Sega Bass Fishing | April 1, 1999

 

Sega Bass Fishing, known as "Get Bass" in Japan, is an arcade fishing video game developed by Sega for the Sega Model 3 hardware, released in 1997. The game has since been ported to Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii.

In Sega Bass Fishing, players use various lures to catch fish in an arcade-style fishing experience. The game utilizes the Sega fishing controller and features four stages set across different times of the day. Players must catch fish that meet a certain weight requirement within a time limit to progress to the next stage. The final stage requires players to catch a single fish, which is the largest and most difficult to catch in the game. Fish are categorized into four weight classes: small, average, large, and huge.

The game was one of the early titles for the Dreamcast and is compatible with the Sega fishing controller. It was a commercial success and became one of the few Sega All-Star titles.

The Dreamcast port includes practice and tournament modes, allowing players to unlock more lures. In addition to the four stages from the arcade game, four new stages were added, each featuring different fishing conditions such as seasons, weather, and time of day. The PC version released in 2001 is based on the Dreamcast version.

An enhanced port for Wii was released on February 26, 2008, which uses the Wii Remote's motion controls to replicate the Sega fishing controller, features improved graphics, and includes the modes, features, stages, and unlockables from the Dreamcast version. The Wii version also adds seven new stages, bringing the total to 15. The arcade mode consists of courses, with the original four arcade stages unlockable in the final course. A Nature Trip mode was introduced for practicing without background music.

The Dreamcast port was included in the compilation game "Dreamcast Collection" released in early 2011 for Xbox 360 and PC. It was also released as a separate digital download on Steam in March 2011, and in October 2011, it became available on the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Arcade.

A new port is included in "Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth," released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and PC, along with a new port of Spikeout.

In the February 1, 1998 issue of Japan's Game Machine, "Sega Bass Fishing" was listed as the second most successful dedicated arcade game for that month.

Jeff Lundgren reviewed the Dreamcast version for Next Generation magazine, giving it a rating of four stars and stating, "Whether you're a true angler or just looking for a fun party game, get this game (and be sure to buy the fishing controller too)."

Sega Bass Fishing received generally positive reviews upon its initial release, though the Xbox 360 and Wii ports received more average evaluations.