I know fishermen tend to boast about the size of their catch, but Bass Fishing Mania 2 is a whopper. Generally this isn't something that gets discussed much in a mobile review, but 800KB can be quite a bite out of your handset's memory, so bear this in mind if your phone is getting as full as a Spanish fisherman's net.
We've actually seen this game’s format recently from Shadow Light Games, in the shape of Hunting Mania. Naturally we're trading in a rifle for a fishing rod, and deer for fish, but it's good to see the developer has used this winning formula to add the extra depth that a fishing simulator really needs.
You begin the Bass Fishing tournament by taking your boat out to different areas of the lake. Once you're there it's time to cast over the side, but you've only got a certain amount of time before you need to get the boat back to the checkpoint in order to have your catch weighed in. Miss the weigh in, and you're out of the competition.
I'd be the first to admit that virtual fishing sounds boring, so it's quite a surprise to see how much action the developer has managed to squeeze into this limited premise. Pulling back builds up a power meter which casts the line once the button is released - throwing the bait out into the lake depending on how much power you put into it.
The trick is in landing the line in front of one of the shadows you can see swimming just beneath the surface of the water. You can pull the line left and right to try and position it, but doing so also means reeling it in, and at times you simply have to give up on a cast and try again.
As soon as the fish bites you need to be ready to strike, pulling back on the rod then pounding the 'left' and 'right' buttons in an attempt to tire the fish without breaking the line. Once your catch is exhausted you can reel it in a bit, stopping on occasion to fight against it and take some of the strain off your line.
Bass Fishing Mania 2 users a terrific combination of 3D and 2D visuals. The rod, line and the edge of the boat are 3D objects that move smoothly and realistically, while the water, fish and scenery are photorealistic images.
Blended together, these two aspects provide a stunning game that makes it very easy to forget you're not actually out there on the lake attempting to outwit fish.
Presumably there are more than a few pocket gamers out there who are also into fishing, but Bass Fishing Mania 2 isn't just targeted at that limited demographic. Anyone who enjoys a sporting or arcade game will gleam a lot of entertainment from this surprisingly action-packed and multi-layered title.
Bass Fishing Mania 2
As some patient sportsmen out there will already know, fishing can be surprisingly fun and intensive. That the developer has managed to add so many layers to the gameplay is very impressive, and elevates an otherwise limited concept to unexpected levels of entertainment
Spanner Spencer
Yes. Spanner's his real name, and he's already heard that joke you just thought of. Although Spanner's not very good, he's quite fast, and that seems to be enough to keep him in a regular supply of free games and away from the depressing world of real work.