Scratch rates
bowling video games

Now there's
Nintendo
Wii Bowling…

Two real-life USBC Youth members faced off against Team USA to bowl the new Nintendo Wii Bowling game… see your Summer 2007 edition of US Youth Bowler, the print magazine, for the full story!

Bowling
Atari 2600 – Game released in 1978

"My dad said the Atari Bowling game was 'rad' – whatever that means – and he used to play it for hours and hours. I got bored with the weird square graphics and stopped playing after about five minutes. The game let me move my bowler up or down and use the joystick to control the ball after it was released. Yawn!"

Scratch’s rating:   /

PBA Bowling
Intellivision – Game released in 1980

"This game was a step up from Atari Bowling. I could choose from 10 different levels of 'alley slickness' and ball weight. I could also pick if I wanted to bowl right- or left-handed. I used the diskpad to control the curve and loft of the ball. The graphics were still crummy but the game was better – there was even a 'pick up spares' challenge to test my shot-making skills."

Scratch’s rating:   X

Championship Bowling
Nintendo – Game released in 1989

"Video game graphics got a lot better with the original Nintendo Entertainment System, and its Championship Bowling game was no exception. In this game I could choose from four different players, each with unique abilities. I could also control the power behind my throw, which I tracked on the power meter at the side of the screen. If I used the Four Score add-on unit, I could play against my dad, mom and and Uncle Steve." 

Scratch’s rating:   XX

Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling 2
PlayStation/Nintendo 64 – Game released in 2000
(Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling originally released in 1998)

"This is still the most realistic bowling video game out there. The lanes look real and they use tournament names from the PBA Tour so it's like you're actually bowling with the pros on TV. The game uses authentic bowling ball and pin physics and stats, so there's a lot to think about while you play. There are several game modes: exhibition, skins, tournament, career, team, practice and cosmicbowling. The coolest part about the game is you can choose one of several professionals to bowl with, including Walter Ray Williams Jr., Parker Bohn III, Chris Barnes, Lynda Barnes, Kim Terrell and Tammy Turner. Better yet, you can create a bowler that looks like you do! There’s even a Pro Shot help feature where the pros coach you and animated crowd reactions cheer you on to victory.

Scratch’s rating:   XXX