River Legends is a beautiful love letter to the art of fly fishing, presented in a gorgeous pixel-art style that evokes 16-bit nostalgia. Unlike many fishing games that are just fast-paced tapping fests, River Legends is actually a simulation that cares about things like water temperature, lure choice, and the physics of the cast. You have to carefully time your flick to land the fly in the right spot, and the fight to reel in a trophy trout is genuinely tense.
The atmosphere is incredibly tranquil; the sound of running water and the rustle of leaves make it a perfect 'zen' game. I loved the progression of unlocking new equipment and finding secret fishing holes in the Pine Canyon. It manages to be both a relaxing experience and a challenging sim that respects the actual sport of fly fishing. If you're tired of arcade-style fishing and want something more thoughtful and artistic, this is a must-play.
Available on: iPhone, iPod
Version 1.2Thu May 20 2021
Review feature added
“Sometimes you just need a relaxing pixel art fishing game, and this is a great one”
PCGamer
River Legends: A Fly Fishing Adventure is a single-player, pixel art fishing simulation with RPG and adventure elements. Learn to fly fish while traversing the virtual Pine Canyon.
“...simple yet pleasing angling mechanics...”
Rock Paper Shotgun
Features
■ Explore the far reaches of a wild canyon in glorious pixel art
■ Pursue multiple species of challenging fish with realistic AI, each with their own fly and weather preferences
■ Master dynamic weather conditions and realistic water currents
■ Choose the best tackle based on water conditions - wet, dry, and streamer flies
■ Cast your fly fishing line with real-time controls
■ Master the art of landing tough fighting trophy fish, both trout and other freshwater species
■ Keep track of the fish you catch in your trophy album
■ Adventure into an array of fishing environments including forgotten canyons, dark forests, alpine lakes, sylvan ponds, and more
With River Legends, you can play at your own pace and choose your own goals. Try to catch all of the fish species available or just target trophy fish. Stick with your favorite fishing spots or keep exploring new regions as you unlock them. Earn new items to cast farther and to expand your fishing territory. Relax and cast your line in the best locations or hike to see the wonders of Pine Canyon at your leisure.
“...captured the essence of fly fishing in one outstanding retro gaming experience”
Alt Fly Fishing Magazine
Original Game Design, Artwork, and Development by Brian Chau
Programming and Software Development by David Dolynny
What are you waiting for? Cast your way into River Legends: A Fly Fishing Adventure today!
Requires iOS 11.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.Optimized for iPhone & iPod Touch.
For iPad, please visit: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/river-legends-for-ipad/id1564623014
“Sometimes you just need a relaxing pixel art fishing game, and this is a great one”
PCGamer
River Legends: A Fly Fishing Adventure is a single-player, pixel art fishing simulation with RPG and adventure elements. Learn to fly fish while traversing the virtual Pine Canyon.
“...simple yet pleasing angling mechanics...”
Rock Paper Shotgun
Features
■ Explore the far reaches of a wild canyon in glorious pixel art
■ Pursue multiple species of challenging fish with realistic AI, each with their own fly and weather preferences
■ Master dynamic weather conditions and realistic water currents
■ Choose the best tackle based on water conditions - wet, dry, and streamer flies
■ Cast your fly fishing line with real-time controls
■ Master the art of landing tough fighting trophy fish, both trout and other freshwater species
■ Keep track of the fish you catch in your trophy album
■ Adventure into an array of fishing environments including forgotten canyons, dark forests, alpine lakes, sylvan ponds, and more
With River Legends, you can play at your own pace and choose your own goals. Try to catch all of the fish species available or just target trophy fish. Stick with your favorite fishing spots or keep exploring new regions as you unlock them. Earn new items to cast farther and to expand your fishing territory. Relax and cast your line in the best locations or hike to see the wonders of Pine Canyon at your leisure.
“...captured the essence of fly fishing in one outstanding retro gaming experience”
Alt Fly Fishing Magazine
Original Game Design, Artwork, and Development by Brian Chau
Programming and Software Development by David Dolynny
What are you waiting for? Cast your way into River Legends: A Fly Fishing Adventure today!









River Legends is an indie fly fishing simulation that combines realistic fishing mechanics with beautiful 2D pixel art. Explore wild canyons, alpine lakes, and rushing rivers as you hunt for legendary species. Manage your inventory of flies, read the water to find the best spots, and enjoy a peaceful, high-quality fishing experience without the stress of in-app purchases.
Realistic fly fishing physics
Dynamic weather and day/night cycles
Multiple distinct wilderness environments
No ads or forced microtransactions
Look for ripples or 'rising' fish. These are indicators of where the fish are feeding. Cast your fly slightly upstream of these spots to let it drift naturally toward the target.
The following appraisal of the demo-equipped River Legends. Dantat Studios' delightfully curve- and polygon-free angling diversion is absolutely heaving with...
Rock Paper Shotgun - Tue Oct 29 2019
Timing is everything. Don't pull too early when a fish strikes; wait for the splash, then flick the rod to set the hook. Keep the tension bar in the green to avoid breaking your line.
Yes, you can catch Trout, Grayling, Pike, and several 'Legendary' species unique to specific rivers.