Game Review: If Wishes Were Fishes

Another Rio Grande game, but is this one any good? In the UK there went a phase where this game could be purchased from a certain chain of discount bookshops for just 7.99, which is a huge discount on a game that would normally retail around the 19.99 mark.

You play as a fisherman, catching fish and selling them at the market to make money. The person with the most money at the end wins. The game mechanics are really simple, but when put together they create a game that can be quite deep.

The fish are put on the table 4 at a time, showing fish in shallow water going into deeper waters. To catch a fish, you have to put bait on each of the fish cards until you reach the fish that you want to catch. You then take that card, and have a choice. You can put it in your boat, which means you can then sell it on the market, or use the wish that the fish can grant you. These wishes range from moving people around the market, doubling the amount of fish you can sell, or giving you another boat. Some of these wishes are powerful, and will send everyone dashing for them.

Then there is the market itself. You choose what fish you want to sell, and sell them. The price you get depends on how many people there are at the particular stall, and this can be manipulated by using the fishes wishes. Needless to say, this part can get quite involved, as you push to manipulate the market to get what you want, whilst trying to bluff (or just deal with) your opponents.

The artwork in this game is fantastic and whimsical. Not realistic at all, my favorite is the catfish, which looks, well like a cat. This makes it a lot easier to see what is actually on the board, and what you should be doing next.

This is a fantastic game for everyone, and I can see the appeal to families with this one. The rules are simple enough that children will understand, and deep enough to keep the adults entertained. We highly recommend this game, as do we recommend most Rio Grande games.