Ridiculous Fishing

Ridiculous Fishing splits fishing into three phases controlled purely by touch: first the finger drags down the screen to reel the hook as deep as possible while dodging fish, then the same gesture drags upward to catch everything that gets in the way, and finally, by tilting or tapping, you shoot at the fish flung into the air. Three short, distinct mechanics in sequence form a single quick cycle that can be repeated in under a minute, and yet it carries tension – the deeper the player gets, the rarer the fish they catch, but the longer it takes to reel them back to the surface.

The game is made by Dutch studio Vlambeer, known for straightforward, arcade design and a sense of absurdity, and Ridiculous Fishing is a textbook example of that – it turns a fishing simulator into a shooting farce, where deadly serious fishing is actually a joke. Earnings from fish are invested in better gear, bait, and weapons, which drives the game forward without the need to follow a story or complete quests, and unlocking new tools keeps giving even repeated trips fresh meaning.

It's a paid title without ads, bought once and for all, which in 2013 was already more of an exception amid the rise of free-to-play models that many similar games were released under at the time. The short play round makes the game an ideal candidate for a few minutes between other activities, without the player feeling like they're missing something for not paying extra.

Why play: Worth it for anyone who wants a fast, funny arcade game without ads and without paying for advantages, just a one-time price.