Sega Bass Fishing Review

The Sega Dreamcast was far ahead of its time. Whether it was introducing online gaming to a modern mass-market console or its cutting-edge 3D graphics, the system is still fondly remembered by many. For at least some of those games, including Sega Bass Fishing, they should probably remain exactly that – memories.

Sega Bass Fishing was a title that made use of the innovative Dreamcast fishing rod controller. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 ports obviously cannot make use of that controller, the PS3 version at least benefits from PlayStation Move support. As exciting as it was to hold that fishing rod controller on the Dreamcast, it does not translate exactly as well for the Move, but it does an admirable job nonetheless.

The gameplay in Sega Bass Fishing is decidedly shallow. The emphasis is more on arcade-style speed than on a challenging fishing simulator. Admittedly this is not necessarily a bad thing, but the game feels overly simplistic: cast a line, wait for a fish to bite and reel it in. You virtually are guaranteed to catch a fish each time you cast.

While the developers have upgraded the graphics to support HD, they definitely look dated. Whether it is your fisherman, the water or the environments, you can tell that this is a Dreamcast title. No improvements have been made to the game. Minor graphical flaws exist as well. The fishing line goes through objects such as underwater logs. The fish still look moderately detailed.

Fans of the original Sega Bass Fishing for Dreamcast might get a kick out of this HD port, but everyone else is likely to find the rudimentary gameplay to be disappointing. If you are playing with traditional controls, do not even bother. This game is meant for motion controls. Buy it only if you own a PlayStation Move and are a Sega Bass Fishing diehard.