Fish Tables: The Games You Didn’t Know You Needed to Play

Players looking to reel in big profits have turned to a new type of game: fish tables.

It was back in the mid-2000s when fish table games began to explode throughout the arcade-loving nations of China and Japan. Within a matter of years, the arcades in these countries were splattered with fish tables, offering players a unique type of gambling experience where they could shoot virtual fish in exchange for money. Players were hooked (literally).

Not long after was when fish tables started spreading to the US and Europe, too. And if you look at the gaming space in those parts of the world today, fish tables are still booming. In fact, they’re bigger than ever.

One of the reasons why fish tables have become so popular is because they’ve been made available online. Originally, if you wanted to play a fish game, the only place to do it was on a physical table at a land-based arcade. Now, though, fish tables are internet-friendly, allowing you to play on PC or mobile (iOS, Android) if that’s your preference.

So, how exactly do fish table games work and why should you be playing them? In this guide, we’re going to let you know the ins-and-outs so that you can start playing like a pro and hopefully grab yourself some wins along the way.

What Are Fish Table Games?

Fish tables are arcade-style style games where you try to shoot as many fish as possible to collect points or money. The more fish you destroy, the more you collect. All you have to do is take control of different weapons, aim, and shoot — simple.

Naturally, the gameplay changes depending on which platform you use. If you play on a physical fish table at an arcade, you take control of a manual joystick and shoot button, so it’s very old-school. And if you play online, you drag to aim and tap your finger to shoot, just like with most other mobile games that involve weapons.

In most fish table games, there are different-variety fish. You have the regular fish, medium-value fish, and high-value targets. If you successfully kill a fish with a higher value, it means you get more money. For example, in the popular KA Fish Hunter game, a Whale is worth €60 whereas a Clownfish is only worth €3. This is why (a lot of the time) players will specifically target the high value fish so that they can try and collect more money. However, another common strategy is to actually target the smaller fish but in bigger numbers, which is something else to keep in-mind.

Thrown on top of this are special characters, too, most of which activate some type of unique in-game feature if you successfully hit them. If you take a look at KA Fish Hunter again, the game comes with ‘Freeze Bombs’ that cause all on-screen fish to stop swimming if you successfully explode them. Ultimately, these features make fish tables more fun and also allow you to get more wins.

The Best Fish Table Games to Play Online

Currently, the internet is home to a huge number of fish table games. All of them follow the same concept — destroy fish so that you can collect points and money — but the gameplay and weapons can vary from game-to-game. Here are some of the most popular titles you can play according to fishtablegambling.com:

• KA Fish Hunter
• Thunder Fishing
• Golden Dragon
• Fire Kirin
• Fu Fish

In terms of where you can actually play them, you can find these games inside online casinos, app stores (iOS, Android), and even general arcade gaming sites. Most of the time, people play them inside online casinos because it allows them to play for real money, which is what players want more than anything else.

Why Fish Games Are Perfect for Arcade Fans and Modern Gamblers

Fish games have become insanely popular over the past few years.

The main reason for this is because they’re a unique phenomenon: you have a gambling game that’s largely based on skill rather than luck. If you think about all the fan-favourite casino games from the past — like slots, roulette, and blackjack — there’s a huge element of luck involved with them, right? However, fish tables are the exact opposite, as you actually have to be good at aiming and shooting if you want to win. This fills players with more confidence due to the fact they know there’s a great chance of walking away with some prizes if they play well. Essentially, the power is in the player’s hands.

The gameplay is also a lot of fun, too. Fish tables adopt an arcade-style — similar to what you would find in ‘80s and ‘90s arcades — so people naturally love them. When the fish swim across the screen and you take aim, there’s no greater feeling than capturing a ton of high-value fish at once, as it means you’re good at the game and can also bag some coins in the process.

Let’s not forget that most fish tables are also multiplayer. What this means is that (generally) between 2 and 8 players can all play at once. This creates a fast-paced and electric atmosphere where everyone is trying to take out as many fish as possible. Bullets and cannonballs are flying everywhere — and it’s down to the players to collect as many coins as they possibly can before the game wraps up.

How to Play Fish Table Games: Step-by-Step

If you’re interested in getting started with real money fish table games online, we’re going to give you a step-by-step breakdown of how the gameplay works. For any beginners out there, you’ll definitely want to take notes. Here’s how fish tables work in instances where you decide to play with real money:

• Enter the game lobby
• Choose how much money you want to deposit (e.g. £10)
• Wait for fish to start swimming across the screen
• Start aiming and firing
• Cash out any winnings

An important thing to realize, though, is that every bullet you fire costs money. Depending on the specific fish table game you’re playing, the cheapest bullets typically cost £0.05. As you would expect, the more bullets you fire, the more money it costs you. However, the general idea is that you recoup this money by killing the fish and gradually building a profit.

Example: You might start with £10, kill lots of fish, and collect £35. In this case, you can either cash out or keep playing.

Are Fish Tables Legal?

Online fish table games for real money are legal in most countries but it ultimately comes down to what the online gambling age is there. Usually, this will be either 18 or 21. And of course, if you’re playing fish tables for free with no real money involved, then you can play no matter what age you are. The only time there’s an age limit involved is when you’re playing with real money or for coins that can eventually be redeemed for cash, such as inside a sweepstakes casino.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a fan of skill-based arcade games that also offer real-money prizes, you need to play fish tables. This is something you can do inside many land-based arcades or just by simply jumping online instead. No matter where you play, the keys are to practice your aim, target the right fish, and know exactly when to cash out. Good luck and happy fishing!