I’m a sucker for fishing mini-games. Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley‘s ones had their hooks digged into me for weeks, but heck, I’ve even re-downloaded games I normally never would’ve thought about again (Destiny 2, Fallout 76) thanks to fishing updates, too. And if you’re anything like me, you should probably check out Nice Day for Fishing, an RPG all about collecting sea critters.
Nice Day for Fishing is a side-scrolling adventure set entirely on water and the little land masses littered around. As you might expect for a game with this particular name, you can set out on a tiny boat to catch fish, but you can also dig much deeper into the darker depths of the ocean with a magnetic hook, which kinda reminds of the Zelda: Phantom Hourglass mini-game, of all things.
Nice Day for Fishing takes things one step further with massive boss fights against scaley, aquatic monsters that you’ll need to take down with precision-based attacks, too.
“While on your adventures, you’ll find valuable resources to dredge from shipwrecks that have succumbed to the sea, which can be used to rebuild the destroyed village,” the game’s Steam description says of its base-rebuilding mechanic. “Enlist help from the Woodcutter to bring Honeywood back to its former glory. Each building upgrade unlocks more equipment and quests from the merchants.”
Nice Day for Fishing came out around two weeks ago and has caught some very lively reactions already. On Steam, the game has a ‘Very Positive’ rating based on over 1,200 user reviews, 90% of which are positive. “Don’t expect a quick action filled rollercoaster, but if you just go along for the ride it is very rewarding and fun,” one player wrote. “It might be a bit repetitive or grindy for some, but honestly I just find it very relaxing.”
Here’s some other upcoming indie games of 2025 to sink your teeth into.