Fishing Overview and Mechanics
Fishing in Sonic Frontiers is a mini-game hosted by Big the Cat, a character familiar to long-time fans. Special portals scattered across the Starfall Islands lead Sonic to Big, who allows him to fish in exchange for Purple Coins. Each island features its own fishing pond, and the cost in Purple Coins increases with progression to new islands, peaking at eight Purple Coins per attempt on the final island. However, the fish caught on later islands also yield more points, making the trade-off worthwhile.
The fishing mini-game itself is straightforward. Players aim a reticle over schools of fish in the pond and cast their hook. Once a fish bites and the bob sinks, players must quickly press a button to begin reeling it in. A second button press is required when a thin white line aligns within a larger red area to successfully catch the target. Occasionally, a sparkling fish indicates a rare catch, which may require multiple successful alignments of the white and red lines.
Acquiring Purple Coins for Fishing
Purple Coins are essential for participating in Big’s fishing mini-game. There are two primary methods to obtain them:
- Scattered on the Map: Purple Coins can be found individually by exploring the Starfall Islands.
- Starfall Events: The most efficient way to acquire a large quantity of Purple Coins is during a Starfall Event. These events occur randomly at night in-game, causing meteors to fall from the sky. Collecting these fallen items grants spins on a special slot machine that appears on the UI. By pressing up on the directional pad (or its PC equivalent), players can stop the wheels. Matching identical symbols on the slot machine rewards a substantial number of Purple Coins. Starfall Events are temporary, lasting approximately five minutes, and also cause enemies in the open zone to reappear.
Starfall Island Fishing Locations
Fishing is available on most Starfall Islands, with the exception of Rhea Island. Each fishing spot is marked by a fish icon on the map once discovered, and appears as a portal similar to those leading to Cyberspace stages.
- Kronos Island: The first fishing spot is located on the far western side of the island, at the southern tip of a peninsula. It can be found by heading west from the Elder Koco or near the Silver Chaos Emerald.
- Ares Island: This fishing spot, sometimes referred to as the Northern fishing spot, is more challenging to access. It is isolated off the coast and requires completing a specific challenge first. Players must complete either the M-041 or M-042 challenge, then jump into the corresponding well. From the bottom, navigating back to the surface using the map will lead near the fishing spot.
- Chaos Island: The Western fishing spot on Chaos Island is situated to the far west. It becomes easily accessible after completing the M-068 challenge, which unlocks the area on the map.
- Ouranos Island: This island features two distinct fishing spots.
- The first is located south of the Blue Chaos Emerald, close to challenge M-082.
- The second is near the Cyan Chaos Emerald. To reach it, head to location 4-8, then proceed south past the Ninja Guardian boss (either fight or bypass it) until mossy ruins are found. The fishing spot is very close to these ruins.
Fishing Rewards and Catches
Beyond various types of fish, fishing can yield several valuable special items:
- Fish Tokens: Every item caught, from common fish to rare creatures, provides Fish Tokens. These tokens can be exchanged for other collectibles and experiences.
- Hermit and Elder Scrolls: These special items allow Sonic to instantly fast travel to any Elder or Hermit Koco on the island where they were found. Each island’s fishing spot offers its own unique scrolls.
- Treasure Chests: Treasure chests come in normal or golden varieties. They contain tickets that can be redeemed at the fishing shop for free items. Normal chests provide one ticket, while golden chests offer three.
The variety of fish that can be caught includes, but is not limited to: Gourami, Loach, Medaka, Crayfish, Tadpole, Clownfish, Squid, Seahorse, Carp, Snapping Turtle, Salmon, Flounder, Anglerfish, Octopus, Pufferfish, Crab, and Alligator. Some fish, when caught sparkling, indicate a rare variant.
FAQ
How do I start fishing in Sonic Frontiers? To begin fishing, you need to find one of the special portals scattered across the Starfall Islands. These portals will take you to Big the Cat, who hosts the fishing mini-game.
What do I need to fish with Big the Cat? You need Purple Coins to pay Big the Cat for each fishing attempt. The cost increases on later islands.
What are Starfall Events and how do they help with fishing? Starfall Events are random nighttime occurrences where meteors fall, allowing you to collect items that grant spins on a slot machine. Matching symbols on this slot machine provides large quantities of Purple Coins, which are used for fishing.
Can I fish on every island in Sonic Frontiers? You can fish on most islands, including Kronos, Ares, Chaos, and Ouranos Islands. Rhea Island does not have a fishing spot.
What kind of rewards can I get from fishing besides fish? Besides various fish and Fish Tokens, you can catch special items like Hermit and Elder Scrolls (for fast travel to Koco), and treasure chests (containing tickets for free shop items).