Fish Table Games – What Exactly Are They?

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Fish table games are hugely popular at the moment. 

You can find them in two places: arcades and online casinos. 

There are plenty of fish table arcades spread across the US, with a ton of them in North Carolina. 

Then, of course, there are online casinos, where people will play online fish tables for hours at a time. 

And because fish table games have gotten so popular over the past few years, more players than ever are trying them for the first time. 

If you’re also a newbie, this guide is going to break down everything for you. 

Let’s start reeling in some wins. 

What Are Fish Table Games? 

Fish tables, also known by players as “fish shooting games”, are electronic gambling games that first started popping up in Asia during the mid-2000s. After exploding in countries like China and Taiwan, these games slowly started reaching the West, and have since become a player-favorite in the US. From regular arcades to fish table-only arcades, you can find them everywhere. 

The way these games actually work is like this: 

  • Players control a cannon or other weapon 
  • They shoot at fish swimming across the screen
  • The bigger the fish, the bigger the rewards 

Basically, the aim is to kill as many fish as possible so that you can keep collecting points. 

Every bullet that you fire costs money – usually at least $0.10 per shot – so you need to be fast, agile, and aim well in order to win money back. 

Smaller fish have lower price tags, whereas the high value ones give bigger money rewards. 

When you play fish table games inside an actual arcade, you use a joystick and buttons to control your weapons. 

The gameplay is the same when you play online, except you use touchscreen controls instead if you’re playing on iOS or Android. 

How to Play Fish Table Games: Arcade and Online

Once you decide to play a fish table game, the gameplay always works the same way. 

You start by choosing an amount of money you want to play with. For instance, let’s say $10. 

Once that money is locked in, you take control of a gun or cannon and start firing at the fish swimming across the screen. 

Each bullet you fire costs money, but the aim is to kill fish so that you make that money back. 

For example, in KA Fish Hunter, the Mermaid is worth $200. 

You can play for as long as you like and most players will aim to cash out once they’ve killed enough fish and made a profit. 

If you run out of money, your weapon will automatically stop firing bullets until you decide to insert more money. 

That, in a nutshell, is how fish table games work. 

Don’t forget that some fish tables, especially in land-based arcades, are multiplayer, meaning you and several other players will be shooting at the same fish (this makes it more exciting, but also increases the level of competition). 

The Best Fish Table Games Online 

These days, almost all gaming is done online rather than inside actual arcades. 

And if you don’t live in places like North Carolina, it can be difficult to reach fish table arcades nearby to begin with. 

This is why online fish table games are the most popular option and there’s a whole ocean of them to pick from. 

KA Fish Hunter

Released in 2020, KA Fish Hunter is one of the best fish table games on the internet. Featuring ‘Bronze’, ‘Silver’, and ‘Gold’ rooms, KA Fish Hunter offers wins of up to 200x your bet and over 21 different species of fish. The different range of cannons are awesome and we also think you’ll be hooked (literally) on the ultra-vibrant graphics and explosions. Don’t forget to look out for the Golden Shark as well, because it pays the most if you’re skilled enough to capture it. 

Ocean King 2: Thunder Dragon 

Ocean King 2: Thunder Dragon is the latest IGS game from the Ocean King 2 fish table game series, loaded with Fire Storms, Bomb Attacks, and all kinds of other cool features designed to help you kill as many fish as possible. The Fire Storm mode is particularly great, as it comes with up to 300x multipliers. Thunder Dragon also has a ton of high-value fish (from the Imperial Whale to Fire Dragon Turtle), mini-games, and up to 8-player compatibility, so it’s great for those looking for intense multiplayer action. Plus, once you’ve tried this game out, you might also want to check Ocean King 3: Turtles Revenge, one of the newer installments from the same developer. 

FU Fish 

FU Fish has been around since 2017 and makes for an excellent Asian-themed fish shooter. When you unpack the game, it features 18 varieties of sea creatures, some seriously powerful guns, and max win potential of 5,000x. The bomb feature is pretty great, as blowing up bombs kills all on-screen fish except dragons. Then there’s the epic multiplier feature as well, where certain fish like Sea Turtles and Stingrays are stuck inside bubbles with random multipliers attached to them. And the minimum ($1) and maximum ($1,000) bet amounts here are quite big, making FU Fish perfect for the gambling-focused players out there. 

Tips for Improving at Fish Shooting Games

Whether you play KA Fish Hunter, Ocean King 2: Thunder Dragon, FU Fish, or a random fish table game you find inside an arcade, we always recommend following these tips: 

  • Aim for fish in big groups 
  • Target high-value fish when you have enough ammo 
  • Take advantage of bonus features (e.g. bombs) to increase your payouts
  • Be patient and don’t fire wildly
  • Always play with a budget 

The budget part is especially important when there’s real money involved, as every bullet you fire costs money. You really need to have a set budget for each fish table game purely because of this, as it promotes responsible gambling. 

Another huge tip we’d like to give you is to cash out and stop playing whenever you kill a lot of fish and are ahead on money. One of the biggest mistakes players make is building up money from capturing fish only to then waste it on bullets chasing even more wins.

Are Fish Table Games Legal? 

Fish table games are legal in most parts of the world. In the US, you typically find fish table games inside online casinos and sweepstakes casinos, so you’ll need to play in a state where these are legal. Online casinos are currently legal in 7 states, whereas sweepstakes casinos are legal in around 43 states. And when it comes to land-based fish table arcades, you can find them in almost every state, although you might have to travel.