It’s funny to say, but one of the more niche video game genres I hold smaller affection for is bowling. I remember as a child, I would play the game in the numerous alleys across my residence. And when the sport lost it’s popularity, I turned to purchasing a Wii and Wii Sports, and played countless games and hit countless pins with my friends, family, and relatives, memories I still hold to this day.
But now, the climate for bowling games in general is a lot different. Shovelware doesn’t grace the shelf like it used to and the only bowling game released for current generation consoles so far has been an overpriced Brunswick title, with little to no fanfare. I was sad the genre died and tried to move on, until Crazy Strike Bowling EX roped me back in to the fun again.
Gameplay:
Upon playing Crazy Strike Bowling EX, I realized I was a bit rusty. All those years of missing out on pins to play hotter titles really hit me, but I was soon wondrous about how I regained it back again. That’s one of the reasons why Crazy Strike Bowling is so great. It’s simplicity lets you improve over and over again, until you get the one strike you were waiting for. It’s not always guaranteed, but it feels amazing when it’s finally accomplished.
Story & Design:
While Crazy Strike Bowling EX’s gameplay is phenomenal, I had a couple of judgements with the AI. Not only is it repetitive, but in some games, you’ll find them getting the same scores, or predictable ones at least. There also isn’t that much challenge besides beating #1, and #1 and #3 spots are so typically far apart that getting #2 on a stage just feels like a disservice. For casual players, this won’t strike as hard of a chord however.
Presentation/ Visuals & Audio:
In terms of presentation, Crazy Strike Bowling EX gets the job done. The replay system is done right, without any extra fluff like super slo-mo or a bad camera angle, and the physics on the ball and pins are just right. Stage design feels like slim pickings however, as every variation has enough changes as levels in a crappy SNES game. This isn’t criminal, but does take away from some major entertainment.
Conclusion:
Despite it’s flaws, Crazy Strike EX Bowling is by far the best bowling game you can get on current generation consoles. Wii Sports may have the legacy, but if your garage sale/ swap meet made it long gone by now, this is a great way to relive those great moments. And don’t let the setting fool you, as getting a whole lot of strikes feels much more significant.
Crazy Strike EX Bowling gets a 8/10 (Very Good)
We’d like to thank Corecell for giving us a code!
Image(s) sourced by Videochums. Check em out!
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