Dynamite Fishing: World Games

Fishing has a reputation for being laidback. You sit in a tiny boat drinking beer and waiting for something exciting to happen. It's a relaxing way to unplug and avoid all of life's complex problems. But Dynamite Fishing: World Games goes in a completely different direction. Instead of enjoying a calm moment, you're lobbing explosives into the lake in hopes of killing everything. It probably goes without saying that you shouldn't try this at home.

Dynamite Fishing: World Games is a cheeky new game where players race against other fishermen in order to collect the most fish before time runs out. As I'm sure you've already guessed by the name, you do this by throwing dynamite into the river and collecting all of the dead bodies that rise to the surface. If you collect the most fish after five events, you'll win a gold medal and move on to a new part of the globe.

There isn't a whole lot to the gameplay beyond tossing sticks of dynamite into the water. We are given a few different throws, but that only determines the distance. There are a lot of fun power-ups and items to collect, most of which are much more devastating to the fish life than a lousy stick of dynamite. We're able to freeze the fish with a refrigerator, send a nasty squirrel after them and even nuke the entire river. And when you're power gauge completely fills up, you'll be able to unleash a character-specific special attack.

Each level plays out pretty much exactly the same way. You and another contestant will paddle to a fishing area and then unload as much as you can before time runs out. The goal is to net as many fish as possible, all while completing the optional secondary objectives and picking up floating coins. There are also a few bosses to contend with, including giant fish and a creature that looks suspiciously like one of those aliens.

But a funny thing happened as I blasted my way around the world. What should have been a fun and exciting diversion to a typically low-key sport ended up being just as boring and repetitive as the real thing. Lobbing dynamite into the water is fun for a level or two, but the game doesn't bother evolving the mechanics in any meaningful way. The backgrounds and fish may change, but what you do is always the same.

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The game hopes you'll want to replay these events over and over in order to unlock all of the extra characters and boats, but the mechanics aren't compelling enough to keep you interested. I was bored after winning five gold medals, so I can't even imagine the amount of effort it would take to amass the 40 wins needed to unlock the Soviet-style warship. Most of the extras don't require that many wins, but it does take too much time to unlock even basic characters and ships.

It didn't surprise me that Dynamite Fishing: World Games is based on a six-year-old mobile phone game. With its cute look and shallow gameplay, this type of experience fits well on an iOS device. The goofy premise doesn't translate as well on consoles, where gamers are often expecting a little more depth. The fishing tournament can be fun in short doses, but it wears out its welcome quickly. You're better off sitting in a tiny boat and drinking beer.