OK, so fishing games on the Wii are a dime a dozen. Believe me, I know. I feel like I’ve reviewed them all! So we’re going to do something a little different with this review. I’m going to talk about what makes Reel Fishing: Angler’s Dream UNIQUE from other Wii fishing titles.

Fishing with the Wii remote here is just like in any other fishing game. Swing the Wii remote in a casting motion to release your line, and use the nunchuck or A and B buttons to reel it in. Wiggle around the Wii remote when the fish bites and fights, but be careful not to let your line snap. It would be nice if there were some kind of meter to let you know how far your line is from snapping, or how the fish is fighting. Casting and catching fish can be a bit tricky at first, but if you do what the instructions tell you to, you’ll learn what to do a lot faster. To break up the monotony, you can also do some fly fishing, where casting is a little different.

One of my favorite aspects of Reel Fishing is that you can keep your fish in an aquarium back at the lodge. You can interact with the fish at the aquarium and even feed them by shaking the Wii remote like a can of fish food! The cool thing is that if you take good care of your fish in the aquarium, they’ll grow bigger. Then you can release them back into the water and catch them again to reach some of your fishing goals easier! The lodge is also a great place to view all your rods, lures, bait, and fishing awards. You can also get advice by reading the in-game fishing magazines and talking to the Fishing Master, who looks a bit like Santa Claus in one of those novelty fishing Christmas tree ornaments!

There are tons of fishing locations for you to unlock: lakes, streams, even the deep blue sea. And the fishing spots have some of the most photorealistic graphics I’ve seen on the Wii. I especially liked how you can see the twigs and other debris under the lakes. Too bad you can’t move around in the locations, though. There’s also a multiplayer mode where two people can compete to see who can catch the most fish.

Reel Fishing: Angler’s Dream isn’t necessarily any BETTER than other Wii fishing games out there, it’s all a matter of what you want in a fishing game. If you like less cartoony and more realistic fishing games that are still easy to get into, or if you enjoy taking care of fish in an aquarium (that was my favorite part), then Reel Fishing: Angler’s Dream may be the right catch for you!

And by the way, if you’d like to read an interview I did a couple of months ago with the makers of Reel Fishing, click here.

Kid Factor:

I don’t know if it’s because I’m from the south or what, but every kid I know around here likes to fish. In fact, it’s kind of a family tradition to get the kids a fishing rod for Christmas when they reach a certain age. And kids also like to go to aquariums and take care of fish, all of which you can do in Reel Fishing. Younger players might need a little help learning how to cast at first, and reading skill is needed for all the text. Reel Fishing: Angler’s Dream is rated E for Everyone.

Tags: Game Reviews