Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
So far , a lot of the games available for the iPod have been arcade or puzzle game , butThe Sims Bowlingis a dissimilar stock . And it ’s a lot more than just a bowling biz with The Sims tacked on .
The Sims — the hit pretending plot for Macs and PCs from EA — suffice as the ground forThe Sims Bowling . Just like in a real Sims game , you create an in - secret plan character , a Sim — you could pick from one of a serial of unlike characters , either male or female . You do n’t have the same floor of customization that you do in a real Sims plot , of course , but you could control haircloth color and wearing apparel a morsel to give your Sim a personal flavor .
Then it ’s off to the lane for a game of bowling against computer - controlled opponent . You see the lane through your Sims ’ middle , and you determine how the ball will be lay , how much power the Sim will habituate , where the Sim will aim and how much spin the Sim will put on the ball . Your goal , of path , is to rack up a unadulterated game of 300 .
But this is a Sims game , so there ’s a band more to it than just knock down pin . See , the Sim also has aspiration — sprightliness goal on the lane . He or she wants to become a beloved headliner at the bowling skittle alley , and their ambition level increment as their skill do . So the full you do at the game , the better the Sim wants you to do . And to that end , The Sims Bowling features four different plot modes : Classic , a regular bowling secret plan ; Strike - o - thon ( how many strikes you may make ) and Spare - type O - thon ( the same for spare part ) . you could also perfect your acquirement with Practice Mode , a nifty way of develop strategies for dealing with tricky PIN number situations like 7 - 10 split up .
Bowl GameScoring a work stoppage makes your Sim very happy in the iPod - base The Sims Bowling .
you could even play against another human , in a manner of speaking , using the biz ’s Pass ‘ n romp mode ( where you play a frame , then give your iPod off to a friend who plays a frame — sorting of an iPod rendering of “ Hot Seat Mode”-style gaming on the estimator .
If all of this sound like a little much for you to sell with , there ’s also a “ Bowl Now ” mode that will put you instantly into dramatic play against a random opponent . This is handy even if you ’re trying to tame your Sim most of the time — it has no impact on the Sim ’s spirit at all .
Your Sim can customize his or her closet with new clothes and novel bowling gear wheel buy from the Shop in the alley . you’re able to get everything from gloves to particular bowling ball to snazzy shirts there , and new items are unlocked over the path of the game . As your Sim becomes a regular client , the Shop ’s owner will even offer a turn of advice .
And it pays to send your Sim home once in a while , too , because as he or she does well in the lanes , they ’ll be rewarded with more benefit outside of bowling too , like novel jobs and career that pay more , so they can further invest in their bowling power train .
The secret plan features quite all-inclusive statistical tracking , offering detail on your sound game score , your overall average , the number of games leave with no undetermined physique ( Clean Sheets ) , the turn of pure games , how many “ strike streaks ” you ’ve had , and more . you may even win awards and plaques for hit gamy scores in each game way and fulfilling especial requirement .
It ’s good that there ’s a lot more to do in The Sims Bowling than just bowl , because the bowling part of it is n’t on the button the most challenging . Once you figure out the basic mechanics and time your clicks decently , it ’s reasonably loose to bowl well . I ’m not saying I had a lot of perfect games , but it ’s fairly easy to get the bent of coherent enough spares and strikes to beat most of your opponents .
Overall , tone of graphics , gameplay and euphony are in force . The Sims Bowling sport its own custom soundtrack and an “ auto ” feature that will let you supply your own medicine for the biz if you prefer ( it ’ll continue to play whatever is diddle when you start up the plot ) . If you prefer no music , you just dawn on the play / pause area on the Click Wheel and you’re able to calm down it right down .
The lowdown
Compatible with 5th - generation iPods only , the Sims Bowling mixes EA ’s The Sims enfranchisement with bowling for a different and fun — albeit not overly challenging — iPod gaming experience .
[ older news editor program Peter Cohen reviews Mac games at Macworld ’s Game Room . ]
