Title: Super Bowling
Release Date: 7/3/1992
Developer: Kid
Publisher: Technos (US), Athena (Japan)
Another sports game, but our first game about bowling! This will be a quick review overall, because there is not really a ton to this game.
Background
This game was developed by KID (Kindle Imagine Develop; really sounds like education software) a Japanese development company that we haven't seen on this blog as yet. KID was mainly known as a bishojo game developer, which were Japanese style choose your own adventure games. They also were a workhorse developer who would make licensed games, such as a few GI Joe games and, most importantly...
Yup! They made the Pepsiman game. Sadly KID is no longer around, shutting down in the aughts.
The Game
Super Bowling is a bowling simulator with a fun 70's cartoon aesthetic (it reminds me of the cartoon Wait Till Your Father Gets Home). You play as a cast of young hip kids who are into bowling, and I really enjoy the sprite art on display on the character select screen. You only have a choice of four characters...well two characters with Caucasian/African American variants.
Speaking of characters, the game also has a mascot in its Turkey (yes that weird thing in the logo is supposed to be a turkey). This funny fella constantly comments on your game, and is a consistent presence throughout the experience.
The game has three modes: normal play, golf, or practice mode. Normal is a classic ten frame game of ten pin bowling. Golf is a fun take on bowling: you get a different assortment of pins each "hole" and you try to knock them over in as few rolls as possible. It really tests your knowledge of the general physics of bowling. Practice has the same kind of mentality behind it: you can choose the arrangement and number of the pins and then practice with that arrangement.
The bowling itself is similar to what you might think of with golf games: you have a power meter which represents your wind-up, and then a meter for spin that plays as you walk towards the lane to roll your ball. The trickiest part is the speed of the meter and the time limit you have to roll your ball in, but otherwise the timing can be learned to the point that you can bowl strikes and spares fairly consistently. Basically I played the game once and rolled a 140/300, and then on the second game I rolled a 250/300.
The music isn't bad! Sports games of this area have some surprisingly good OSTs, and this is no exception. Try the Golf Bowl theme out for sure.
Overall
That's basically it! This game is not even a snack. There are just too few metrics and variables that you have to consider when playing this game. This game is too easily learned and mastered. I think of Mario Golf and all the variables you have to consider between strokes: which club to use, where to aim your ball, what type of hit, do you put spin on it, ball placement, the power meter, wind, distance to the hole, type of terrain, etc. This game has two, maybe three things to consider at a time. I slammed the "yup that's this game" button in about 15 minutes. The other main gameplay mode is much more interesting and I played that for about 30 more minutes, but...yeah that's about it! Charming design, shallow game. I would have hated to have paid full price for this.
