely to have is the lack of a fishing rod peripheral, and that’s a real bummer since the custom controller is strongly featured in the game’s attract videos.

The game, just like real fishing, has layers of complexity that can only be understood with practice. The lures all behave differently, the various locations are better suited to for fishing in specific weather conditions, and knowing how to reel in the big ones has an art of subtlety all its own. Just like running out of beer on a real fishing trip, there are annoying factors to Sega Bass Fishing as well. The fish AI seems inconsistent from day to day, the lure hints are only visible when playing in Arcade Mode, and if the timer runs out when you have a whopper of a fish on the line one foot from the boat, you are not permitted to continue reeling it in.

Sega Bass Fishing is a game perfectly representative of the Dreamcast generation. It features a healthy balance of simplicity and nuanced game control that is fun for those interested in a game about fishing. Keeping that in mind, the average gamer’s experience is not likely to exceed the five-to-ten-hour benchmark. Fishing game enthusiasts have got a winner on their hands with Sega Bass Fishing, but that particular corner of the market has likely already picked this game up in some shape or form in the past. For those curious about the fishing game genre, as incredibly minuscule it is, Sega Bass Fishing is an excellent first soiree, provided you don’t mind the dated aspects of the game.

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Sega Bass Fishing was provided for review by Triple Point PR. It is available on PSN and XBLA for $10. 

By Daniel Campbell at October 26, 2011.