Is Fishing Derby on Steam?

No. Fishing Derby is not distributed on Steam, so there is no Steam Charts or SteamDB player count for it. Its live popularity is tracked here via Twitch viewership instead.

What platforms is Fishing Derby on?

Fishing Derby is available on Atari 2600.

When did Fishing Derby release?

Fishing Derby was first released on December 31, 1980.

Fishing Derby

Dec 31, 1980SimulatorSportArcadeAtari 2600

Fishing Derby — frequently asked questions

Is Fishing Derby on Steam?: No. Fishing Derby is not distributed on Steam, so there is no Steam Charts or SteamDB player count for it. Its live popularity is tracked here via Twitch viewership instead.
What platforms is Fishing Derby on?: Fishing Derby is available on Atari 2600.
When did Fishing Derby release?: Fishing Derby was first released on December 31, 1980.

About Fishing Derby

In Fishing Derby, two fishermen sit on opposite docks over a lake filled with fish (and a shark that passes through). Using the joystick the player is able to move his line left right and up and down in the water. When a fish is hooked, the line slowly comes up to the surface of the water. Pressing the fire button on the joystick reels in the fish faster. However, if both fishermen have fish hooked, only one person can reel theirs in (the one who hooked theirs first). The shark that roams the water will try to eat hooked fish before they surface. The objective for both fishermen is to reach 99 pounds of fish first. There are six rows of fish; the top two rows have 2 lb. fish, the middle two rows have 4 lb. fish, and the two bottom rows have 6 lb. fish. The more valuable fish sit at the bottom, but they are harder to bring in as they run a higher risk of being eaten by the shark. The game's two variants are simply single player and multi-player. In both games the objective is to reach 99 lb. of fish first.

Summary via IGDB.

Game details

Platforms: Atari 2600
Developer: Activision
Publisher: Activision
Game modes: Single player, Multiplayer
Themes: Action

Details via IGDB.

Reception

IGDB rating

70/100

from 12 ratings

Collector value & authenticity

Atari 2600 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-06

Loose

$10

Complete

$23

Sealed

$35

Release record

Territory	Label	Catalog #	Rarity
North America Activision	Standard	AG-004	Scarce

Also released in South America by Play Video, Polygram.

Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 2600 software database

Region: NA+EU
Released: 1980
Controller: Atari Joystick
Players: 1 - 2
Authenticity: Low

Not in Atari 50 — other compilations and plug-and-plays are not tracked hereLow counterfeit risk

Atari 2600 prices, all games & how to spot a fake

One of Activision's very first games, a simple two-player fishing contest that costs next to nothing.

Fishing Derby is a 2600-only fishing game written by David Crane and published by Activision in 1980, making it one of the first games the company developed.

It is a simple game, but it is a cheap way to own a piece of Activision's launch history.

How it was made

Written by David Crane and published by Activision in August 1980, with a PAL release in 1981.

What the press said at the time

“Fishing Derby is an easi- ly operated, nonviolent game that brings a little bit of the ol' fishin' hole to inexperienced video anglers.”
— JoyStik, December 1982

“Its superb animation will appeal to kids weaned on Saturday morning cartoons, while the skill elements should please most adults.”
— Electronic Games, December 1981

Cartridge & preservation record

Program size 2 KB, measured from the preserved dump.

Catalogue number as recorded for the physical release.

Before you buy

Low risk; Activision carts of this period are not reproduction targets. Loose, boxed and sealed copies are all inexpensive, so there is little reason to accept a damaged box or a missing manual.