The lower you can get to the ocean floor, the rarer the fish become. At first, you’ll only get minnows which are worth very few coins, but soon you’ll be seeing rainbow fish or eels. Once you bump your hook into a fish or run out of line, then you’re on to step two. Your hook now flies up towards the surface. On the way up, your goal is to snag as many fish as possible. Again, you must tilt your device from side to side, aiming for each fish in your path.
After your hook has reached the surface, your ninja avatar will throw the fish into the air. Now comes the slicing. Using your finger, you must slice as many fish as possible. Your ninja will throw multiple fish at once and some fish are tougher than others to slice, so you must do your best to stop any whole fish from escaping your katana blade. Occasionally, your ninja will also throw dynamite. If you hit the dynamite, your round is over and any remaining fish escape to live another day.
Using the coins you’ve gained for skillfully catching and slicing fish, you can buy equipment which will help you in your fish-catching crusade. For instance, you can buy a stronger katana, capable of cutting through tougher fish more easily, or you can buy a longer fishing line or a stronger hook. You can even purchase an MBA, which allows you to sell your fish for a higher price.
This game also has a fun sense of humor, which is a necessity for a game about ninjas fishing. Your ninja, Otoro, sits at the top of the water, in a boat much too small, and he will often tell quirky jokes or even make a Lost reference. While some game characters can be lackluster or dull, Otoro keeps the mood light and the game silly.
Our only critique of the game is the slicing element of the fishing. Fruit Ninja got it perfect, using the screen to good effect in the landscape orientation. In Ninja Fishing, with the screen held portrait, the fish don’t seem to go high enough. Also, the fish-falling physics don’t seem right, as they often slide down the side of your screen.
Though its slicing mechanic isn’t exactly original or perfect, Ninja Fishing has enough substance and quirkiness of its own to feel unique. It’s a simple idea, but the items you can purchase extend the game and add new challenges.