Elf Bowling

One of the most interesting things about Elf Bowling is the “lore” that is behind it all. This is a game that originally dates back to over two decades ago! Think of games like Minesweeper and that weird skiing game that were big hits on home computers in the 90s and you have an idea of the “phenomenon” that the original Elf Bowling was.

Santa Is Mad

As the name of the game suggests, this is a Bowling game, but there is actually a story running through this game. The story is that the elves have gone on strike (they must have a pretty good union) and as Christmas is coming, Santa is super mad. To blow off some steam and perhaps show these pesky elves who is boss, Santa is using them as bowling pins.

Christmas Joy

One of the most surprising things for me about Elf Bowling was how much personality it has. You would be forgiven for thinking that this would be a barebones kind of game in terms of its presentation. I am happy to say that they went that extra mile and there are many touches that will certainly make you smile. The way Santa wears a bowling shirt is pretty damn funny if you ask me. It is also the way the elves behave and the fact that things like reindeer will dart across the lane that really give the game a lot of personality.

STRIKE!!!!

Once you strip back the strange story and the charming Christmas presentation. What you have with Elf Bowling is, well it is a bowling game. The game is played with a meter-based system like most other bowling games. You select where you want Santa to bowl from, then you adjust your power and curve and hope for the best. If you have played any kind of bowling game before you will be able to get into this.

I would not say that the controls are any better or worse than any other bowling game I have played. Once you get used to the right place to stand and how much power to use, you have pretty much nailed the gameplay aspect of the game.

There are two modes to pick from. Regular Mode strips away the ability to add spin and choose how much power, which makes the whole thing pointless. Advanced Mode is where you play with the standard bowling controls.

Elf Bowling is not a bad game at all, the problem I have with it is that you have pretty much seen all that it has to offer after the first 20 or so minutes. It does have some charm and I can see it being a game that I fire up each December during my holiday gaming sessions to get me in the mood for Christmas. Just do not expect to be playing this one for hours on end and you will be fine.

6.5/10

Pros:

• It has the Christmas spirit
• There is an actual story running through the game
• The bowling controls are easy to get the hang of
• It has a “Regular Mode” if you suck
• I like the Christmas presentation

Cons:

• It does not have a lot of depth
• What is the point of the Regular Mode?

Elf Bowling is a funny bowling simulator with Santa Claus with mischievous humor, where the good Grandpa will punish his elf subordinates for misdeeds and little performance on the eve of the bright and important holiday.

The holiday is disrupted

Millions of little and naive children waited at night for presents, but by the decorated fireplace and under the beautiful pine tree, it was empty. Naughty parents or a family's difficult financial situation? No. Santa Claus had poorly set up his own work processes. An aging bearded man with a red robe, mysterious glasses, and a bag full of surprises couldn't get the baby elves to go to work. The fairy-tale creatures with pointy ears, an unforgiving temper, and small stature decided to do Santa Claus a disservice and went on a real strike. Maybe they decided to make a skit for the fat man. "Workers on strike at the factory," see Grandpa. Best of all, the elves explained the reasons:

• Overwork
• Too tight a schedule
• No sleep

Gameplay

The gameplay begins from here. Santa Claus punishes the elves, decides to put them in their place. Once a year, it's okay to work three shifts. The kids should be happy! Grandpa leads the horde of subordinates to the cave and sets them up like pins. He steps back ten meters and takes aim.

The player watches the horizontally running cursor and presses the button in time to strike out. The funny thing is that the elves try their best to distract Santa and piss him off. "You're too weak," "Is that it?" Other than that, they take off their pants to expose their asses. The elves call their animal friends, trying to distract Santa. A white rabbit runs up and down the walkway and douses it with urine. The reindeer is just standing around but could start moving at any moment. A funny green frog in a New Year's cap jumps on the path, it is unclear where it will move next. Knock down the elves in the cave and get a hundred to four hundred points.