Sega Bass Fishing Review (WII)

Sega Bass Fishing is a little too old school, but still the best fishing experience on the Wii.

by Robert Workman on Sunday, March 09, 2008

"Enjoy your fishing!" Simpler words couldn't be spoken for Sega Bass Fishing for Wii. Although the Wii version is a mere Dreamcast port, the relatively easy controls and the overall fun factor overcome its lack of freshness.

Sega Bass Fishing is decidedly old school...but that's cool.

You start by choosing one of the game's four modes -- Arcade, Tournament, Practice and Nature Trip -- to begin your fishing journey. All of these modes let you choose your location, bait style and casting point, then put you to work with the Wii's motion controls. Sega did an excellent job mapping the controls across the Nunchuk and the Wii remote, so it actually feels like an extended fishing rod. You reel in your line by twisting around the Nunchuk, while jerking the pole with the remote. For those requiring something simpler, you can "auto-reel" by hitting the B trigger. Bringing in a fish is a bit of a challenge, as you must avoid breaking your line with precision movements. It's a blast, though.

Sad;y, there are no major differences between the modes, aside from Nature Trip. This interesting new addition to the series leans more towards a realistic fishing trip, with a more specific time limit and a quota to meet in a specific area. It's not the most imaginative idea, but fans of the series and newcomers will enjoy it.

Aside from the controls and the new Nature Trip mode, however, little else has changed. Graphicly, the game still looks about the same as it did back on the Sega Dreamcast. It still has some above average-looking water effects, realistic fish and decent locales, but these graphics aren't exactly up to 2008 standards. There's also no option to customize your own fisherman, which would have been a novel touch here. Sound is limited to decent background themes and an announcer who occasionally drops hints of advice while you reel in a fish.

Fish? Where? (We're kidding, of course.)

However, the fact that the series hasn't changed much doesn't cripple this game's appeal. You're still able to use various kinds of bait; the controls aren't overworked to the point that the game is unplayable (unlike other piece-of-crap fishing games for the Wii); and there's a pleasant mix of old Dreamcast levels and several new ones.

Considering that the Wii lacked a great fishing game (aside from the party-oriented Fishing Master by Konami), Sega Bass Fishing is a welcome sight. No, it doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it spins regardless with its solid control scheme, decent presentation and various fishing options. If you're a fan of the series or just looking for a fishing trip that doesn't suck, don't hesitate to reel this one in.