How to Fish: How to Beat the Pufferfish and Giant Crab

Few games have generated as much buzz this week as How to Fish: Over a million copies sold in just three days, 94 percent positive reviews on Steam – and right in the middle of it all, two boss fights that are initially leaving many players frustrated. We'll show you how to get the Pufferfish and the Giant Crab under control.

How to Defeat the Pufferfish Boss in How to Fish?

Prepare well before the fight: Eat enough fish to fully replenish health and hunger, and buy the SMG as well as as many ammo upgrades as you can afford. Also, invest in additional inventory and hotbar slots – more space means more cooked fish on hand, and that's the most important factor for surviving the long second phase.

• Position yourself behind a palm tree – the Pufferfish's main attack is a straight roll attack, which the tree will interrupt
• Circle the tree, but maintain enough distance so you don't get trapped between the tree and the boss yourself
• Fire while the Pufferfish is reorienting, then retreat back behind the tree
• When facing a charge attack, move sideways out of its path instead of running backwards
• In Phase 2, the boss gets bigger and leaves behind purple poison trails – continue to use trees for cover, but avoid the poisoned areas

How to Defeat the Giant Crab in How to Fish?

The Giant Crab isn't encountered directly; it must first be summoned: Buy a beer can from the lighthouse keeper, give it back to him, and he'll drink it empty. Use the empty can as bait on your fishing rod to lure the crab out of the water. If playing solo, it's recommended to purchase a melee weapon beforehand, ideally a knife – in co-op, however, the boss can also be taken down with bare fists.

• Stay close enough for the crab to initiate a charge attack
• Dodge sideways at the last moment – after a missed attack, the crab will be briefly stunned and immobile
• Use this window for hits, repeat the process until victory
• Don't keep too much distance, otherwise the crab will start jumping, and the fight will become more chaotic
• Pay attention to the white bar below its health display – if this escape timer runs out, the crab disappears, and the fight must be restarted

Why are these two bosses particularly tricky for newcomers?

From our perspective, the difficulty primarily stems from the fact that How to Fish initially appears to be a relaxed co-op fishing game – but the boss fights then suddenly demand precise dodge timing, which is more commonly found in action titles. This very contrast is likely a reason for the game's viral success: The community is actively discussing strategies in forums and on Reddit because the shift from casual fishing to frantic boss battles takes many by surprise.

Source: PC Gamer, PC Gamer

Are you also stuck on one of these two bosses right now? Share your experiences with us in the comments!