There are three main modes in In-Fisherman Bass Hunter 64: Championship, Custom Tournament, and Fish For Fun. In Championship there are a variety of tournaments that the player must compete in. Each has a time limit in which the fisherman has to accomplish sets of increasingly difficult objectives. For Custom Tournament players are allowed to create their own tournament, where variables such as which lake, what type of fish, the rules, and weather and lake conditions can be set. Finally, Fish For Fun allows for leisurely fishing in any lake with the difficulty set at either beginner, amateur, or expert.

Crucial to the success of catching fish is having the right equipment. Bass Hunter 64 offers a variety of boats, lures, poles, and more to help make the experience easier and more enjoyable. Improved supplies cost cash, and to earn cash you must complete portions of the Tournament mode.

After navigating through the interface, and choosing a character, it will be time to hit the lake. Using the analog stick to control the boat, players have to find a suitable place to sit down and begin fishing. Strangely, I found that just riding around with the boat can be fun for a little while. You do not go considerably fast, but just jamming on the accelerator and speeding around can keep one occupied for a little while.

Once the fishing location is found, it is time to get down to the true nature of the game: actual fishing! In case you missed the right fishing spot by a little bit, it is possible to maneuver the boat slowly into position. Before actually casting, make sure to press the ‘R’ button to bring up the menu in case you need to change the type of rod or lure you’re using, or perform a variety of other things. You then need to learn how to cast the line. This is accomplished quite simply. Hold the control stick down so that power builds (this will determine how far you cast), then release once you reach the approximate power you want. Next tap the A button to cast and then reel in the lure by holding the A button (for reeling in fast) or the B button (for reeling in slow). You can also use the control stick to bring the reel in from other directions and to jerk to left or right. You can also press R to instantly reel in the line.

Overall, attempting to catch fish is a rather easy process, and once you get it down it becomes quite fun. This actually turns into a rather fun party game, as friends switch off trying to bring in the heaviest fish a score the most amount of points. Heavier fish will slip away easier, which usually brought on much laughter when someone was ‘this’ close to bringing a big one in successfully.

To make Bass Hunter 64 a visually stunning title would not be the point of the a fishing game, but what there is, is decent enough. The environments are all recreated accurately, and subtle touches such as geese flying over head make the fishing experience seem all the more realistic. Although this is getting a bit nit picky, animal wild life wandering around in the forest areas that surround the lake would have been neat addition.