As fans eagerly await the upcoming release of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Game Freak has already demonstrated it intends to break with many Pokemon traditions and the series' fishing mechanic should be the next on its list. Given that current details have already been confirmed, such as two Pokemon professors or new means of open-world travel, if ever there was a time to reinvigorate outdated game mechanics it would be with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Dating all the way back to the very first games of the series, fishing has been a staple of core Pokemon gameplay, but after several decades it has hardly changed.
While just a one part of a greater whole of the Pokemon experience, fishing has an extraordinary amount of potential that Game Freak has so far not tapped into. Other mechanics in Pokemon, however small, have seen improvements as of late, such as the recent changes to shiny-hunting in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Fishing then seems to have fallen by the wayside, relegated to the tired wait-for-the-exclamation-mark mechanic with just a handful of rods to choose from. To really push the fishing boat out and make Scarlet and Violet the best they can be, fishing needs a huge overhaul to bring it up to speed.
Expand Pokemon's Fishing Mechanics
Lately, players have seen a significant effort on Game Freak's behalf to improve what its games can offer, with examples including a range of cosmetic items and character customization in Pokemon or allowing players to connect with their Pokemon team via camping or Scarlet and Violet's rumored picnicking. Therefore, it's possible that Game Freak could turn its attention to fishing and expand on what it currently has to provide a more well-rounded, better thought-out system for how players can fish. With recent games demonstrating how to naturally work in an engaging fishing system, Game Freak could look to these for inspiration.
One example Pokemon could take after is Red Dead Redemption 2's fishing mechanics, which uses a range of baits and lures that work best on certain kinds of fish or in certain bodies of water. Add to this an assortment of fishing rods besides Pokemon's traditional Old, Good, and Super Rods and Game Freak could encourage players to get creative with where, when, and how they fish. For instance, some lures might only work on smaller fish, while higher quality bait will draw in higher level or rarer catches, and various rods could improve players' chances of successfully reeling Pokemon in.
Game Freak needn't make the mechanics too complex, but providing the players with a more interesting experience will actively promote experimenting and interacting with the fishing mechanic. Possible incentives for this could be catching unique or hard-to-find Pokemon, like those with hidden abilities, that are shiny, or that were traditionally rare such as Feebas in earlier Pokemon games. Furthermore, Game Freak could look to other games for inspiration like Stardew Valley, which has its fish change with seasons, areas, and time of day. Pokemon could reflect this, with certain Pokemon available in different rivers, lakes, or shorelines depending on the time of day and year.
Make Fishing An Active Mini-Game
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Stardew Valley's inspiration doesn't end there, however, as unlike Pokemon its fishing mechanic actively engages players in a mini-game in order to reel fish in. Though simple at face value, this mini-game can prove challenging to master, especially when attempting to catch rarer or legendary types of fish in Stardew Valley. Giving players an active role in catching Pokemon while fishing would immediately give the mechanic a huge boost, as currently it remains very passive and requires only correct timing from the player. Again, this doesn't need to be complex, as Stardew Valley proves even simple mini-games are highly effective, but Game Freak should consider adding something more for players to do.
Moreover, Stardew Valley adds extra incentives with treasure chests, providing players with the chance to "catch" one while fishing that contains an item of varying rarity or worth. Though players don't need to obtain the treasure chest in order to catch the fish, it gives players an added level of challenge and intrigue to a simple mini-game. Pokemon has already had something similar, incidentally, as in Pokemon Sun and Moon players would sometimes reel in items instead of Pokemon. Game Freak could reintroduce this aspect of fishing, modified to fit an expanded fishing mechanic, and give players the chance to find helpful or rare items worth fishing for.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are set to release on November 18, exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
