Championship Bass

Championship Bass allows gamers to dip their poles into one of four lakes; using a wide variety of lures and bait, the goal is to cruise out in a little boat and try to break all existing championship fishing records.

What’s really cool about this particular fishing sim is that it features a ton of different play modes, including Fishing Trip, which allows players to select a lake, kick back and fish; the Career Mode, which tracks whole fishing careers; the Tournament Mode, which puts players in a race against other fisherman to get the biggest fish, and the Challenge Mode, which tests fishing skills in a series of goal-based levels.

Graphically, Championship Bass meets the standard of any PlayStation fishing game currently available. In fact, the only real complaint I have with Championship Bass is its split-screen display. In most fishing games, when a player casts his or her line, the camera switches from above the water to below it--to see the fish, of course. In Championship Bass, however, when you cast, the screen just splits, making it really hard to see and tack the available bass down under.

Unfortunately, EA Sports’ Championship Bass doesn’t really bring anything new to the fishing simulation genre. If you enjoy fishing games, and you just want to add another title to your ever-growing fishing library, then by all means, pick it up. If you’re looking to upgrade, though, you may want to rent Chamionship Bass before you make the purchase...