I bought the game with the rod bundle. The rod broke in 4 days. I think that's because I was really overreacting, if you know what I mean. I the flailing arms type of Wii player. :-) Still, I would go without the rod bundle, since after mine broke I took it off and I am now playing without it. You need a controller and a nunchuck, and you can play against artificial intelligence if you don't have anyone to play with you.This isn't just a fishing game. It's also kind of a racing game. You must bring your fish to the "safe harbor" after you catch them, which can be difficult in upper levels, since you can get your fish stolen by other players (AI's). You can also shoot torpedoes (shaped like ducks) and use other such weapons to keep other players from getting their fish safely to the harbor.It is a fun, addicting game for everyone in the family. My 18 year-old son, who is an XBox/PS3 player, likes this game as well, although he never wanted a Wii (it's mine). I sometimes have him race the fish back to the harbor for me, since I tend to get lost and run into walls!The fish have great personalities and help make the game fun. This isn't a "serious" fishing game, but it is loads of fun and I recommend it. I gave it 4 stars because of the rod breaking, but other than that, it is a 5 star game.