PixlBit

Bowling doesn't translate well into a videogame.

The sport of bowling is a social game, often played with friends when knocking back a few beers. It's a great alternative to an evening movie if there's nothing good playing at the local theater, though the enjoyment of it is mostly dependent on the group. The experience just can't be replicated in a bowling videogame.

The modes on offer include Exhibition, Tournament, Career, and Cosmic Bowling. There's no real difference between Tournament and Career, other than the stat tracking found in Career. They both feature several rounds with several qualifiers each, resulting in dozens upon dozens of games to play back to back. Cosmic Bowling isn't nearly as cool as it sounds; it is just the standard bowling alley scene with neon colours and a glowing ball.

Since I wasn't going to be saving anything, I quickly threw together a bowler with the few clothing and face options available, and named him "Qlayer1" out of sheer laziness. Once on the lane, the direction of the ball could be moved by pressing left or right on the control stick or D-pad, and pressing up/down would increase/decrease the hook. After lining the ball up to hit in-between the 1 and 2 pins, I started the swing meters with the A button. The first meter determines power, and the second determines how accurate the throw will be; stopping them in the center of the green area produces the best result.

The numerous balls to choose from had slightly varying hook, and also possibly speed, making it somewhat important to select the right one for the situation. The hook and aim is set wherever it was left after each throw, so getting consistent strikes is as simple as stopping the two meters in the green. The act would take some practice, but even so, there isn't much depth to the system; consistence strikes will be had as soon as the player masters the rhythm of the swing meters.

There's no soft way to say it: this game is an eyesore. The bowlers are pixelated and crudely animated. The "alley" consists of just three lanes, with black space beyond the adjacent lanes. The crowd consists of a sea of brown and white cardboard cutouts, and is completely motionless. The atmosphere felt as if I were in control of a wannabe pro bowler who had recreated a tournament bowling scene in his basement. The muted music consists mostly of just a bass line, so the main thing heard is the ball rolling down the lane, only a few different pin sound effects, and the crowd. The cheers sound a bit like static, which probably indicates they were actually coming out of a tape recorder.

Even for its time, Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling wasn't a competent game. Today, Wii Bowling makes all previous efforts obsolete.