While there is a glut of fishing games on the Wii, one nice thing about them is that each one offers a different experience. If you want a more realistic, laid back fishing game for casual players, you can get hooked on Reel Fishing: Angler’s Dream. If you or your kids want a more cartoony, arcadey Mario Kart styled fishing game, you can reel in Rapala We Fish. But what about the teen and up crowd who are into extreme sports and new ways to fish, like Bowfishing? Well, now those types of armchair anglers are covered with Shimano Xtreme Fishing.

There are three ways to fish in Shimano Xtreme Fishing. The first is the tried and true rod and reel. This mode controls just like any other Wii fishing game. Use the remote to make casting and hooking motions, and wind up the nunchuck (or press the B button) to reel in the fish. Watch the line tension meter and don’t reel in too much or too little or your line will break and the fish will escape. While fighting your struggling catch, follow the on-screen instructions to tilt your rod in the right direction to tire out the fish quicker. Handy button cues on the side of the screen let you know what buttons to push to drive your boat around and fish.

The next way to play is bowfishing. Stand on your boat and use a bow and arrow or crossbow to skewer fish in the water. Play control is simple, just point the remote at the screen and shoot. It’s too bad they couldn’t use the one to one motion controls found in Wii Sports Resort archery, but this way works just fine, too. Anyway, bowfishing is definitely the most fun part of Shimano Xtreme Fishing, and I think it’s the only bowfishing game on the Wii.

And lastly, put on your SCUBA gear and catch fish underwater with Speargun mode. This mode plays just like bowfishing except you can swim around underwater and catch fish in 3-D space above and below you. But watch out for predators like sharks and alligators. Skewer them before they bite you, because if they do that enough times, you’ll receive a point penalty!

In tournament mode, catch specific kinds of fish and get a high score to win medals. The higher the medal, the more locations, licensed equipment, and accessories you can unlock. Boost your score by catching glowing ‘monster’ fish and hooking multiple fish in a row to increase your score multiplier. Or take your time and relax and catch fish in Free Fish mode to beat your personal best records. And up to four players can compete at once to catch the most fish and get the highest score in Multiplayer Mode. Fish in typical places like lakes as well as more exotic extreme locations like waterfalls and the Amazon River.

The only major problem with Shimano Xtreme Fishing is that the aiming controls feel a little off and delayed in bowfishing and speargun modes. But I’m sure it’s pretty hard to aim in real life bowfishing as well. And the graphics aren’t as good as in other Wii fishing games, but they do the job. If you enjoy alternative ways to fish, like bowfishing, then Shimano Xtreme Fishing will get you hooked.

Kid Factor:

Shimano Xtreme Fishing is rated T for Teen with ESRB descriptors of Blood and Violence. The violence comes from the shark attacks and chomps from predators underwater, as well as spearing and skewering the fish in those two modes (regular rod and reel mode is pretty tame). And when you spear a fish or get attacked by a shark, trails and clouds of the red stuff can be seen underwater. So, more sensitive children and gamers may not like that. Reading skill is helpful for the in-game instructions. Winning tournaments is pretty challenging, too.  Older kids who enjoy extreme outdoor sports like bowfishing will appreciate Shimano Xtreme Fishing.

Tags: Game Reviews