Trick shots & bonuses

A trick shot registers when the projectile hits the target under one or more qualifying factors rather than a plain direct hit. The Steam store description frames the loop as a 1-4 player co-op physics fishing game where weapon skill turns ordinary catches into bonus kills, and launch coverage from ingamenews confirms trick shot kills are positioned as the headline skill expression during launch week.

Distance and bounce conditions

Long-range shots from shore or the boat and shots that ricochet off rocks, breakwater, or arena terrain count as trick shots. Bounce shots are the most accessible pattern for solo players because the projectile physics remain predictable through the basic knife tier.

Chain and mid-air conditions

Mid-air and chain conditions trigger when a fish has been launched by an explosion, slap, or physics chain, and the next projectile connects with that airborne target. Chaining two or more targets with a single shot produces the largest confirmed multiplier and is the central trick shot pattern for the Boss phases.

Trick shot rewards stack on top of the base catch score and are paid out in the run-end summary that funds the next weapon tier. The Steam store page describes the trick shot bonus as a high-skill catch that boosts the run payout, and the gamingpromax launch review notes that trick shot chains are the fastest path to affording the next weapon upgrade.

Confirmed reward components

Confirmed launch-window reward components are bonus score, in-game currency, and progress toward the trick-shot-related achievements on the Steam achievements tab. Exact per-condition multiplier values are not announced as of 2026-09-01; Dazed Games has not published a point table on the Steam store page or in any reviewed press summary.

Reading the run summary

After each run, the trick shot line item in the summary lists the number of trick shot kills, the bonus awarded, and any related achievement progress unlocked. Players targeting the trick shot achievement cluster should review this line before returning to port so they can plan the next run's weapon tier.

Trick shots are available across every weapon tier, but the reward scales with tier because higher-tier weapons carry more damage, longer range, and better projectile physics. The weapon upgrade path runs fists to knife to gun to sniper to explosives, and each step unlocks new projectile behaviors that interact differently with trick shot conditions.

Knife and gun tier trick shots

Knife and gun tiers are the workhorse range for the early islands. Bounce shots off rocks are particularly effective at the gun tier because the projectile retains damage after one terrain bounce, which is the most common chain starter on Rocks Island.

Sniper and explosives tier trick shots

Sniper and explosives tiers convert distance and mid-air conditions into the largest single-shot payouts. Explosive splash damage makes multi-target chains the default rather than the exception on Forest Island and Desert Island, while sniper distance turns long-range shots into reliable trick shots on the Volcano Island final Boss.

Boss encounters reward trick shots more than standard catches because Boss hit volume and arena layout create natural chain and bounce opportunities. The Steam store description ties trick shot kills to the broader weapon upgrade loop and lists the per-island Boss as the centerpiece encounter where weapon skill is most visible, and ingamenews's launch coverage notes that Boss trick shots are the unlock path for the trick shot achievement cluster.

Targeting the Giant Piranha and Desert Island Pufferfish

The Forest Island Giant Piranha and the Desert Island Pufferfish are the two most cited chain shot targets because explosive splash damage naturally hits their escort waves. Aim for the center of mass and let the splash carry the chain rather than chasing individual targets; the same pattern works against the Desert Island Pufferfish after the Carrot bait step is complete.

Final Boss trick shots

The Volcano Island Mutated Bowhead Whale finale opens up at maxed assault rifle and explosives range, and long-range bounce shots around the arena pillars are the most reliable trick shot pattern against this encounter. Saving the highest-tier weapon for this fight lets the reward tier match the difficulty.

Defensive trick shots on Boss phases

Defensive trick shots are a secondary pattern where a co-op teammate uses a bounce or chain shot to interrupt an incoming Boss charge, buying time for the rest of the party to reposition. The pattern is most useful on the Rocks Island Albatross and Volcano Island finale gates, where the Boss arena layout punishes stationary play and rewards movement that doubles as projectile lineups. Tracking the Boss's telegraphed charges and pre-aiming for the bounce point turns defense into bonus score, which keeps the run payout trending upward even when the primary damage dealer is reviving.