Play Black Bass, The Online

Summary

The Black Bass, released as The Black Bass USA on the NES, brought a surprisingly deep fishing experience to the 8‑bit console and even resurfaced as a built‑in title on the Retro‑Bit Generations console in 2016. It follows up the Japan‑only MSX and Famicom entry and became the series’ first foothold outside Japan.

Players compete in a series of bass‑fishing tournaments spread across four lakes, each day running from sunrise to sunset. Advancement hinges on catching a large number of bass with a high average weight, while pike, rainbow trout and brown trout are merely incidental catches.

The action is viewed from above, with a power meter at the bottom of the screen dictating cast strength. Once the lure hits the water you can wiggle it to tempt a bite, then reel in carefully to avoid snapping the line.

A handful of lure types and colors can be chosen, each reacting differently to weather, time of day and lake location, so strategic placement becomes key to landing the biggest fish.

Progress is saved with passwords that record your rank, upcoming tournament, total bass caught and average weight, and Nintendo Power gave the game a respectable 3.5 out of 5 in its November 1989 review.