fishing star world tour review

Fishing Star: World Tour (Switch) Review

by Daan Koopman - February 19, 2019, 4:27 pm EST Total comments: 1

Beautiful looking fish easily save a somewhat underwhelming localization.

Fishing games are in a weird place for me. I love the concept of playing a fishing game, but the majority of them haven't been all that exciting. The last one I enjoyed was Prope's Fishing Resort, which was released all the way back in 2011. You would walk around a singular island, snatch up a fish or two, and feel like an utter pro in the process. Fishing Star: World Tour's scope is a bit different in that regard. There aren't places to explore, and instead there are over 50 locations to fish at. As a downloadable title, Fishing Star has all the makings of a good video game. Sadly, the title stumbles a bit when it comes to its localization.

From a gameplay perspective, Fishing Star: World Tour hits it out of the park. Wright Flyer Studios, known for making enjoyable mobile titles, knows how to make a fishing game feel great. They've done so in the past, and the developer is bringing that expertise to a home console. You travel from location to location, meeting requirements in a variety of missions. Once you are done in one place, the game allows you to hop forward quickly and swiftly move to another location. Within those places, it is incredibly easy to swap your fishing gear and continue where you left off. Fishing Star: World Tour is a no-filler experience, and I adore that side of the game. It makes it extremely compelling to play it for a while, and put it down once you feel 100% satisfied.

The gameplay loop is one thing, but the controls are a whole other story. In my mind, Fishing Star: World Tour is best played with motion controls. When I say that, I realize that I am making a certain subset of people unwilling to ever pick it up. The reality is, however, that using separated Joy-Con creates one of the more involved and fun experiences within the genre. You will use one controller to reel the fish in, while the other serves all your rod needs. There is a tension to the proceedings that I found hard to shake off, particularly when huge fish came into the picture. Moving your rod around to keep the fish at bay, slowly reeling it in, and dealing with sudden changes in the fish's pattern felt special.

There are two complaints I have with the game. While the mission structure works like a charm, I think that some of the requirements can be incredibly harsh. For example, one of the fish had like a 10% chance of popping up. Due to the game's RNG nature and focus on swapping tools, there is a huge chance that you're stuck in a hole for a while. There were moments where I was held up 30 minutes at the location after doing everything else required. That was the most frustrating the game got, and I can't say I was pleased in those instances. Personally though, I found some of the translation errors a lot more upsetting. The English localization is very much all over the place, with some text feeling completely wrong.

Back on the positives, Fishing Star looks incredibly sharp. Seriously, the water physics and how the fish look made me very much a believer. From top to bottom, this is a product made with absolute care and love for the sport. This even translates to the music: a lovable jazz beat accompanies every catching sequence. In addition, the UI is extremely clean and contributes to the fun atmosphere. The actual game side of the experience just goes all the way with its ideas.

All in all, Fishing Star: World Tour was a surprisingly fun little game. While I do think that the progression and localization could use some work, the actual title here leaves me pleased overall. Fishing Star is such a perfect game to play late at night and unwind with after a long day. In those moments, you're forgiving of those more disappointing moments and more focused on the task in front of you. The title isn't designed to be rushed, though better RNG would lessen even a teensy bit of the frustration. While the game can be played with buttons, it should be experienced the way that it was made. The motions controls are an incredibly smart addition and put you closer to the very enjoyable action.

• Extremely fun to control
• Great gameplay loop
• Looks quite nice
• Plenty of locations to play at
• Frustrating progression
• Underwhelming localization

Sounds like a fun little fishing game, especially the motion control aspects. Do they make good use of "HD Rumble" with how you feel tension on the line or the fish switching direction or anything like that? That would be amazing.

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• Jan 17, 2020

Game Review #465: Fishing Star World Tour (Nintendo Switch)

Reviewer: John B Developer: WFS Publisher: WFS, Aksys Category: Action, Sports Release Date: 1.30.2019 Price: $29.99

Buy Fishing Star World Tour from the Nintendo Switch eShop here .

Buy Fishing Star World Tour physically from Amazon here .

The first time JP handed me a fishing game to review , things did not go well. Since then, I’ve pretty much just looked at fishing as little more than a distracting minigame. I mean, sure, I spent hours (HOURS) helping Byleth completely drain the monastery’s pond in Fire Emblem , and an equally huge amount of time as Noctis or Arthur Morgan chasing rare fish in their respective games, but… wait – do I like fishing games? Was it just Cabela’s that sucked? If you take away all the cowboy stuff from RDR2 and, uh, whatever was happening in FFXV , could their fishing mechanics stand on their own? Fishing Star World Tour for the Nintendo Switch from WFS (with a physical release from Aksys) provides a pretty definitive answer to that question, and it’s “yes.”

Fish Like the Stars

I namedropped Final Fantasy XV and Red Dead Redemption 2 in the last paragraph, and I was not kidding when I said the mechanics in Fishing Stars were similar to those games, especially FF – at least when you’re playing with a controller. You can aim your fishing rod with one thumbstick and zoom in with the other to look for fish under the water. When you’ve found a silhouette, you can cast your line with the push of a button and start reeling it in. Your hook should catch a fish’s eye and it’ll bite; you hit a button to snag the fish and start reeling it in like there’s no tomorrow.

The fish will fight you the whole way, so you will need to be smart about how you reel it in; at the top of the screen is a tension meter, which lets you know how much tension is on your fishing line. If it is maxed out for too long, your line snaps and the fish gets away. When the fish starts struggling, you can see it splashing around and your line tension will skyrocket. You can reduce tension by turning the rod in the direction the fish is travelling and letting up on the reel. When it calms down and the tension abates a little, you can start reeling safely again. Every so often, a ghost rod appears on your screen; if you align your rod with the ghost, the tension gauge will greatly diminish. Finally, even more rarely than the ghost rod, a special, three-ringed circle will appear. If you can navigate the fish into the circles, it will draw the fish closer, depending on the circle (middle circle is the best).

Motion by the Ocean

While the controller inputs make the game feel similar to FFXV , Fishing Star World Tour brings a different element to its gameplay via incorporating motion controls through the JoyCons. I was way more comfortable using a controller, personally, but it was kind of fun using the JoyCons to make the motion to both cast and reel in the fish. The motion controls felt a little more sluggish, but the difference wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be. Additionally, there are some minigames (or maybe only one? I’m not sure) that one can enjoy if you use the Labo Toy-Con Fishing Rod. Which I do not possess. So playing it was kind of impossible for me. I saw some videos; it looks neat.

And They Do Mean World Tour

Fishing Star World Tour features tons of unlockables that make for a ton of replayability. There are over forty stages to discover, each with three to eight different species of fish to catch, for a total of 182 fish - “fish” being a loosely applied term, since that number also includes frogs, salamanders, kelp, and a boot. Our oceans are a mess, you guys. The game offers several challenges for players to complete, for which it rewards you with new tackle – rods, reels, and lures – as well as unlocking new stages. New lures will allow you to attract different types of fish, whereas the rods and reels provide extra durability and power for catching larger, more powerful fish more easily.

I’m Not a Fisherman, But I Like (Virtual) Fishing… Why?

Much like the prospect of fishing in FFXV , I thought I’d get bored pretty quickly with Fishing Star . But then I played for about four hours uninterrupted when I booted it up for the first time and I can’t really understand why. The gameplay is pretty monotonous; cast, hook, reel, repeat. Certainly, adapting to the habits of some of the larger, stronger fish makes for quite the challenge, but gameplay doesn’t change or evolve over the course of the game. There’s just something about the little thrill of pulling a fish out of the water and seeing what you’ve caught this time that makes me want to keep doing it again and again.

There’s Nothing Fishy About These Graphics

I was pretty surprised by how much I enjoyed playing Fishing Star , and aside from some pretty addictive gameplay, I think that was largely due to how great the game looks. All of the different locations are vibrantly colored and gorgeously detailed – the settings all look better than I ever remember real nature being, and they feature some very unique and original designs, like a giant, half-submerged kangaroo statue or a rock formation in the shape of a shark. The water effects are smooth and ridiculously realistic, to boot. Everything just looks spectacular. The music is jazzy and full of energy, which invites and encourages anglers to stay and play in this world forever.

Fishing for Recommendations? Try Fishing Star

There are few things in life better than coming away having truly enjoyed something you never expected to even like a little. Fishing Star World Tour represents a gaming genre I seldom give the time of day, but it won me over pretty much from the start with its accessible gameplay mechanics, lush graphics, and loads of unlockables. Sure, it can get monotonous after a few hours, but if you come back to it a few days later it will feel as fresh and fun as it did the first time you played it. Even if you’re not into fishing games – or perhaps especially if you aren’t – give Fishing Star World Tour a try. I promise you won’t regret it.

Score: 8.5/10

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*A game code was provided for review purposes

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Fishing star world tour, common sense media reviewers.

Casual fishing catches players hook, line, and sinker.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

The game is a relaxing fishing experience without

There's not much character development. The story

The game features both button controls and Joy-Con

Parents need to know that Fishing Star World Tour is a single-player fishing simulation sports game available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. It recreates the experience of fishing for different varieties of fish at different locations similar to places around the world. The game features two distinct control…

Positive Messages

The game is a relaxing fishing experience without the pressure of competition. It helps to teach the patience that comes with real world fishing, as well as offering a sense of accomplishment when reeling in a nice catch.

Positive Role Models

There's not much character development. The story is light and mainly just serves to give the player goals and to push them from location to location.

Ease of Play

The game features both button controls and Joy-Con motions controls. While the motion controls offer more of a realistic experience, it's also more complicated and awkward, requiring a lot of practice.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Fishing Star World Tour is a single-player fishing simulation sports game available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. It recreates the experience of fishing for different varieties of fish at different locations similar to places around the world. The game features two distinct control schemes, one which uses standard button and joystick controls and another that used the Joy-Con controllers to simulate working with a rod and reel. It's designed to be kid-friendly, with no inappropriate content included.

Where to Play

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

Please don’t get your kids this game.

What’s it about.

It's time to cast out and reel in a whopper with FISHING STAR WORLD TOUR for the Nintendo Switch. Explore forty different fishing locations as you work towards your quest to become a master angler, catching the best of the best from a selection of over 180 aquatic species. You can customize your gear to give you the edge, guaranteeing you're showing off that whopper you landed and not just telling a fish tale about the one that got away. There's the option to play with standard controls or make use of the Joy-Con's unique motion controls to practice reeling in the Catch of the Day in a realistic and exciting way.

Is It Any Good?

While there are more than a few fishing games available on the Nintendo Switch, not many have managed to reel in the interests of casual fans. Fishing Star World Tour looks to change all that, "angling" for a much more casual and fun fishing experience. The game's presentation is colorful with a distinctly cartoonish look. That isn't a bad thing by any means though, as it makes the game much more approachable to a more all ages audience. After all, where else can someone use a horned beetle themed fantasy rod to catch a clownfish? The game's also relatively easy to pick up and play, though using the Joy-Con's motion controls can take some getting used to. Using one controller as a rod and the other as the reel seems more natural on the surface, but can end up with the player flailing wildly out of control during some of the more exciting moments of catching a particularly energetic fish. As an added bonus for those that might have it, the game does feature a mini-game compatible with the Nintendo Labo fishing rod set.

Although Fishing Star World Tour is inviting to gamers of all ages and skill levels, much like actual fishing, it still requires a certain level of patience. In order to progress through the game's locations, players have specific fish they're required to catch. Unfortunately, some of these are rare fish that have a lower chance of showing up. And if by some chance they don't land it on the first go-round, it leaves players stuck in a repetitious cycle of catching many of the same fish over and over again just waiting for that one special gem of a fish to literally take the bait once again. One other oddball quirk involves the localization of the game. There are a few spots in the game where the text doesn't seem to make much sense, likely the result of an awkward translation from the original Japanese source. Still, that's just a mild distraction from an otherwise enjoyable virtual fishing trip.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about fishing for sport and recreation. What is the appeal of going to a lake, river, or ocean and casting a line to catch a fish? How do video games try to capture that real-world experience, and do they success?

What are some ways that people use virtual simulations to help improve their real-world abilities? What are the advantages to practicing in a virtual environment?

Game Details

• Platform : Nintendo Switch
• Pricing structure : Paid
• Available online? : Available online
• Publisher : Aksys Games
• Release date : November 14, 2019
• Genre : Sports
• Topics : Sports and Martial Arts , Ocean Creatures , Science and Nature , Wild Animals
• ESRB rating : E for No Descriptions
• Last updated : November 15, 2019

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Review: Fishing Star World Tour (Nintendo Switch)

Review by Matt S. 

Everyone needs a good fishing game to play, and yes, I’m being entirely serious. Unlike real world fishing, fishing video games are a relaxing and affirming experience – you chill right down, throw the line in, and know that sooner or later you’re going to catch something. Anyone that tells you that real-world fishing is relaxing is either showing off or lying, because catching those damn things is near-impossible. But in video games… well, you can enjoy the process there.

Fishing Star World Tour isn’t a new game – it was released back at the start of the year for digital download on the eShop. But it has apparently been successful enough to get a physical release, and, given that I haven’t actually played a full-fledged fishing game on my Switch yet, I figured I’d give it a go.

The first thing to note about Fishing Star World Tour is that it is by no means a serious simulation of the pastime. There are lures and rods to choose, and each have a different effect (some fish prefer some lures, some rods will give you better casting difference). But once you’ve thrown the line in, Fishing Star is a very arcadey experience. You’ll tug on the line a little to catch a fish’s attention, and then battle with the fish, working hard to keep the tension on the line right, as the fish moves back and forth in a bid to get away from you. Allow the line to become too tight and it will snap. Allow it to loosen too far and the fish will escape the line.

Fishing games are a great way to chillll #FishingStarWorldTour #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/Qd1aryagEW — DDNet: We cover Japan 🇯🇵 (@DigitallyDownld) November 20, 2019

Fish will try a number of different tricks to get away, and each of those are handled through very simple little twists on the basic mechanics, forcing you into an almost twitch-like response to the fish’s behaviour. With the more difficult fish, the window you have to adjust your line before the line either breaks or goes slack is small indeed, and tougher fish can battle for a much longer time before you’ll finally reel them in. The difficulty curve is gentle however, and there’s no real punishment for failure, so you can just toss another line in immediately afterwards. While the action itself is arcadey, Fishing Star is ultimately a very chilled, no-pressure experience.

This is supported by the environments, which are absolutely gorgeous. They’re simple – not much larger than a single screen in size, and you can’t move about within them – but they are absolutely gorgeous and tranquil. You’ll need to complete some kind of objective in one environment before getting access to the next one, and so throughout your time with the game you’ll constantly find new and vibrant environments to fish in. There’s nothing realistic about the aesthetics, but the colourful and bright spaces are so much better for this kind of game. Even if you buy the argument that real-world fishing is relaxing and enjoyable, part of what makes it so appealing (as fishing fans will always tell you) is the tranquility of being in nature. In that context the hyper-real environments of Fishing Start World Tour just do that better.

While we’re on the presentation, the writing is awful, and the translation from the base language (Japanese) is really, really poor. Thankfully there’s not much narrative to this one beyond an introduction, but it’s nonetheless a blemish that every so often does just enough to remind you that this isn’t quite the premium experience.

Some players might find the mission structure to be too restrictive, too. As mentioned, new areas are unlocked by completing objectives and catching certain kinds and quantities of fish. With perseverance this will happen, but with each body of water having multiple types of fish to catch, there is an element of luck involved in terms of which fish you land. When the dice rolls go against you, you can be “stuck” in one tranquil area chilling and catching the same fish over and over again. When that happens it’s just a test of patience – once again there’s no pressure in playing Fishing Star – but it can become dull.

The other big issue with Fishing Star is optional – there are motion controls, where you’ll use the Joycons in a way that emulates the action of a fishing line and reel. It’s gimmicky and doesn’t work all that well, thanks to the need to constantly reset and re-calibrate it. The rest of the game is far too peaceful and relaxing for that kind of busywork. Thankfully standard controls work really well, and this is the kind of game that’s better for handheld play, anyway. It’s a nice easy thing to play in the background while you’re watching TV or a movie.

There’s a lot to like about Fishing Star World Tour. It’s a lightweight, highly accessible, and charming little arcade-like take on fishing, and while it’s never going to top anyone’s list of favourite games, it’s the kind of mindlessly relaxing thing that’s useful to have on the console for those times where you really do just want to chill.

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Fishing Star World Tour: A SuperParent Review

Catch over 180 different kinds of fish as you travel around the world in this family-friendly fishing game.

Fishing Star World Tour is a casual fishing game that was launched digitally on Nintendo Switch in January of 2019. Now, the game has been released in stores as well, so you have the option to buy a physical copy, rather than only being able to download the game over the internet.

What is Fishing Star World Tour about?

Fishing Star World Tour has a simple premise. When you begin, you’re introduced to Nami, your navigator who will take you on a journey to 40 different fishing locations, where you can try to catch one of every fish in the game. There are over 180 kinds of fish to catch in all, with some being easier to catch than others.

How is Fishing Star World Tour played? What do you do in the game?

At each fishing location, you’ll see fish shadows of different sizes under the surface of the water, and you can use the left analog stick to aim your target cursor wherever you’d like to cast. From there, you can cast your line into the water, and you’re encouraged to reel it in very slowly so that the movement of the lure on the end of the line resembles a fish.

You’ll generally know within a couple of seconds whether or not your lure has attracted the attention of a fish, because splashing will appear on the surface of the water as the fish moves toward your lure. Once it’s hooked, you’ll begin a catching mini-game that asks you to control the tension on the line so that the fish doesn’t get away as you reel it in.

Specifically, as you begin reeling in a fish, a tension meter at the top of the screen will begin to fill, and you’ll need to switch between reeling and stopping so that the meter is never completely empty (indicating there’s no tension on the line) or completely full (there’s too much tension, and the line could break). If the meter reaches either extreme, you’ll have a short time to fix the situation before the fish gets away.

As you battle with a fish, there’s the possibility that a “chance circle” will appear on the screen, which asks you to press the A button at the right time to pull the fish in by a few meters, so you’re one-step closer to catching it. A ghost rod may also appear on the screen next to your own rod. When this happens, you can move your rod to match the ghost rod’s position, which causes the tension in the line to rapidly decrease so you can get back to reeling.

Different species behave differently during the catching mini-game, with some being very easy to catch (you can just hold the A button without worrying about the tension getting too high), and others putting up more of a fight.

Fishing Star World Tour supports both motion and standard controls. If you’re using motion controls, one Joy-Con controls the rod, while the other controls the reel. You can control the rod by holding its corresponding Joy-Con vertically and then moving the Joy-Con around to resemble the motion of a fishing pole. To reel in a fish, you’ll need to hold the other Joy-Con horizontally and move it in a circular motion.

These motion controls work pretty well, though we frequently had to “resync” the Joy-Con controlling the rod, so that the movement of the physical Joy-Con matched the rod’s movement in the game (that is, so that we could always ensure moving left in the real world meant moving left in the game, and so on).

If you don’t want to use motion controls, you can use the left analog stick to control the rod, and the A button to control the reel.

In each fishing location, you’ll be asked to catch specific species of fish before being allowed to move onto the next area. The fish you’re required to catch don’t account for every fish in the game, so you can revisit areas to fill in any gaps in your collection.

Locations are split into different themed “worlds,” with the final area in each world challenging you to catch a “boss” fish, which puts up more of a fight than a regular fish and is therefore harder to catch.

As you complete areas and in-game goals (such as catching 100 fish in total), you’ll unlock more than 70 different types of fishing gear in the form of lures, rods, and reels. Each lure is appropriate for catching different kinds of fish, and the menu at each fishing location will tell you whether you’ve selected the right gear for the job, based on the fish you’re going after.

However, the fish species themselves are hidden on the menu until you’ve actually caught them (you’ll just see a question mark on the menu), so you won’t know whether the fish you need to catch to complete your current mission matches the gear you’ve selected until you’ve actually gone fishing. Plus, since the same gear may be the best for catching multiple species of fish, you may end up catching lots of duplicate fish before you actually find the one(s) you need.

What else should we know about this game?

The game’s text is written in less-than-perfect English, so you’ll run into grammatical errors and sentences that just “sound weird.” However, this issue isn’t severe, so you shouldn’t have any trouble understanding what the game is trying to say.

Finally, if you own the Nintendo Labo Variety Kit , you can use the fishing pole Toy-Con to play a trolling mini-game from the main menu. We weren’t able to try this game ourselves.

Is Fishing Star World Tour Fun? What’s the verdict?

Even if you’re not a fan of fishing in the real world, you can still enjoy Fishing Star World Tour , since it’s more focused on casual gameplay than depth and realism. Kids (and adults) can quickly drop in for a 10-minute gameplay session and have some fun with the motion controls, pretending they’re actually out on the water.

That being said, we would have liked the game more if it had a traditional storyline to complete, rather than simply pushing you forward with the goal of catching all of the available fish. The lack of a storyline, additional characters to meet, and generally other things to do really limits the game’s long-term appeal.

Fishing Star World Tour is available for $29.99. The game is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

Disclosure: Aksys Games sent SuperParent a copy of Fishing Star World Tour for coverage purposes. Our coverage remains objective.

Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.

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Fishing Star: World Tour Reviews

There's a lot to like about Fishing Star World Tour. It's a lightweight, highly accessible, and charming little arcade-like take on fishing, and while it's never going to top anyone's list of favourite games, it's the kind of mindlessly relaxing thing that's useful to have on the console for those times where you really do just want to chill.

Read full review

All in all, Fishing Star: World Tour was a surprisingly fun little game.

It's a casual fishing game for those who were looking forward to a simulator like experience. Fishing gurus might be a little dissapointed for lack of realism but Fishing Star World Tour excels at the tug-o-war process between the player and the fishing line struggle. The production quality may lack a bit of tension but most of the visuals are straight forward with showing fishing points and other environments. The most fisherman-like experience would be when you hold the Joycon controller like a fishing rod.

Review in Korean | Read full review

In an industry that at the moment finds itself focused on Battle Royale, shooters and generally anything with big budgets and plenty of action, Fishing Star World Tour is a wonderfully refreshing change of pace. With its picturesque visuals and chilled out gameplay, my time spent fishing in Wright Flyer Studios’ colorful little world was a relaxing and surprisingly fun one. Who knew fishing could be this entertaining?

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Fishing Star: World Tour – Reviews

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Fishing Star World Tour for Nintendo Switch – Review

Fishing Star World Tour

Genre : Sports (Fishing)

Players : 1

Fishing Star World Tour is a Fishing game that takes a very different approach to the genre than pretty much everything else on the Nintendo Switch, focusing on bright, colorful, cartoony visuals and an arcadey experience that focuses on delivering the best possible experience with the Joy-Cons’ motion controls. The result is something that more serious aficionados looking for more of a serious simulation are likely to turn their nose up at… but they probably shouldn’t.

Visually, this game is unrealistically colorful, but it is also absolutely gorgeous. The use of color here not only makes the game’s at times fantastical locales extremely appealing, it also adds a lot of variety to the affair, making each new location feel like a reward for progress in and of itself.

It’s not just color that sets the visuals apart here either – the water looks good, the areas are detailed, and unlike most other games in the genre you can actually see the areas under the surface refracted through the water, with the light filtering down to ripple over the surface. Make no mistake, after playing most of the Nintendo Switch’s library with visuals ranging from “decent but unspectacular” to “this is clearly a bottom-of-the-barrel mobile port”, to play a Fishing game on the Nintendo Switch that actually had me wanting to soak in the visuals was a rare treat.

Well, most of the visuals. The fish themselves are a bit of a frustration, as they’re represented by shadowy forms rather than character models for each of the individual fish. Only after you finally reel one in does it show you what the fish you caught looks like on the results screen, which is disappointing. I really would have liked to be able to catch a glimpse of the monster I was fighting whenever he jumped out of the water, or at least had the joy of seeing him revealed when I finally pulled him up, but sadly the game deprives players of this.

There’s another element of the presentation I have mixed feelings about, and that’s in the game’s music. While the sound is largely fine (though nothing to write home about), the game’s music while trying to hook a fish is pleasant but repetitive, though I can say it is at least fittingly peaceful given the serene surroundings. However, as soon as you do hook a fish and need to reel it in, you’ll be doing so with the backing of a jazzy tune that doesn’t sound like it belongs anywhere near a fishing game. I understand the desire to ramp up enthusiasm by playing energetic music, but hearing a saxophone play a fast-paced tune while I’m fishing just seems bizarre to me.

In terms of gameplay, there’s two areas where Fishing Star rises far above the other games in the genre on the Nintendo Switch – controls and conveying information to the player. When it comes to controls, players are given the option of playing with traditional controls, or they can use a pair of Joy-Cons to make use of motion controls. I’ll save you from having to compare them – the motion controls here are far, far superior. If you’re playing without motion controls, not only are you missing out on a delightful visceral element that those controls bring, but you’re also playing with controls that seem to ask far too much of a single control stick, which players need to treat with the gentlest of touches to ensure their rod is pointed the right way, as the slightest move in either direction can send the rod jerking off dramatically.

No, the motion controls are the way to go here and that’s just fine because this game uses some surprisingly fantastic motion controls that work very well for this game, using one Joy-Con for the rod, and the other to spin the reel, with both of these feeling natural and being pretty responsive. Honestly, the motion controls in this game have to be some of the better motion controls on the Nintendo Switch, and even if the traditional controls weren’t busted I’d still probably be recommending the motion controls.

As this is an arcadey experience, it’s not completely straightforward, though. Players generally point the rod toward the fish and then reel in the fish with an eye on a meter to ensure it doesn’t get too tense or too slack. However, this is broken up every now and then when the fish decides to make a break for it, requiring you to completely stop reeling. Players also gradually power up a move that has them guiding a fish to a location and tugging him out of the water, getting the fish closer in doing so. Finally, players will occasionally be prompted to quickly shift the rod in the direction opposite where they’re facing. These somewhat arcadey interactions do a good job of shaking up the experience and making it a little less monotonous.

However, not everything about the gameplay is positive, and if this game has one major problem, it’s the way it handles progression. Players are not rewarded for every fish they catch, and in fact often it seems like it’s better to let a fish get away rather than reel it in if you suspect it’s not a specific one you’re trying to nab. That’s because progressing to new locations in this game requires catching specific fish, and you could catch a million fish and still be stuck in one spot until you get the one the game is demanding. This is bad enough as it is, but when combined with the shadowy forms of the fish you’re catching, the only real indication of what you’re looking at is the size of that shadowy form.

As a result, so much of this game’s progression is tied to pure dumb luck, and it’s pretty infuriating to land your zillionth fish of a kind you’ve already caught when you just need one stinkin’ catch of a specific species so you can move on to see the next fantastical location. Players do unlock different gear, and the game even makes sure to let players know when a piece of fishing gear will make it more likely to nab an as-yet uncaught species… but you start out with zero options and unlock this gear slowly. Plus, the gear you’re getting isn’t designed to target any one specific fish, meaning that you’re still just as likely (if not more so) to catch a species you don’t want.

Finally, I should also point out that this game actually supports the Nintendo LABO fishing rod (from the Nintendo LABO Toy-Con 01 Variety Kit ), although it does so in a self-contained mini-game. Still, I tried it, and this mini-game is pretty fun, though I have to say that I think it asks for more vigorous use of the cardboard fishing rod than I feel comfortable with. Having said that, I feel like this is actually a better use of that fishing rod than the actual fishing game included in the Nintendo LABO package, so those interested in getting the most out of their LABO may want to check this game out.

Anyway, when it comes to this game overall, I wish Fishing Star World Tour handled progression differently, because there is so very much here it gets absolutely right. The gameplay is fun and engaging, making excellent use of the Joy-Cons’ motion control, the visuals are gorgeous, and generally speaking this is a game that does a great job of making players want to succeed and move forward. It’s just so often a pain to actually do that. Still, if you’re looking for a fun fishing game on the Nintendo Switch and don’t mind something a bit cartoony, Fishing Star World Tour is definitely one of your best bets.

tl;dr – Fishing Star World Tour is a Fishing game that takes a cartoony, arcadey approach to the genre. The visuals here are gorgeous, the game’s use of motion controls are superb, and the arcadey gameplay infuses catching and reeling in a fish with enough variety to keep it from getting stale too quickly. The only problem here (beyond the annoying sax music when reeling in a fish) is frustrating progression. Still, this is one of the best Fishing games on the Nintendo Switch, and well worth a look for anyone wanting a good Fishing game.

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Fishing Star: World Tour

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In Fishing Star World Tour, players will be able to catch over 180 kinds of fish across 40 different scenic locations from around the world, all the while completing objectives and tracking different species of fish within the game’s “Fish Book”. Players can customize several parts of their fishing gear, including their Lure, Reel, and Rod, each of which has its own stats that can improve your performance. Each time a fish is caught, the Fish Book makes a note of the gear that was used as well as the location of the catch. This information can be extremely helpful, especially when attempting to hook a Boss Fish!

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Fishing Star World Tour

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A new fishing experience. Catch a big one!

Over 180 kinds of fish! More than 70 types of fishing gear! 40 fishing locations! Explore various locations and see a lot of fish! Catch a big one by changing your equipment to match the fish and setting! Fish that are caught are recorded in the “Fish Book”. Become an angling master! Choose a play-style that suits you! Move the Joy-Con to reel in fish like a real angler or simply use the stick on the Joy-Con to catch fish! Play a trolling mini-game using the Toy-Con Fishing Rod! Aim for big fish while aboard a speeding vessel!

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Play online, access classic NES™ and Super NES™ games, and more with a Nintendo Switch Online membership.

This game supports: Save Data Cloud

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WARNING: If you have epilepsy or have had seizures or other unusual reactions to flashing lights or patterns, consult a doctor before playing video games. All users should read the Health and Safety Information available in the system settings before using this software.

A Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) is required for Save Data Cloud backup.

You can purchase at a discount until 07:59 (PDT) on July 23, 2019. © WFS

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