History Main / FishingMinigame

* ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxterThePrecursorLegacy'': You're required to do this to get the Fisherman to let you use his boat to get to Misty Island.

* ''VideoGame/StoryOfSeasons'': All games feature this trope as a fairly enjoyable but not particularly essential side activity. Occasionally fishing may trigger rewards or bonuses in the game. In ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonIslandOfHappiness Island of Happiness'', catching and shipping 50 fish is the only way to get a certain character to move in. In the [[VideoGame/HarvestMoon1 original game]] you could only fish in a single pond, however future games give you a fishing rod.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' is missing an actual fishing ''simulation'' (which seems odd until you hear that the ocean is described as empty and fishless), but purchasing and using fish bait is nevertheless an important part for filling up the sea chart.

* ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'': If you buy the "Rod of Fishing" from the House Contractor, fishing spots will start spawning randomly in the Underworld, recognizable as a white, glowing spot in any body of liquid (this includes all four biomes, the Realm of Chaos, and the surface). Activating the point starts a short minigame in which you try to catch the fish as soon as possible to the moment you see a splash. The better your timing, the better fish you get. Any fish catch there can be given to the house chef for various rewards.
* ''VideoGame/HonkaiImpact3rd'': In the Sakura Samsara area of the Open World, there are two areas where you can send Higokamaru into a pond to gather fish, which earns you Ingredients which are used to cook dishes that give your character bonuses.

* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': At Harbor Town, a man near the water can offer his fishing rod to catch as many fish to collect. There's no limit how many fish can be catch, which especially helps as the fish [[WeBuyAnything can be sold]] at shops for a higher price than the usual junk items, making room for [[EasyLevelTrick easy money]].

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' was going to have a fishing minigame, but it was dropped during development. The UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS VideoGameRemake would later bring it back. It's the most elaborate one yet, with a wide variety of fish to catch, and two separate locations (the Swamp and the Ocean), each of which have fish that can't be found in the other. Many fish require use of the transformation masks or other masks to find or catch. There are even ''[[MundaneMadeAwesome boss fish]]'' (including [[spoiler:a swordfish, a shark, and even a mini-Lord Jabu-Jabu]]) that play the actual boss music when you hook them (usually by catching a smaller fish first [[AlwaysABiggerFish and letting it dangle in front of them]]).

* ''VideoGame/SolatoroboRedTheHunter'' has a fishing spot in Basset where you can fish for gigantic hermit crabs carrying scrapped air ships on their backs. Not only is it MundaneMadeAwesome, but fishing for enough scrap pieces lets you forge some of the best stat boosting blocks in the game.

* The UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS's built in ''AR Games'' include two fishing games -- one where you have two minutes to earn as many points as you can from catching fish, and one where you have infinite time and can catch as many as you want without worrying about points.

* ''VideoGame/AndysAppleFarm'' has a rather repetitive one. The game involves you repeatedly fishing out the same fish, as a voice-clip of Felix continues to loop each time you catch it. Then a corpse appears in the water with nothing else to catch; once you do, that same audio begins to distort as the characters gain black eyes.

* ''VideoGame/RuneScape'' has fishing as one of the main skills that you can level up. Outside of regular fishing there are two minigames where you catch fish. In the Fishing Trawler, you try to keep a ship from sinking while the ship catches fish for you in a large net. In the Fish Flingers activity, you both compete and cooperate with other players to catch as much weight in fish as you can in a limited time, and it uses different mechanics than regular fishing. To catch the heaviest fish you have to find the location and best bait, hook, and number of weights for each fish, which change each game and you get a for finding the best combination for all six fish.

** ''VideoGame/MarioParty1'': In the minigame Cast Aways, the players have to use a fishing rod with a glove as bait to grab the coins, coin bags and treasure chests floating in the sea.

* ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'': By collecting Purple Coins and then finding a special portal on each island, Sonic can access a fishing minigame hosted by Big the Cat. Each fish (and other random junk) that he collects earns him tokens which can be exchanged for items, including scrolls that allow for fast travel to certain points on that island, and audio logs left by Dr. Eggman that provide a surprising amount of lore for the game's setting.

* ''VideoGame/DarkCloud'' and its sequel, ''VideoGame/DarkChronicle'', have a fishing minigame. In the second game you can then race your caught fish in a "finny frenzy". There's also a "fish weigh-in" contest, where the combined weight of three wild fish gives you a prize.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' has a fishing minigame, notable because its completion is one of the conditions needed to obtain the Wrymhero Blade, a [[InfinityPlusOneSword very powerful weapons in the game]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' has fishing minigames, that double as ways to collect special items and armor (or worthless junk like old shoes.) Of particular note is ''VideoGame/SuikodenV'', where it takes the form of a competition between [[TheHero the Prince]], Subala, [[BumblingDad Logg]] and Lun. Notably, it doesn't really matter if you win or lose the contest; you keep everything you caught regardless.
* ''VideoGame/SummonNightSwordcraftStory2'' has this as a minigame. You can gain points which can be traded for hard-to-find items.

* ''VideoGame/StardewValley'': The player is introduced to a fairly expansive fishing minigame on their third day on the farm. Cast your road into any body of water and wait for the tug. When you respond, you have to play a sort of MissileLockOn[=/=]tug-of-war game where you have to keep on target to build a progression meter - when it fills, you catch the fish, and when it runs out, the fish escapes. There are different varieties of fish which depend on what time of day you're fishing and whether it's ocean-going or freshwater fish, you can also catch random treasure (but only if the fish is successfully caught as well) and later on you can even buy high quality customisable rods. Fishing is DifficultButAwesome; if you get the hang of it early on, it will provide a lot of the income you will need to get the farm up and running.

* ''VideoGame/AceFishing'' is the mobile game counterpart, your goal is to catch different kind of fish.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': While there ''are'' plenty of fish in the game's WideOpenSandbox iteration of Hyrule, there are no fishing poles, so the depicted fishing minigames of the earlier titles are absent. Instead you pick up fish the same way as most other harvest-able items. You can simply [[BoringButPractical chase them around in the water and grab them]], drop food in the water to lure them towards you, or use arrows, bombs, or some other OutsideTheBoxTactic to stun them first.

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' gives Dwarfs (and humans/elves if you mod the game to control them) the ability to fish, but it's entirely out of the players hands(as are most things, it being a GodGame). Some of the fish are extremely likely to eat the Dwarfs involved in the exercise due to a popular glitch.
* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'': Fishing rods are used for two purposes. One is to [[YouWillNotEvadeMe pull mobs]]; the other is to fish. All bodies of water, even ones you make yourself, contain fish; you fish by throwing out your line and waiting for the bobber to go down. Once you have fishing rods, water, and a suitable supply of sticks and string to replace your rods,[[note]]and if your rod has Mending, not even that, as it'll self-repair with the XP of catching anything[[/note]] your food problems are solved. Version 1.7.2 ("The Update that Changed the World", released October 25, 2013) greatly expanded fishing by adding in multiple types of fish as well as making it so that the player can fish up treasures (such as enchanted items) or junk (like a pair of severely worn leather boots); the game also added two enchantments exclusive to fishing rods called "Lure"[[note]]decreases the time needed to get a bite[[/note]] and "Luck of the Sea."[[note]]fish out less junk and more treasure[[/note]] later, version 1.13 ("Update Aquatic", release in July 2018). You can also catch fish with a bucket, and they'll be alive and well when you empty it.

** The Deimos Update turned this on its head, with ''Infested'' fish that float in the air. However, some remain beneath the liquid-like endocrine that flows throughout the area, and requires it own, specialized spear to pierce through.

* ''VideoGame/ArxFatalis'': You can combine a pole and string to make fishing rod and catch fish to cook and eat from most any water area.

* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' allows you to fish at specific spots, and you don't even have to bring a fishing rod. As long as you have bait, your character will [[HammerSpace produce a rod]] and cast the line. Apart from there being fish you can have cooked to eat later, there are types of fish you can use to mine ore and sharpen your weapon. In the third generation games you can use fishing as a method to get Gobul, as well as Plesioth, out of the water.

* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'': Early on in the story, Leon comes across a lake, a boat, and an infinite supply of harpoons. He can use the harpoons to spear fish, which he can either eat or sell (you can also harpoon Colmillos on the opposite bank from the safety of the boat). However, do ''not'' try to shoot any fish with your guns before crossing the lake, or else it'll result in an instant death for Leon.

* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'' eventually added various types of fishing rod to craft or otherwise obtain, along with various sources of bait required to fish with. The types of catches available depend on when and where you're fishing, what rod you use, what bait you use, and any equipped items that add to your fishing ability. Additionally, an Angler NPC offers [[FetchQuest Fetch Quests]] where certain rare fish are exchanged for useful items. Other catches include [[FishingForSole the usual junk]], crates with random goodies inside, fish you can make various potions or food from, fish you can use as bait for more fishing, and even [[ShamuFu fish you wield as weapons or tools]]. Additionally, a new aquatic boss can be summomned by fishing under the right conditions.

* 'VideoGame/SolatoroboRedTheHunter'' has a fishing spot in Basset where you can fish for gigantic hermit crabs carrying scrapped air ships on their backs. Not only is it MundaneMadeAwesome, but fishing for enough scrap pieces lets you forge some of the best stat boosting blocks in the game.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' was going to have a fishing minigame, but it was dropped during development. The UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS VideoGameRemake would later bring it back. It's the most elaborate one yet, with a wide variety of fish to catch, and two separate locations (the Swamp and the Ocean), each of which have fish that can't be found in the other. Many fish require use of the transformation masks or other masks to find or catch. There are even ''[[MundaneMadeAwesome boss fish]]'' (including [[spoiler: a swordfish, a shark, and even a mini-Lord Jabu-Jabu]]) that play the actual boss music when you hook them (usually by catching a smaller fish first [[AlwaysABiggerFish and letting it dangle in front of them]]).

** ''VideoGame/Persona4'' has a fishing minigame that seems entirely luck-based at first, but once you [[GuideDangIt figure it out]], it becomes slightly skill-based, if tediously mashing the square button can be considered a skill. It can net you rare items and is required for [[spoiler: maxing out the Hermit s-link.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'': Fishing rods are used for two purposes. One is to [[YouWillNotEvadeMe pull mobs]]; the other is to fish. All bodies of water, even ones you make yourself, contain fish; you fish by throwing out your line and waiting for the bobber to go down. Once you have fishing rods, water, and a suitable supply of sticks and string to replace your rods[[note]]and if your rod has Mending, not even that, as it'll self-repair with the XP of catching anything[[/note]], your food problems are solved. Version 1.7.2 ("The Update that Changed the World", released October 25, 2013) greatly expanded fishing by adding in multiple types of fish as well as making it so that the player can fish up treasures (such as enchanted items) or junk (like a pair of severely worn leather boots); the game also added two enchantments exclusive to fishing rods called "Lure"[[note]]decreases the time needed to get a bite[[/note]] and "Luck of the Sea"[[note]]fish out less junk and more treasure[[/note]]. later, version 1.13 ("Update Aquatic", release in July 2018). You can also catch fish with a bucket, and they'll be alive and well when you empty it.

** ''VideoGame/MarioPartyIslandTour'': The minigame Cheepers Keepers has all characters stand on a pier to capture Cheep Cheeps with fishing rods. For each character, a button is shown in the screen, indicating the one that has to be pressed repeatedly to reel the rod's line. The score each character receives in each round will depend on how many Cheep Cheeps are captured in a row, which in turn will depend on how much the characters reeled (the maximum score is 10). WHoever captures the most Cheep Cheeps after three rounds wins.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}} Lasagna Party'': The "Catfish" mini-game involves Garfield, Odie, Nermal, and Arlene fishing. The goal of this mini-game is to catch as many fish as possible [[TimedMission before time runs out]]. The bigger the fish, the more points they are worth.

* ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'' has several fishing spots in some areas where Mario can fish for Cheep-Cheeps, Bloopers, [[GottaCollectThemAll or lost Toads and Treasures]].

* ''VideoGame/DisneyMagicalWorld'': There are fishing spots in many areas that you may sit down and fish in. Fishing is an important, though not essential, part of the game, as certain valuable materials can only be dropped by fish, and there are several [[GottaCatchEmAll stickers]] that are acquired through fishing, all of which count towards HundredPercentCompletion.

* VideoGame/ClubPenguin has Ice Fishing, where you get as many fish as you can before the game ends or before you run out of worms (which you lose if a crab cuts the fishing line, a jellyfish zaps you, or a shark eats your worm).

* ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'': By collecting Purple Coins and then finding a special portal on each island, Sonic can access a fishing minigame hosted by Big the Cat. Each fish (and other random junk) that he collects earns him tokens which can be exchanged for items, including scrolls that allow for fast travel to certain points on that island, and audio logs left by Dr. Eggman that provide a surprising about of lore for the game's setting.

-->--'''Noctis Lucis Caelum''', ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' (and ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasyNT'')

* ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'': The goal of Big The Cat's stages is to fish Froggy out of a body of water. The B-Rank Missions require him to catch a fish weighing at least 1000g and then Froggy, and the A-rank missions require him to catch a fish weighing at least 2000g and then Froggy.