Why Big Bass 3in1 Is a Surprisingly Good Commute Companion

I download a lot of casual games and delete most of them within a day. Big Bass 3in1 is one of the rare ones that stuck around, and after playing it on and off for a couple of weeks I think I finally understand why. It's not trying to be clever. It just does one thing — fishing — and gives you three slightly different ways to do it.

The tap-to-cast, hold-to-reel control scheme is the star. It's the sort of thing you can play one-handed on a crowded train without looking like you're wrestling your phone. There's a nice little bit of feedback when something bites, and reeling in a bigger catch has just enough back-and-forth tension to feel earned rather than automatic.

Switching between the three modes is what keeps it from getting old. When the calm cast-and-reel routine starts feeling too relaxed, the timing-based mode wakes you up, and the collection book gives you a reason to keep casting when you'd otherwise put it down. It's a smart way to stretch a simple idea.

My advice if you try it: don't treat it like a game you sit down for. Big Bass 3in1 is at its best in five-minute chunks. Open it while you wait, catch a couple of fish, and close it. Played that way, it's one of the more pleasant little time-fillers I've had on my phone this year.