The World of Virtual Bowling

The World of Virtual Bowling

There’s nothing better than heading out to the lanes and tossing a few strikes. But what are the alternatives if you can’t make it to the center and still want the thrill of posting a big number? 

Bowling video games, of course!

Video games based on the sport of bowling have been around for quite a while now, and today we’ll take a look at some of the most popular choices throughout the years.

Championship Bowling

In the early days of gaming, one of the most popular bowling choices was Championship Bowling. The game allowed you to choose characters, ball weight and made the user select where they would stand on the approach as well as how much hook and speed they would use for each shot.

Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling

 As technology progressed and games became more advanced, so did the offerings in the bowling market. Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling was the next big thing for bowling gamers, and the options soared.

Not only could you choose to play as or against such stars like Mike Aulby or Walter Ray Williams Jr., you could compete in tournaments or a career mode as your own custom player. There also were different lane conditions, and you could even choose from brand-name bowling balls.

Wii Sports and the Next Generation

Wii Sports raised the bar, offering bowling as a part of its selection. The motion-capturing controller put you on the approach as the console recognized your swing, when you released it and everything else you would put into a normal delivery (you didn’t need bowling shoes, though).

The Wii Sports package allowed everybody to feel like they were on the lanes, including Darlene Springer, an 87-year-old Wii Bowling sensation.

 Kinect Sports Rivals was released in April 2014 and also uses motion capture technology

So what will the next generation of bowling video games bring to the table? We’ll just have to wait and see.