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Bowling Central adds twists, surprises to classic bowling
Bowling Central is a new bowling app for iOS that includes both swipe controls and motion gestures reminiscent of the Nintendo Wii. Plus, the gestures pair with Apple TV mirroring so it's easy to play with friends using the big screen. The game has a standard classic bowling mode as well as a unique challenge mode with various obstacles appearing on the lanes as you make your motions through the levels. Bowling Central is free for iPhone and iPad with in-app purchases and requires iOS 7.0 or later. If you're a frequent bowler or just have a decent amount of bowling experience, you might be surprised when you push the "Play" button in Bowling Central. The standard game doesn't use the typical scoring system. The main objective is to just move up the levels and reach the target score for each one. A few levels in, obstacles begin to appear on the lanes. These vary from simple wooden blocks prevent the ball from moving forward in certain areas to a giant levitating bar that moves up and down to allow or disallow passing through. They vary as you make progress in the game. How you bowl in Bowling Central is up to you. If you want the Wii-like experience, an Apple TV is necessary. Using AirPlay, the game broadcasts on the telephone leaving your iPhone to act as a remote. (The AirPlay functionality doesn't work with iPad.) Swing the iPhone forward to throw the ball on-screen. If you don't have an Apple TV or just prefer to play entirely on your iOS device, your fingers do the trick. Swiping up sends the ball straight forward toward the pins or making a hook with your finger curves it. I found that the game isn't as responsive as I would have liked. It's far from terrible, but the ball doesn't always seem to follow the guidance I provide with my finger. It's also hard to difficult just how much the ball is going to curve based on the way I turn my finger or even where it's headed just swiping straight up. The graphics and animations are a tad subpar as well. A decade ago they would have been stellar, but with the power the iPhone 6 holds, I expect better. I love that the ball changes with every shot though. It alleviates the hassle of having to pick out a ball (albeit some people do prefer that) and the 24 ball designs are all to my liking. If you fall into a trap of consistently not reaching the target scores for the levels you play, eventually you're presented the option of buying extra turns. This is Bowling Central's only in-app purchase and it's US$0.99. I've played a few bowling games in the App Store. Bowling Central isn't my favorite, but it's decent and offers a unique gameplay experience. I hope to see improvements in the control and design departments here, but other than that there isn't much to complain about. The game is available for iOS for $2.99.
Knock those pins down with Bowling Paradise 2
Bowling Paradise 2 is a new version of an old favorite of mine, Bowling Paradise. This version is a free universal app that requires iOS 6.0. You will also find a version optimized for the iPad. Both have wonderful graphics, are easy to play and offer users a number of options and opportunities to personalize their games. Once you sign up using a simple user name and password or through your Facebook account, you can choose different modes of play, 1-4 players head-to-head or one player against the computer. The app offers five different locations to bowl: Paradise Beach, Space, where the ball flies rather than rolls; Desert, Sky Island, and Space Challenge where your abilities are really tested by moving pins. Once you have made those selections it's time to bowl. The game is simple: a flick of your finger sends the ball on its way towards the pins and if you are sufficiently skilled you can get a strike. As part of the options available you can choose to put spin on the ball by swiping left or right, tilting your device to the left or right, or a combination of both. So you can hook the bowl just like the pros do. Bowling Paradise 2 also provides you the chance to move your ball to the left or right on the lane to give you a better angle for those single pin spares. Move to the far right to get the seven or to the far left for the elusive ten pin. Other options available in Bowling Paradise 2 are the ability to customize your bowling ball and the bowling pins. You receive six different options for each. The app's graphics are very good and it sets off a spectacular fireworks display at the end of each game and the higher the score the bigger and brighter the fireworks. You will find realistic physics at play in the game impacting the roll of the ball and the flight of the pins after being hit. Pro versions of the universal app and the iPad app are available for US$1.99. The paid version offers seven locations rather than five by including Scientific Lounge and Undersea featuring beautiful coral, sea creatures, and a unique environment. You also receive ten choices for both bowling balls and pins instead of six. Whichever version of Bowling Paradise 2 you choose I believe it will provide you lots of enjoyment and a real challenge.
We want to play Peter Molydeux's 'CasCore' prototype
One of our favorite Twitter accounts, @petermolydeux, is a constant source of entertainment, but now he's taken it to the next level. Rather than leave it up to us to imagine his insane gaming ideas, he's gone ahead and created a video proposal for CasCore, a game that marries the casual gameplay of Wii Sports' bowling with the hardcore survival-horror genre. Give your imagination a break already and check out the prototype video above. How else will you see a child's dreams crammed into a bowling ball?
Kiss Controller lets you play a bowling game with your tongue... while it's in someone else's mouth (video)
Oh, this isn't weird at all! The Kissing Controller, an experimental project by one Hye Yeon Nam, is designed so that players of a bowling game can impart power and direction to their spherical projectile by performing the timeless act of smooching one another. A customized headset is required for one of the participants, acting as the input receiver, while the other straps a magnet to his or her tongue and goes to town with some literal full motion controls. Thrust is added to the on-screen ball in accordance with how vigorously you move your tongue around, something we're sure your partner will appreciate. Video after the break.
Women's pro bowling will be in HD for the first time on ESPN2
We were just wondering what sports weren't already in high definition and now we have an answer, since ESPN has announced it has added major women's pro bowling events to its HD schedule. The US Bowling Congress Queens and U.S. Women's Open will air in April and July on ESPN2 HD for the first time. We're pretty sure that completes the list, with women's bowling and some little series called F1 on board, there can't be anything else left...can there?
TUAW's Daily App: Strike Knight
I saw Backflip Studios' Julian Farrior speak at GDC earlier this year, and while there, he showed a few upcoming App Store games of his in a quick slide. Strike Knight was one of those, and it's now out in the App Store in all of its glory. It's a simple shuffleboard bowler game -- you grab a puck at the bottom of the screen, and flick it up towards the pins at the top, hoping to hit at just the right angle and knock them all down. Presentation is solid -- a bar crowd in the background cheers or boos you appropriately, and the titular Knight reacts to all of your shots while an arcade board flashes your high score as you play. The game is free-to-play, so it's definitely worth a try. The ads are slightly distracting (aside from the banner ads, currently all advertising the rest of Backflip's other titles, there are interstitials as well), but for a 99 cent in-app purchase, you can get rid of them, so if you like the game, you might as well make the buy. Aside from the regular singleplayer action, the app allows pass and play multiplayer for up to four people, and the gameplay's quite addictive -- that knight really pushes you to do better and better each time you play. Plus+ integration rounds out the experience, and there are awards to earn and leaderboards to top. Farrior and his team at Backflip are doing a great job pinning down some solid, quick experiences on the iPhone, and Strike Knight is nice addition to the company's lineup. If all of the apps he promised this year are as worthy as this one, they'll have an impressive stable of apps in the store.
Police Wii Bowling team issued stern rebuke
You know, policing can be a tiresome, thankless task -- that's why we weren't all that surprised when Polk County's finest were caught on camera at the scene of a Florida drug raid engaging in a reported nine hour Wii Sports tourney. As you'll recall, investigators raided a home back in March on the lookout for drugs and stolen items -- which they found, along with weapons and that infamous Nintendo game console. Fans of police accountability will be pleased to note that when all is said and done, eleven members of the multiagency task force were eventually disciplined with a letter in their permanent records and a couple hours of re-training. According to Polk County sheriff's Chief of Staff Gary Hester, all of those involved "were all remorseful, upset with themselves, [and] apologetic," except one officer who finally bowled a perfect game: "It was totally worth it. The Dude abides."
Video: Drug raid turns into 9 hour Wii bowl-a-thon
Know what's more alluring to the five-O than glazed confectionary goods? Nintendo's Wii, apparently. Or at least the lure of bowling without all the heavy lifting. See, a team of undercover cops raiding the home of a convicted Florida drug dealer was smitten enough by the console to quit their search and fire up Wii Sports for a bit of taxpayer fun over a period of, oh... about nine hours -- unaware that the home security system was recording the whole thing. Your dose of self-righteous indignation can be found after the break.[Thanks, Maurice]
Police raid home, raid occupant's Wii Sports leaderboards
Police are good at three things: protecting; serving; and bowling. During a recent raid in conjunction with several Florida agencies, officers came across the occupant's Wii console and, instead of ignoring it and going about their day, decided to turn the little white box on and throw down in some bowling with Wii Sports. What they didn't notice is that the occupant had a secret security camera set up that filmed every strike and gutterball, MSNBC shares. Busted!Head past the break to watch the video.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil latest in ESRB update of PSone games
We've been hearing it over and over again: there's more PS1 games coming -- Sony swears! The latest update to the ESRB database shows a number of PSone games coming down the pipeline, with R-Type Delta and Metal Gear Solid standing out as the most exciting of the bunch. Metal Gear Solid Resident Evil: Director's Cut Spec Ops: Covert Assault Spec Ops: Ranger Elite Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six King of Fighters '99 Medal of Honor Underground [Via Kotaku; Thanks, tmacairjordan87!]
Kate Winslet loves to play Wii with the kids
When she's not busy falling in love with Jack Black or being in another Leonardo DiCaprio movie (when's our chance?) Kate Winslet likes to school chumps her kids in Wii Sports. At least, that's what she recently told the celebrity watchers at E! during the SAG awards. Despite the presence of the more popular bowling minigame, Kate is a big fan of the tennis and boxing bits, calling the overall package "fantastic." Just keep an eye on your kids and pets, Kate. We don't want to read a sad story about your dog or anything.[Via What They Play]
VC Friday: ... Yay?
Fans of nocturnal bowling and derivative puzzle games are well-served in this week's Wii Shop PAL update. One month after Midnight Pool arrived on WiiWare and shook the gaming universe to its very foundations, development stable-mate Midnight Bowling has arrived. Oh, and it's rubbish.It's joined by revolving Zuma/Bejeweled/Magnetica Twist imitator Potpourrii, which, ironically, stinks. They're 800 Points apiece, and you can see footage of both if you go past the break. We will be amazed if more than nine people accept that invitation. Midnight Bowling -- WiiWare -- 800 Nintendo Points Potpourrii -- WiiWare -- 800 Nintendo Points Roll on next Friday, frankly.
Horde of Orcs updated, Flick Bowling released by Freeverse
Two big updates from our friends at Freeverse in the past few days. First off, Horde of Orcs, their extra-shiny (and funny) version of Desktop Defense, has gotten a big update to 1.1.4, and now features an in-game news system, two new maps, more helpful in-game tips, and "major performance improvements." That last note is of most interest to us -- I had a little trouble getting the game running smoothly on my mini, and can't wait to try again and see how it runs now. You can pick up the full version of the game for $24.95 over on Freeverse's site, or try out a free demo there.And even more exciting, Freeverse has released another iPhone game: Flick Bowling brings the iPhone's touchscreen interface to one of my favorite games (after all, I did grow up in the very city that hosts the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame). With a bunch of different characters, locations, and even a choice of bowling balls to choose from, odds are that Flick Bowling is probably the best bowling game on the iPhone (though it may only one of a few, if not for long). The app is available in the App Store right now for $4.99. Once again this is a place where a demo would help us, but until Apple gets its App Store game back together, it's all or nothing. If you do decide to take the plunge, let us know how it is.
A matter of dedication
Oftentimes when raiding or applying to a raid/guild is mentioned, many people get up in arms about the fact that games shouldn't require commitment on that level. That kind of opinion is understandable, I suppose, but I certainly can't say I agree with it.Applying to a raid isn't applying to enter an instance. Applying to a raid is applying to a team. Joining a steady raid group isn't signing your soul away to WoW, it isn't declaring your dedication to the game itself. Your application is to the people, a statement that you want to join a team. This doesn't just apply to WoW, either. It doesn't just apply to this game, it isn't a flaw in World of Warcraft.Real life has these same situations. Can you go bowling by yourself? Certainly. However, if you want to bowl competitively in the team brackets, there's a level of dedication required. It is a game, but you're also asking to be a member of a team. That team can be your friends playing for giggles, sure. If you want a very active team capable of competing, you'll need to prove your worth. You need to show up at the appropriate times on a regular basis or you are not a desirable team member. Bowling is a social activity. So is an MMO. If dedication to your teammates is a flaw in WoW, then life itself is flawed. If being able to commit to others is an unimaginable task, well... there are other problems at work.High-end raiding in World of Warcraft is much the same. Your dedication is not to WoW. Your dedication is to the other players, to your teammates. If this makes you uncomfortable, find content that won't require this of you. Find people who will not mind a lack of dedication on that level. They exist. There's no reason to be smarmy about people asking you to be dedicated. You're not playing for you, you're playing for your team.
Gameloft phoning in more WiiWare ports
Well, actually, they're remaking cell phone games, but the title kinda works. We actually approve of the population of the WiiWare service with new games from anybody. Mobile developer Gameloft has announced three more WiiWare games in addition to Block Breaker Deluxe. TV Show King is actually an original made-for-WiiWare quiz show game. Midnight Pool and Midnight Bowling are, well, pool and bowling games that use motion controls. Gameloft intends to release games in Japan, Europe, and the U.S.TV Show King sounds like a great idea to us -- a trivia game with a low barrier to entry (price). We could totally see ourselves downloading something like that while bored some night or in preparation for a party or something. [Via Siliconera]
Robot goes bowling, gets angry
Everyone knows you can't take a robot bowling. After a few pitchers of beer-flavored suds, deep-fried mushrooms, and pickled eggs even the most well-mannered robot will turn ugly. Bring a vision-guided, fireball-throwing industrial robot and it's guaranteed. Hey robot, this isn't 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules. See for yourself after the break.[Via Hack A Day]
Queen Elizabeth II on Wii: One approves
We always suspected that the Wii, much like the toilet, could be a great social leveller. After all, no matter how blue your blood, anybody is going to look like a bit of a plum playing Wii Sports. Obviously, that doesn't remotely faze us (we're not very cool people anyway), it shouldn't faze you, and it certainly doesn't faze Queen Elizabeth II.Yeah, you heard us: according to British red-top The People, Her Maj is the latest fan of Nintendo's console, and something of a pro at Wii bowling. The monarch discovered the Wii after her grandson, the prematurely balding Prince William, received one of the rare consoles as a Christmas gift from his girlfriend. We actually really love the mental image this story conjures up: the 81-year-old Queen swinging blissfully away while being watched by Wills, Harry, Phillip, several corgis, and various Royal Family underlings, and then getting roundly applauded for knocking down a single pin.Seriously though, ma'am, it's good to know you're having fun with our taxes your new console. Welcome aboard![Via NeoGAF]
Real bowler schooled by Wii bowler
Despite its look and feel, Wii Sports: Bowling isn't exactly a true-to-life game. Sure, it may feel like you have a sound style of delivery down, as you are awarded with numerous strikes during your career as a bowling champion on the Wii. But, it turns out that even experience does not govern performance in the game, as in the latest tournament at the 3000-resident Riderwood complex in Montgomery County, Maryland showed underdog Nancy Davies bested previous champ Hal Winters in a tournament with a score of 202 to 182.[Via Engadget]
Wiimote used in Buckyball Bowling, other educational simulations
Seriously, is there anything the Wiimote can't do? Just when you thought the world had exhausted all possibilities for Nintendo's oh-so-versatile controller, along comes the crew at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center to prove otherwise. Programmed to operate with BigBen -- PSC's 4,000 processor, 21-teraflop Cray XT3 supercomputing system -- the Wiimote was seen controlling a round of Buckyball Bowling, which just might be the nerdiest (that's a compliment, ya know) title for a game to date. Additionally, it was suggested that the WiiMD technology could eventually "offer scientists an easily usable tool to gain insight into simulations," and moreover, provide "an entertaining educational outreach tool to help interest students in biology, chemistry and physics." Man, lecturing is so last year.[Via EarthTimes]
Cheating wife caught out ... by her lover's Mii
Here's one you probably won't find on My Wii Story. A young soldier goes to war in Iraq, taking his DS and (eventually) Wii with him. While he's away, playing Wii Sports with his army buddies, his wife begins to conduct an affair with a ten-pin bowling champion. A little over a year later, the soldier returns to wagging tongues, tips from friends about his wife's indiscretions, and e-mails that reveal plans for his wife and her lover to run away together.Heartbroken, he turns on his Wii to reminisce about the friends he made in Iraq, and comes face to face with the final piece of incriminating evidence: the Mii of his wife's lover, and a list of the times and dates the pair played Wii Bowling together, forever secreted in his Wii's Calendar mode.This, if you were wondering, is the rather poignant tale of "Tony," who courageously sent his story to Go Nintendo. You can read his email in full at the link below.
