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Hmmm...let's
see. As far as an effective bowling sim/game goes, this package delivers...big
time. Right from the start of the game you are presented with a wide variety of
options. Let's start with the characters. You get to select from a pre-set
assortment of bowlers, each with their own attributes and style of play. You
can choose to accept that player as is or go in and modify the skin and hair
color, ball weight, name, etc. to come up with a bowler that suits you. You can
now jump into one of the three bowling alleys (a 50's style, retro and
futuristic midnight bowl) and chuck (literally) the ball down the lane...get a
strike...well, maybe not a strike, probably more like a gutter ball, or maybe
throwing the ball behind you and worse, throwing it up in the air and having it
come crashing down on your head. Heck, it's only a 16 lb. ball, go for it! It's
up to you! Anyway, the learning curve is minimal (maybe 15, 20 minutes or so to
gauge the meters), but to master the game would take awhile, if not forever.
The lane characteristics change as the game progresses. The lane oil begins to
erode and thus effects the grip of your ball. You can move you character left
or right to set them up on the lane for delivery and choose the power and hook
of your throw. All this is presented meter style (similar to a golf game) that
calls for you to press the button when you think the meter is at the proper
level. The ball and pin physics are quite simply amazing. The pins spin, fall
and move very realistically. You would think you are watching a game on TV when
the ball hits the pins...it's that good. You can play three types of games:
open bowling, team bowling and tournament mode, all for one to six players.
There is also stat tracking for your character during the tournament season.
The down side? Well, in the multi-player mode the game is a lot of fun to play.
People get hooked right away and really try to improve their game. The
one-player mode however may get a little stale after awhile, especially for a
non-bowler. Some people will like spending their time trying to improve their
game and play through all of the various characters, which in itself offers a
lot of replay. Other people however, prefer games that allow you to point,
shoot and move. Personally I really enjoyed the game with two or four players,
but to be honest I can't see myself sitting there alone trying to improve my
bowling average for any great length of time....
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