Joyent Powers Up: Fish Wrangler

Counting down to the Game Developers Conference, we’ll be highlighting one game a day powered by Joyent technology. Partly for an excuse to play games at work, sure, but also because our customers have developed some really fun, cool titles!

Personally, I'm counting down the weeks until the start of the freshwater season in Washington State when I'll be able to haul a canoe from the family cabin up a logging road to Coal Lake where I'll be looking to seduce some trout onto my line (and into a pan) with a wooly bugger or three. Until then, the only angling I have time for is in Fish Wrangler, a game put together by a small team lead by Joe Faron with fun, playful illustrations by Daniel Roper.

The game is pretty basic -- you start with a fishing pole and, from an island in the mythical lands of Farovia, start fishing. Just flick "Fish NOW!" to cast and see what you might catch. In just half a dozen casts, I reeled in a Miny Fish, a Cubey Fish, a Catty Fish and the elusive Ninja Fish -- completing my first quest and winning lots of points and gold. I think I'm going to need a bigger boat.

From your humble beginnings on shore, you can level up your fishing skill, buy better gear, and get yourself a boat with opens up new angling spots across Farovia. For anyone who's played World of Warcraft and fallen in love with the surprisingly addictive fishing part of that game, things should feel pretty familiar. Improving your tackle and skills nets you bigger and better fish, which earn you points towards better tackle and skill.

Of course, you don't actually have to stand at the virtual rail all day casting away -- when you're not online, your "deckhands" will check your lines for you and reel in anything you might have caught while napping. The more friends you have playing, the bigger your "crew" and the faster the game will progress even when you're not online and casting.

You can also participate in quests and tournaments, and new places to explore and fish to catch are still being added -- new levels were literally just added yesterday. Quests and seasonal prizes add to the incentive to check back in regularly, but the time limit between casts should help keep you from getting too hooked. So if you're looking for something fun but not too demanding with some great art that's entirely appropriate for the whole family, check it out!



Post written by jacksonwest