"Basic, simple and mindlessly addicting!"

Sports games come in plenty of forms from baseball to basketball to even bowling. Capcom created a game centering around just the base aspect of chucking a freakin' ball down a long alley into a bunch of stationary pins, and viola! You have a mindlessly simple game meant to take attention away from other sports games in the arcade. While not the most intricate in game play or visuals, it does have a certain addictive quality that keeps people coming back.

-Game Play 7/10-

It's simple. You take the bowling ball, aim it a little bit to match where you want it to go, and then spin the roller track forward to chuck the ball down the alley! It really doesn't get any easier, or simpler than this, and you don't have to worry about playing against some superior computer opponent. It's simply a one player game that allows you to get the highest score possible based on your ability to hook or throw a straight ball accordingly. You'll face different challenges in terms of splits, and you'll have to gain points according to your skill in picking up strikes and spares. It really is that simple and anyone of any age can play it!

-Control 7/10-

There are two easy to use controls in Capcom Bowling. The first is the power trackball, that allows you to throw the ball down the alley into the pins at the end. The second control is the hook control which allows you to change the pitch of the ball accordingly to whatever you're aiming for! This part of it can take some practice, and really this is the only portion of the game that makes you think and test out different styles.

-Audio N/A-

No music to be heard anywhere in the game, and really you're listening to the sound effects of the game itself. The game offers you the thumping of the ball hitting the alley, and the crash of the pins as you roll over them. There are other minimal sound effects, that really don't take effect unless you perform several different strikes in a row, so be prepared to not listen to anything important!

-Visuals 7/10-

It's as basic as it gets, and you're really looking at a shiny alley, and a bunch of pins at the other end in an overhead view. The camera does change when the ball picks up all of the pins in a strike, and you'll be greeted with a small graphic of something happening when you get higher up in the strikes. All in all, it's nothing to get overworked about.

-Quarter Crunching 1/10-

You'll play once, and then it's all over. You're not fighting monsters or thugs, you're not smashing buildings or trying to save the world. You're simply chucking a ball down the alley without much thought and hoping to get a high score towards the end of the game. Simple!

-Overall 7/10-

It's not exciting, it's not stunning, it's not even a top notch game, but it is something to draw your attention away from the rest of the games in the arcade, even if for a few minutes. If you're really up to bowling, look for the Simpsons Bowling game, and you'll find plenty more to look at. But, if you're in the arcade, and spy this machine, go and take a look, it's worth a once over!

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/01/01, Updated 10/01/01