I love fishing in games. I already went over this last week with Out Fishing, so I won’t repeat myself much more. But I do desperately need to tell you about FISH³, or FISH³: FISHTASTIC FISHING FISHSCAPES, a very unconventional fishing game that’s also an arcade time trial racer, where the fish you catch are also your boat’s engine, and you can fish while you’re racing? If, like me, that entire description has you thinking “come again”, then read on.
So, here’s how it works. Levels start off with you catching a fish, which involves moving your analogue sticks (controller only it seems, sorry mouse and keyboard diehards) into particular spots and hitting L2 and R2 to build up some meter to catch it. The racing part itself is akin to something like Wave Race 64, with ramps and nets to give you boosts and get in your way along the course.
Watch on YouTube
What really makes the whole experience strange is that while you try to navigate a course, you can also catch more fish, because you actually have two fishing rods. This then presents a single analogue stick version of the same minigame, though this one requires more specific timing as you have to hit R2 at the same time as an arrow that’s spinning around in a circle.
Now, to be clear: FISH³, in its current state, is jank as hell. I had a go at the demo and it is a sensory overload to start off with. And yet, I’m also incredibly fascinated by it. Like many arcade racers, you have target times and scores to beat, the former potentially hindered by you taking too long to reel in more fish (and other things), the latter bolstered by catching lots of fish (and other things).
There is absolutely the foundation of a special, but very odd, arcade game in there, one that I can see the biggest of sickos figuring out strats most of us will only be able to enjoy through clips on TikTok. I’m quite looking forward to seeing how it shapes up, and if you are too, then you can wishlist it on Steam here.
