Review: Fishing Resort [Wii]

(Image taken from gamesradar.com)

Honestly, when was the last time you played your Wii? Five months ago? Six? A whole year ago? Honestly, the line-up for the Wii has been pathetic at best and a rollicking train wreck at worst. In fact, it’s probably been even WORSE than a rollicking train wreck. Seriously, the Wii has gone downhill beyond measure. Sure, the new Legend of Zelda might make you whip it out of the closet pretty soon, but as far as third-party support is concerned, it’s basically nonexistent.

But not TOTALLY nonexistent, as made evident by Yuji Naka’s latest game, Fishing Resort for the Wii. Now I know. Fishing? Who the hell wants to play that? Well, I agree, I sure as hell don’t. But I’m not the audience for a fishing game anyway. To me, I think fishing games are about as exciting to playing golf on the PS3. In other words, I couldn’t give a crap about it.

That said, I do know that fishing games DO have an audience, even if it’s limited, and as far as that’s concerned, Fishing Resort isn’t a bad game. Yuji Naka, the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog, has managed to make a fishing game that’s at the very least enjoyable. By adding objectives and contests in the game to participate in, as well as the ability to go around your resort and talk to people, this fishing game adds a bit of flair to something that could have been a lot more mundane.

People who dig fishing games will like the added immersion of going around a resort as if this were an actual vacation. Catching fish can only take you so far, but Mr. Naka has managed to make it somewhat tolerable by giving diverse environments to go fishing in as well as the ability to ride on boats. I can’t say that this is the kind of game that will resurrect the Wii from the ashes, but it’s an enjoyable, even relaxing experience nonetheless. Catching fish is easy—you just swing your Wiimote at fish and lure them in by twirling the nunchucku. But there’s strategy involved to catching the heavier fish, and you can trade your points in and get better lures. It’s fun.

Overall, if you like fishing games and have a Wii, you might enjoy this game. If you don’t like fishing games, then you won’t give a crap about it. But you already knew that, right? Give it a try if you’re bored of the Wii’s weak lineup.

Player: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Prope
Publisher: Namco Bandai
ESRB: E
Rating: Three stars out of five