Review: Ten Pin Championship Bowling
by Matt Fox
July 20, 2009
Overview
Ah, the great American sport of bowling...can you really call it a sport? Maybe, but that's discussion for another time. As far as Ten Pin Championship Bowling goes, it's about the closest thing to the actual "sport" that you're going to find on the iPhone.
Really, the app is very good at what it does...for the most part. Yeah, it does have some minor flaws to it, but the good far outweighs the bad in a very realistic and entertaining app from Skyworks.
Features
The game features two different bowling alleys to play on, the Starlite Lanes and the Skyworks Lanes. Each one has their own unique graphics, sound effects, and music. The Starlite is in the vain of a 50's diner and the Skyworks Lane resembles more of what today's lanes look like. You can also have up to four different players bowling at one time (locally only), different colored balls to choose from (as well as the weight of the balls), and a trophy room that displays your highest game score, average, and more. There is an animated scorecard that displays little movies, like when you get three strikes in a row you get a "turkey" animation, etc. There are tap and accelerometer controls for spin and accuracy. The game has local and online score boards as well so you can keep track of your best game.The Breakdown
The Good:
What really made this game great for me was the details. It's those little things that really elevate a game from just okay, to really entertaining. This game has those details. From the reflections of the lights on the lanes, to the bowlers playing in the lanes next to you, the app does an amazing job of making you feel like you're actually at a real live bowling alley. The sounds are equally top notch here. The ball rolling down the lane and the pin sounds are spot on. I equally enjoyed the loudspeaker voice on the Starlite Lanes that had something ridiculous and funny to say every now and then.The Bad:
The game has some considerable lag to it. The loading times are a little long and when a game is finished, the app lags as it refreshes the high score board. These aren't terrible by any means, but they are there and can get annoying at times.
The controls are also somewhat of an issue here. As with real live bowling, the slightest change in spin, weight, and release will change where the ball goes. And even when you think you have it down, you throw a gutter ball.
Well, that's what happens here only you don't have as much control as you'd like. The accelerometer spin doesn't really respond as well as it should. I don't even use it any more and I still have fun with the game so that isn't a big deal. However, the overall flick upwards control is a little tough to master and you will throw a wild ball every now and then.
