Ten Pin Alley

American Softworks Corporation is planning to bring bowling action to the PC and the PlayStation with this fall's release of Ten Pin Alley. Developed with the cooperation of the Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum, this game gives players the opportunity to bowl in different eras, including the '50s, the '90s and even the lanes of the future, complete with new rules and scoring. ASC is looking to re-create the experience of bowling as accurately as possible, with realistic sound effects, precise ball and pin physics and true-to-life lane conditions that affect the behavior of the ball.

Players will be able to choose from a number of different characters, each with his or her own strengths and weaknesses. You'll also be able to choose both right- and left-handed players, since positioning changes depending on which hand is holding the ball. You can even select hair color, skin color and wardrobe.

Players begin the frame by aiming the ball then positioning the bowler on the lane. As the character approaches the line, the player chooses the strength of the throw, the release point and how much spin is put on the ball. You'll be able to hook the ball smoothly between the head pins, or hammer it down the middle and hope for a lucky pin bounce. The behavior of the pins will be physically exact, with the spinning and bouncing found in the actual game. Pins will even be able to "walk" from their position if they rock hard enough. This means that you'll be able to experience the frustration of watching your last pin rock back and forth without going down.

In-depth options will let players customize the game, dictating factors like scoring method, gutter setup and lane conditions. The game will be further enhanced by entertaining animations that reflect the characters' performance. For example, nail a strike and your character might do a little dance; miss it by one pin and he might throw a tantrum. There will also be animations for when your character releases the ball too early or too late.

ASC tells us that over 20 percent of the U.S. population have bowled at least once. If this statistic is accurate, it's surprising that we don't see more bowling games on the market. Perhaps this is because the game relies so heavily upon real-world physics that it is difficult to recreate accurately. According to David Klein, president of ASC, their game performs 1.3 million computations each time the ball heads down the lane. This makes a simulation hard to pull off well, and this may be the reason why we've seen relatively few bowling simulations. Nevertheless, from what we've seen, Ten Pin Alley is certain to live up to the expectations of eager bowling fans everywhere.

This game took us all by surprise. ASC has made a fun and challenging game for the PlayStation that incorporates real pin and ball physics--including topspin, lane collision, and more. You can choose to play in either retro 50s-style lanes or a modern-day bowling alley. Not only can you adjust the ball's speed, curve, and spin, you can also throw balls straight in the air or behind you, or drop them on your toes. Get your mind back in the gutter where it belongs.

Striking sparks into the world of bowling, Ten Pin Alley delivers enough fun per frame to be recognized as the kingpin of its sport.

The lanes are jam-packed with every option that out-of-shape, beer-guzzling bowling fans could dream of, including three bowling centers, two scoring modes, and three game styles (Open, Team, and Tournament play). You can even change the ball's weight and the oil on the lane. A dozen crazy characters, from a hipshaking honey to a superstar stud, are selectable.

Pinpoint control is achieved through the PCA Tour-like interface, where you determine the ball's spin, speed, and accuracy with the help of swinging bars and power meters. The realistic ball rotation and pin physics are amazing.

Hilarious individual player reactions to gutter balls and turkeys highlight the graphics, while the sound shines with clapping fans and conga music.

Ten Pin Alley also includes full-motion video of the Bowling Hall of Fame, which is where it deserves to be inducted upon its release.

It doesn't seem so long ago that I was talking about how cool it'd be to have a bowling game for the 32-bit. Well, now, if you're a PlayStation owner, you too can bowl for dollars. Ten Pin Alley is a sharplooking virtual bowling game which is fully licensed by the Bowling Hall of Fame and AMF Bowling, Inc.

This looks like a fine title. Ten Pin Alley has gone that extra mile to make this game the most fun it could be.There are three bowling alleys that you can visit: the Maui Bowl, a '50s-style joint; Contemporary Lanes; and Futuristic Fun, complete with wacky scoring animations and Midnight Madness.

Realism is key. Ten Pin hopes to simulate the bowling experience properly with game physics and realistic options.You can choose your character, scoring method, play style, gutter set-up and lane conditions. Add trick shots to all this and it looks as though Ten Pin Alley may be able to help convert some of today's youth into bowling enthusiasts.