User Reviews about River King Mystic Valley

I had the original River King game on the Gameboy and I enjoyed it a good bit, so when I saw that they made a River King game for the DS I was thrilled. As far as I can tell it's a remake. The story is the same for the most part, but the controls and playability are head and shoulders above the original, and the addition of pets is an awesome step forward. The only thing this doesn't have is the combat instances, instead you get SP (Skill Points) by fishing. Nothing lost if you ask me. You buy same gear, go fishing, talk to people, give them what they want, and fish some more. I know it sounds kinda boring and to some people it might be. I played the first area until I was a fishing Expert. Then I decided to advance the story line. The story is pretty good, and the characters and creatures are pretty neat. The pets have different abilities that will you help you move to new areas. The game is short unless your wanna catch all the fish, then it's huge. You need on average 3 fish to get a Fish Card and there is more then 100 different fish in the game. You use the touch screen to reel in your fish and move your bait. The other actions have a few options you can use. For example you can run around using the D-pad or use the touch screen. I enjoy this title a lot, so if it sounds interesting to you pick it up. -- Two Fists Full of Fish

My 6 year old son is a fishing fanatic and a very good video game player so we were looking for games for the DS since most fishing games are for the big consoles. We got this one and like most of the reviews it is just ok. It is pretty complicated play, and not pure fishing. The kids aren't wowed by the graphics. I would only get it on a trade-in or sale defintely not full price. -- Fishing Game for older Kids

This is one of the best DS games I have played. It is really fun for all ages as well. My daughter is 8-yrs old and she loves the game as well. It is more than just a fishing game! -- Very fun game for all ages!!

River King Mystic Valley is a fun and addictive game for the Nintendo DS. You play a boy who must find a very rare fish called the "River King" in order to save his sister from a deep,deep sleep. In the game you meet three different "monster children": A racoon, a fox and a crow. They all help you with their special abilities (Rock breaking, healing, flying). It is very addictive and educational because you must help people along the way in order to proceed and you learn about all kinds of different fish. Once you open one area, you just have to see what's new there and which new fish are swimming around.
Overall this game ist very fun and I'm sure anybody at any age can enjoy this game. -- Great Game For All Ages

Just like the rest of the River King games, you're sent on a quest to catch the River King to solve some problem with a family member (this time your sister refuses to wake up). It's just like the preceding games: catch fish, buy more bait, catch more fish, buy more bait, upgrade rods, etc. There are a few new twists, though. This time you get points for each fish you catch, you don't sell them, and trade these points for equipment. Also, you collect a certain number of fish, plants or bugs and you can get trading cards that can also be exchanged for points. Your combat with outside animals is also different in the fact that you now have a monster pet. As you feed it fish and talk to it, it grows and becomes more powerful as it follows you around.

The DS controls add a new depth to your fishing experience, and it's a pretty good one. Rather than just cast, hook, fight and reel in, now you can control the casting direction and fighting directionals better. Your top screen shows a top-down view of your player and how far away the fish is in relation to your pole, while the bottom shows the interactive underwater screen. Pulling to the left or right edge will drag the fish in closer, while spinning the stylus on the middle of the touch screen will reel it in. Watching the two screens is important, because if you reel when the fish is too far away, line tension increases and you can lose your catch.

There's a good amount of new content to keep the game different from the previous installments, and the DS controls are a good addition, but it's still really just the same game. Still, it was worth it in my opinion, being an avid Natsume fan. -- Good use of the DS hardware, still same basic game