Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)
Cast n Chill is one of those games that, the instant I clapped eyes on it, and even with other people telling me that it’s real good, I got the feeling I’d just never get around to it.
That’s not to say fishing isn’t for me or anything. I have fished in real life. Oh yes. My dad used to take me when I was a kid, back in the 1850s, and I even have some very fond memories of fishing-related stuff as a result; sticking hooks through squirming maggots and watching the pus run out of ’em, pouring soapy water on the back lawn to get some worms, and the stink of a fish that I’d taken home to eat (Victorian times just hit different) but forgot about and left in my bag. Yeah, that stank.
Now, though, that I’ve been sat playing Cast n Chill obsessively for the past couple of days, I’m here to report that it’s a very worthwhile experience that you should go get stuck into immediately. The reasons for this are several-fold. Firstly, this is easily one of the nicest-looking things I’ve had light up my Switch 2’s LCD screen thus far, and one of the most effective uses of this retro pixel art style I’ve yet encountered.
Second Opinion
An end-of-year latecomer that snuck onto Felix’s GOTY 2025 list, the art sparked memories of Kingdom Two Crowns for me, and following a bout of insomnia and a four-hour fishing trip, I can confirm that the art and elements come together with some sweet writing and lilting banjo to deliver beautifully on the title’s promise.
You’ve got an undercurrent of upgrades and catch-’em-all compulsion, but if you find yourself short of coin — for a specific lure, for instance — there’s nothing to stop you switching on idle mode while you put on the kettle and let your angler and good boi snag a few tiddlers, topping up your purse while you wait. I’m only a couple of areas in but this is a fantastic tonic if a real-life Alpine lake escape isn’t on your cards.
The Switch 2 version brings 120fps and better resolution, too – welcome (and free) upgrades, though I can’t imagine you’ll notice 120 frames in a game this sedate. If you’re still rocking a Switch OLED, this would look fantastic there.
Gavin Lane
Editor, Nintendo Life
Which feeds straight into the next reason: the atmosphere is immaculate at all times. This is a game about the joy of finding a little pocket of time to go somewhere still and serene, somewhere so still and serene (and Canadian, by the looks of things, though the small Wombat Brawler team hails from Australia) that water turns to glass, time comes to a standstill, and you’re left with your thoughts and the fish. And the perfect soundtrack. Lots of things, but the fish are the next main reason.
Fishing here, you see, is actually way more engrossing than I’d expected. Each beautiful little pixelated region you unlock to visit comes with its own unique fish below its waterline. Fish types all behave differently, and so there’s actually a tight gameplay loop under all the vibes. Catch fish, add them to your encyclopaedia, sell them for coin, shop for lures, rods, and other upgrades — even new boats! — and then head out to catch the trickier devils, right up to some big old rod-breaking legendary sea beasties who you’ll need to tip the shopkeeper to drop rumours about!
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
It all comes together so nicely, the devs have nailed little details such as the plop and pull of your float, the gentle rumble of your controller as you rake a spinner across a shoal of fish to attract them, the weight and heft of everything, really. Oh and you’ve got a dog with you to pet. It’s perfect!
Also, with only two buttons controlling everything you do (and even an idle mode, if that’s your thing), there’s nothing standing in your way. Heck, there’s even a local co-op mode for a friend to join you in the same boat, so you can cast and chill together. Blissful!