Sega Marine Fishing release date:
-August 8, 2000 (US)
-October 18, 2000 (JPN)
Well fellas, this is my first game review here. Everyone's opinions are welcome. The version that I'm reviewing is the US version of this game for Dreamcast.
This is by far one of my favorite, games on Sega Dreamcast; I spent several hours playing this game with the Dreamcast fishing controller. Here are the reasons why...
Story/Theme:
Well, there is really no story behind this game, besides catching fish of course. Despite having no story, the theme of this game is really interesting as it is about saltwater fishing, which nicely contrasts the bass fishing theme in Sega Bass Fishing.
Score: 8/10
Gameplay:
Like Sega Bass Fishing, you go left and right to change to the location you want to fish. Unlike Sega Bass Fishing, you can cast directly anywhere in this game as you can move your casting spot up and down; this is a plus as you can get to the exact area where you miss the fish you're going after. There are a wide variety of baits, mostly large topwater baits and metal jigs, to catch different species of fish. However, you should change your bait if you want to go after a different species of fish, as some baits do not work for others. After you cast your bait, you have to twitch it in order to make it alive and enticing the fish to bite, like in real fishing when using artificial (fake) baits. When a fish goes after your bait, the camera homes at the fish to let the player know that it is going after the bait. When the fish finally takes your bait, there's a sign that said "HOOK UP", which tells you to hook the fish strong enough until it gets full and the announcer will say "HIT". When you successfully hook a fish, you will see a tension but you got to be careful as the fish will spit the hook (no tension) or break the line (full tension). It is better to follow the advice while fighting the fish (e.g. "move the rod left/right/up/down). There are 18 species of fish in this game (with 3 extra species: Bluefin Tuna, Coelacanth, and Hammerhead Shark) and they all can be found in reality. Unlike Sega Bass Fishing, most of these fish are a lot bigger and more powerful than the Bass in SBF. There are 4 stages in the arcade mode, each requires 3000 points to earn to finish the stage. There's a hidden stage in the original mode with all the 3 extra species that can be acquired by completing the Arcade Mode. So far the gameplay is as good, if not better, than SBF.
Score: 8.5/10
Graphics:
This game came out in late 2000. The graphics are decent, but there are some obvious low-res textures found in the game, especially in the stages. At some point, some objects seems to penetrate other objects like it is nothing (e.g the Dogtooth Tuna and Amberjack swimming through the rocks in The Offing stage). On the bright side however, the fish look and animates realistically. The sunlight also adds a nice touch when the fish you're battling against jump out of the water.
Score: 8/10
Music/Sound:
Obviously, the most notorious voice that can be heard in and throughout this game is the captain's thick "Engrish" voice when you hook and catch a fish; it can either induce laughter or annoy you.
On the other hand, the sound effects in this game are spot on! 
For example, the sound of the lure rattling can be loud enough to fool the fish and the water splashes when the lure or the fish makes contact with the water. The music, however, can be a little out-of-place when you hook a fish not big enough to make your day but on the flip side, the music can make the battle even more EPIC, as long as if you hook the BIGGEST and BADDEST of the bunch (e.g. a 130+ pound Giant Trevally, 300+ pound Blue Marlin, and 200+ pound Tarpon)!!!Score: 8/10
Presentation:
One of the things that I like about this game-the presentation! The intro is pretty epic as it shows a scene of a Giant Trevally, Dorado, and Blue Marlin going after a large topwater bait and are struggling to go deeper to spit the hook, with an epic song to boot. In addition, the loading screen shows the area you are going to (e.g. if you choose to go to The Offing, the loading screen will show the fishermen on a boat in the middle of the ocean during sunset). Furthermore, if you catch a fish, the captain will cheer you for your catch, adding another nice touch to the presentation. The last, but not the least, bonus worth mentioning is that when the fish jump nearly 10 feet high into the air, the battle gets even more epic EPIC.
Score: 9/10
Customization:
In the Original Mode, you can acquire up to 266 items in the Free Fishing mode but you have to play the mini games (e.g. the Fight Training and Total Weight Training) to acquire additional room for the hidden items. You can acquire lures, rods, clothing, line, etc. throughout the mode. Not only you can match your angler's attire, you can change the color of your lure to go after the species the color is specialized for.
Score: 8.5/10
Extras:
Another neat thing in the Original Mode is that you can view the aquarium. You can put any species of fish, habitat, etc. to make your own aquarium interesting. You can view the aquarium from anywhere you want. Besides this, there are a wide variety of items (mentioned in Customization).
Score: 8.5/10
Replay Value:
Once you finish the Arcade Mode, this is when things become interesting. You will unlock 2 stages and begin collecting items. For others (me included), they are not tired to play the Arcade Mode enough to break their own records in the game.
Score: 8.5/10
Final Score: 8.4/10
Pros:
-More intense gameplay than SBF.
-Vivid sound effects.
-18 species of saltwater fish.
-Tons of customization.
-Reasonable replay value.
Cons:
-Music may be inept for some battles.
-Graphics may be outdated to some.
-The narrator's voice may irritate some.
-Not really a con, but I would love to see even more species of saltwater fish in the game, such as Wahoo, Sawfish, Goliath Grouper, Black Marlin, and Tiger Shark.
Overall:
As an avid fisherman since I was 5, this is one of the few fishing games that I still enjoy playing. With the Dreamcast fishing controller, this game adds even more replay value to those who are seeking for realism in this game. It may not appeal to some, but this is underrated classic is indubitably one of the games I recommend you to get for Dreamcast, especially for the average price of $5.99. To those who fish or even seek for nostalgia value of the early 2000's, this game is for YOU!!!!
