There's No Such Thing As Too Much Fish For This Ninja
Ninja Fishing ($0.99) by Gamenauts is an arcade fishing game in which you play as a ninja trying to catch a tasty dinner.
A new game starts with Otoro, a rather large ninja, sitting in a small boat with a fishing pole in his hands and a katana strapped on his back. When you tap on the water below him, Otoro casts his line and begins fishing.
Ninja Fishing has three main gameplay parts. In the first, you guide a fishing hook as it goes deeper and deeper into the water. The objective is to avoid contact with any fish. You will eventually reach the end of the line or a fish will bite, triggering the next portion of the game.
Otoro then begins reeling in his line, making the hook travel quickly towards the surface. If you made it to the end of your line, there will be a treasure chest that you can collect. Along the way, your goal is to catch as many creatures as possible.
A fish will only bite if the hook is touching its mouth. The standard upgradeable fishing hook can only hold 25 fish. After reaching either the limit or the surface, the final portion of the game begins.
This part is similar to Fruit Ninja, and you need to slice all the fish that you just caught as they are thrown up in the air. Every once in a while, a piece of dynamite is thrown up as well, and you need to avoid hitting it with the katana.
Every fish that is cut earns you coins, and slicing the dynamite will immediately kill the rest of the uncut fish, wasting the remaining catch. The treasure chest and some of the stronger creatures, such as turtles and eels, take multiple katana hits to cut.
There are 22 distinct water creatures to catch in Ninja Fishing, from rainbow fish to giant squid. Most of the more valuable fish are found at deeper water levels that require a longer fishing line to reach. Otoro can use his coins to upgrade a multitude of items in the shop, including the katana, bait, and the sale price of each fish.
The game is equipped with Game Center and OpenFeint leaderboards, as well as Facebook and Twitter integration. The graphics are funny and look polished, especially on a Retina display. Otoro has a good sense of humor as well and makes witty comments before the start of each game.
Ninja Fishing is an extremely addictive game that constantly urges you to keep on playing. Upgrading your items prevents the game from getting boring or too repetitive. For example, you can upgrade your weight so that the hook starts from a certain level below the surface every time instead of from the very top.
The game needs a few more control options. Currently, you have to tilt your device when casting your line. While this control system works well, some players may prefer to use one that is touch-based instead.
For $0.99, Ninja Fishing is a must buy, pick up and play game that will provide you with hours of entertainment. The developer has announced that future updates are on the way with a new game mode, achievements, more upgrades, and rare fish. Gamenauts has created a brilliant title that is sure to be a fantastic experience for any casual gamer.
