King Salmon

n/a

NTSC-U NTSC-J
King Salmon
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: HOT-B (Japan), VIC Tokai (US)
Developer: HOT-B
Genre: Simulation
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code JP 1992-09-26 ¥6,800 (7,004)6,800e T-28053 US 1992-07 $49.9549.95 T-23026

King Salmon (キングサーモン), sold in the US as King Salmon: The Big Catch, is a 1992 fishing game by HOT-B for the Sega Mega Drive.

Gameplay

The game starts off in an overhead view of the player's boat on the lake, and they must row to where salmon are biting. causes the boat to move and selects a spot to fish. Once the player has found a spot where salmon will show up, the screen zooms in up close to their boat with some green bait in tow. returns to the larger overhead view to find another spot. The player should also be careful not to hit other fishermen.

While fishing, the player should look at their rod in the preview window. When the rod flexes a fish is biting, they must press on the directional pad to set the hook. Their timing of the set will dictate how well placed the hook is. Some fish can wriggle free during the fight phase, so the player should try to get their hook-setting timing down. Once the fighting phase has begun, the player should use the and directions on the D-Pad along with the and buttons to reel in the fish. The method for doing this is called "Pumping", and it requires the player to reel in line with the button while raising and lowering the rod. The direction raises the rod tip and the directional input lowers the rod and thumbs the line (assists in stopping the line). As the player lowers the rod, it creates slack in the line, this slack is reeled in with the button. The player then pulls up on the rod with the button, which pulls the fish closer to the player. This pumping motion is very interesting, as the method for fighting a fish in the game is very similar in theory to the pumping motion in actual fishing. As the player fights the fish, both the strength of the fish, (shown via a series of muscular fish graphics) and the strength/stamina of the player are taken into account. The player will need to manage their stamina/strength by occasionally resting their hands by pressing the button.

As the player fights the fish, they will be faced with occasional random events, called "Timely Events", these are displayed as screen overlays with graphics and animation. The player needs to choose from a list of options which can result in either a bonus for the fish, or a bonus for the player. Some Timely Events will lead to chained events, or simply the results of the player's decision. The player needs to pay attention to the current status of the fish, the depth level of the fish, how much line is currently out, and the strength and stamina of the player. Some events will have options that, based on these parameters, will result in different outcomes.

Once a fish is close enough to the boat, the fish will automatically be caught. The player gains experience and bonuses which improve their Strength and Stamina attributes, which govern the amount of line they can reel (strength) and how long they can engage in fishing fights (stamina).

Production credits

• Producer: IISHIN
• Designer: PEARL
• Graphics: KEMONO ITAS, ONO"POLAIRE"
• Main programmer: Gonge.TB
• Programmer: NESAS
• Sound: REZON, ymoH.S
• Assistant: CONISI MIHO, BARBALA-T, KINO.P, KOBA.YASHI, "TENRAI"MORI, YOU-I

Source:

In-game credits (US)

Magazine articles

Main article: King Salmon/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #44: "March 1993" (1993-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #45: "April 1993" (1993-xx-xx)

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #8: "May/June 1992" (1992-xx-xx)

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #36: "July 1992" (1992-xx-xx)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1992-05: "May 1992" (1992-04-08)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 50 Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 63 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 75 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU) 50 Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J 63 Game Power (IT) NTSC 68 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 85 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 50 Joypad (FR) NTSC-J 48 Mega (UK) NTSC-J 0 Mega (UK) NTSC-U 72 Mega Play (US) NTSC-U 68 MegaTech (UK) NTSC 70 Marukatsu Mega Drive (JP) NTSC-J 61 Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J 85 Sega Pro (UK) NTSC 85 Sega Zone (UK) NTSC-U 42 Sega Force (UK) PAL 57 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 72 Supergame (BR) NTSC-J 72 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 56 VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U 50

	61
Based on 22 reviews

King Salmon

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Technical information

Main article: King Salmon/Technical information.