Spare Us- Brunswick Pro Bowling Review

With the overwhelming popularity of Wii Sports, a gaggle of imitators was an inevitability. So far, Sony’s Move Controller has seen several titles inspired by Nintendo’s collection of sports-themed games. From Sports Champions‘ anthology of motion-controlled athletic simulations to Racquet Sports‘ reproduction of Wii Sports Tennis’ basic backhands, the influence is undeniable. With the added processing power and graphical capabilities of the PS3, recent release Brunswick Pro Bowling hopes to outshine Nintendo’s take on bowling. While it’s not an outright gutter ball, the title is a far stretch from being a pin-toppling strike.

Brunswick‘s core fault is the limited amount of ball control offered to participants. Sports Champions showed players that the Move controller is capable of interpreting the subtlest of movements. Woefully, that fidelity is absent in Brunswick– exaggerated twists are needed to offer the slightest curve to each throw. While this might be welcome for casual gamers, players lured in by the Brunswick name may be disappointed that the title doesn’t even have an option to alter the amount of input sensitivity. Perhaps, those in need of an ego boost may enjoy the title’s simplicity. With my admittedly average gaming skills, I was able to secure a six-strike streak in my first game- a feat nearly unimaginable in Nintendo’s interpretation of the port.

The other input method- using a Sixaxis or Dualshock 3 controller, makes navigation of the game menu system  easier but still requires an overstated movement to add a bit of curve to the ball’s trajectory. Certainly, setting your initial position and angle is easier with a press of the analog stick, rather than using the Move device.  Like Sony’s High Velocity Bowling, players actually swing the controller, mimicking the delivery of a real bowling ball. Whether players are using the Move or a regular controller, the speed of the ball depends just as much on timing as it does the force of your swing.

Brunswick Pro Bowling does present a generous variety of gameplay types. Up to four players may opt for the title’s Quick Play option, or play a mini-game which tasks players with knocking down different spare variations. Solitary players are given the opportunity to follow the path of a professional bowler in the title’s Career component. Here, aspiring pin-droppers can participate in league and tournament games, challenge rivals and unlock delightfully dated hats, pants, shirts, and sunglasses. Whereas Wii Sports Bowling offered players a clever hundred-pin bowling deviation, Brunswick regrettably keeps things grounded in reality; the game’s one perk is the inclusion of bumper bowling. While Brunswick does have an online multiplayer element it feels constrained as players only share their scores, and never actually watch opponents roll the ball. Gutterball griefers may be disappointed by the lack of any chat option, which means contests feel lifeless.

Most of the title’s visual elements are capable, with six distinct alleys and a modest roster of reasonably rendered characters. Dutiful care was went into recreating different oil patterns on the lanes, which players can examine with a button press. Inspection shows an infrared-like image of the lane, so that players may study each venue’s ‘house shot’. Small touches- from videos for nailing consecutive strikes, spares, or turkeys to menus made to resemble the distinctive letterboards found at alleys are a pleasant touch. Aurally, the title’s looping guitar are innocuous  for the first few frames, but become grating with extended play.

Move owners searching for game to take advantage of the capabilities of their new peripheral note- Brunswick Pro Bowling is equally pedestrian with or without the motion controller. Although the thirty dollar MSRP is tempting, players might want to wait for the inevitable title which makes simulated bowling just as fun as the real thing. Surely, someone is poised to knock Nintendo off their Wii Sports pedestal.