Fishing Break Review (Nintendo Switch OLED)

“Fishing Break” offers a delightful arcade-style fishing experience with charming cartoon graphics and a manageable download size of 663MB. The game features a variety of in-game achievements and a comprehensive fishing gameplay system. Players can enjoy full touchscreen support for both controls and menus, enhancing the overall user experience. The game adopts a 2D perspective, and each time you catch a fish, a picture is taken, displaying the best size, the money earned from selling the fish, and a rank. The fishing mechanics require players to carefully manage the tension bar while reeling in, adding a layer of challenge. Using a controller is feasible once you understand the need to hold the A button while moving the sticks. Each fish presents unique difficulties, and players can unlock new map locations by earning stars in previously unlocked lakes. Additionally, gear upgrades can be purchased with coins earned from selling fish, and players can replay lakes to improve their performance.

The game also allows players to unlock new characters, hats, and boats. Each lake features quests that reward stars and are divided into missions, regular tasks, and special challenges. Sending fish to the museum earns cash and fills up museum sections for bonus rewards. Players can instantly receive rewards from completing missions by clicking on pop-ups. The game provides a comprehensive view of all the different fish, both in the wild and in museum tanks. Players can buy and equip bait, and the changing weather and time of day can cause special fish to appear. Additionally, fish can attack and kill each other, adding an element of unpredictability. The museum generates money continuously, with more fish equating to more income. Bucks, a premium currency, are harder to earn but can be used to buy coins. Upgrading your rod changes its name, and players can reload lakes to randomize fish and locations. The game offers a wide variety of fish types and rotating optional missions called bounties for better rewards like bucks. A full stats and best fish menu is available for players to track their progress.

However, the game has its drawbacks. The controls tutorial is designed only for touch screens, making it easy to accidentally not sell your fish. The inability to remap controls and the reliance on pressing a button instead of using the left stick to reel in can be frustrating. The game lacks a proper tutorial, and the controls with sticks can feel awkward and clunky, especially when casting. The difficulty ramps up quickly, leading to the loss of bait. The menus are stretched out and appear off, giving the impression of a mobile game adapted for larger screens. There is no online support, such as leaderboards, and no way to manipulate or move the line. The game settings are minimal, and all menus are navigated using the left stick as a mouse cursor.

In summary, “Fishing Break” provides an engaging and visually appealing fishing experience with a variety of features and challenges. While the game excels in its graphics, gameplay mechanics, and variety of fish, it falls short in terms of control customization, tutorial quality, and online support. Despite these shortcomings, it remains a fun and rewarding game for those who enjoy fishing simulations and just want a bit of brainless gaming fun.