Rapala and Activision Team up for New Wii Fishing Game

Fishing enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts, rejoice. The game of your dreams is here. It’s fishin’ time, thanks to Activision’s latest game for the Wii: Rapala: We Fish.

True fishermen will recognize the name “Rapala,” the name-brand fishing supply company, and developer of the “Original Floater,” a balsa wood minnow lure. Gamers will recognize the name Activision, as one of the foremost gaming companies worldwide. This company is the genius behind games like Guitar Hero, Call of Duty, and Tony Hawk, to name a few.

Rapala and Activision have come together to design a brand new game, Rapala: We Fish, which Activision calls “the first fishing title developed specifically for the Wii.” Although the game will not be released until the end of September (September 29), speculation, anticipation, and excitement is building over the launch of an Wii-exclusive fishing adventure.

While Wii fishing games like Reel Fishing have been around for a while, no Wii fishing game promises to pull in the excitement like We Fish. To begin with, the game is packaged with exclusive peripherals unlike other Wii fishing games-a Rapala fishing rod and reel.

While the remote may not look or feel just like an actual Rapala reel, it certainly does the trick during game play. Fisherman can cast the rod, crank the reel, and even set the hook.

The game itself will provide fisherman five different venues for demonstrating their fishing skills. They can fish in co-op tournaments and compete with up to four other players in split-screen mode. In fact, the game will have over twenty tournament events at worldwide fishing hotspots, both saltwater and fresh. Observing fish species should be just as entertaining as watching someone play the game. Activision states that there will be “over 50 wacky fish species, including enormous Legendary Lunkers.”

Lest serious fishermen are looking for a serious game to test their skill and hone their skills, We Fish may not provide that level of game play. In the company’s press release, Activision describes the game: “Rapala: We Fish takes a ‘pick up and play,’ comical approach to fishing.” In other words, the game is designed for the popular level, not just experienced fishermen.

As an example of the fun-focused fishing experience, “the fish themselves feature zany personalities and hilarious facial expressions that will make players chuckle as they race each other to be the first to catch them.” Without having played the game, fish facial expressions may either be funny or grotesque, when you stop and think about what happens to the fish when you catch them.

Even the competitive side of the game goes beyond realistic with extra twists like boat racing and fish snatching. As the review goes, “Winning a tournament requires more than just fishing – you must race your boat in arcade-style competitions with power-ups and turbo speed boosts. But hurry – if a competitor knocks the fish out of your boat before you get to the safe harbor, you lose your prized catch!”

We think that Wii gamers are going to swallow this game hook, line, and Wii sinker. However, if Rapala and Activision are trying to lure true fishermen looking for a tantalizing test of their skills, they may prove to be the big ones that got away.