In the realm of gaming, the fishing minigame in Stardew Valley often stirs up debate. Many players find it irritating, particularly when trying to catch legendary fish or competing against numerous other fishing minigames. Nevertheless, Eric Barone, the mind behind Stardew Valley, has voiced his support for this feature, stating,

“I like fishing minigames, and I like Stardew Valley’s fishing minigame. I know it’s controversial, a lot of people hate it, but I think it’s fun.”
Additionally, Barone acknowledges that the minigame can be quite tedious, particularly when players like Willy are involved. He admits,
“My regret with the Stardew Valley fishing minigame is that I think it starts out too hard.”
He suggests that beginners might benefit from a smoother difficulty curve, emphasizing,
“I should have started with a larger bar.”
However, Barone is confident that the fishing mechanics are solid overall, feeding into the nostalgia of players these days, while also promoting the inclusion of a training rod available for purchase in Willy’s shop to simplify the learning experience.