Fish tables might be the closest thing to an esport in a casino

Video games have been a part of growing up for most people under age 40 and that interactivity has forced operators to improvise when it comes to new chance-based games.

This is where skill-based gambling titles like fish games arcade machines come into the picture. These are a novel invention of the casino industry, their latest attempt to capture younger demographics. 

In essence, a fish table is a classic arcade-style shooter. It features a screen mounted on a foosball-like table, where multiple players can shoot fish that swim around it at the same time. Each fish carries a bet multiplier, and you get rewarded for every successful catch or shot. 

The rarer and harder a fish is to snag, the larger the prize becomes. You can change weapon-types, and you aim and fire using a joystick and a two-button combo. During the gameplay, you accumulate points that you can later redeem for real money. 

To jazz things up further, developers incorporate creatures such as monster crabs and sea dragons for an added dose of gameplay diversity. Killing these beasts of the deep usually yields the most points.

Since 2016, skill-based gambling has made been on the rise throughout the US. The trend started in Nevada and New Jersey quickly followed suit, with developers focusing on porting popular mobile games and remaking old arcade classics like Space Invaders. 

Popular fish games

Many of these games come from Asian companies such as Chinese Guangzhou Intelligent Game Software. Their more popular releases include Magical Ocean, Storm Dragon, Fire Kirin 2, and Crab King 2.

In the US, South Carolina’s Fish Game Kings is the market leader. They were the first to incorporate higher-quality speakers, higher-gauge wiring, power supply options that prevent burnout, and more. Some of their most played games are Crab Avengers, Poseidon’s Realm, Masters of the Deep, and Jackpot Fire Kirin.

Online fish table games can also be played on mobile devices and PC, as the genre is beginning to get traction in online casinos such as https://www.blackjack.me. SimplePlay, a subsidiary of the Philippines’ SA Gaming, is responsible for Fishermen Gold. It is the most popular game of this sort on the internet. 

Realtime Gaming, the Atlanta-based interactive gaming pioneer, released Fish Catch in 2018, and this title has become the preferred online fish gaming option for US players. Other famous internet fish games are Fish Hunter by Eurasian Gaming, the Fishing Kingdom by NetGame, Spicy Fishing by PlayStar, and Fish Hunter by Amazing Gaming.

Betsoft, the Malta-based top 3D online slot developer, has also taken a stab at this genre with their Max Quest series. However, you do not get to shoot fish in those games, but hordes of the undead and magical beasts. 

Though skill plays a small factor, it still affects outcomes. Because of that, fish games are the closest thing to a skill-based or multiplayer game that can be found in the world of gambling. They are the only gaming options where several players sit at the same table competing for the same prizes, where someone can snag a massive win right under your nose.