Bowling
Bowling is a sports game published in 1979 by Atari for the Atari VCS (later renamed Atari 2600). It was programmed by Larry Kaplan, who left Atari to co-found Activision the same year. The game is an interpretation of the sport of bowling, playable by one or two players.
In all variations, games last 10 frames or turns. At the start of each frame, the current player has two chances to roll a bowling ball down a lane in an attempt to knock down as many of the ten bowling pins as possible. The bowler (on the left side of the screen) can move up and down at their end of the alley to aim before throwing the ball. In four of the six game variations, the ball can be steered before hitting the pins. Knocking down every pin on the first shot is a strike, while knocking down every pin on both shots is a spare. The player's score is determined by the number of pins knocked down in all 10 frames, as well as the number of strikes and spares acquired.
Bowling was reviewed by Video magazine in its "Arcade Alley" column, where it was praised as "an enjoyable version of a sport that adapts perfectly to the video arcade format". The reviewers pointed out the graphics (including automatic frame-by-frame scoring and "skillful" character animation) as "one of the game's best points".
Larry Kaplan
1978
Playing: Bowling
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