Quite a few games inspire the liberal application of superlatives, especially when those games instill one with feelings of nostalgia, or even love (if you've never "loved" a game, you would be interested to see what happens whenever I chance by a Metroid Prime box, or hear someone mention Lucasarts' Loom). Yet, not every title that once sent me into the throes of ecstasy can tempt me to ignore the current influx of quality content; not every game transcends time and technology. Then again, not every game is Let's Go Bowling.
The singular appeal of Let's Go Bowling is not easy to describe. Much of it stems from the arcade cabinet's use of a palm-sized trackball as its primary control mechanism. This adds an organic feel to the experience, as well as a degree of granularity not possible with meter-based bowling titles that simply require timed button-presses. As a guy who does mobile reviews, I play a lot of those games, with somewhat middling enthusiasm. While virtually all mobile bowling games share LGB's use of hook as well as (for better or for worse) its wonky pin physics, they lack its unique interface, which adds equal doses of charm and depth to the aging title.
The motions used to roll the trackball may be pretty divorced from an actual bowling toss, but they vary equally, from player to player. Justin Calvert, the current, undisputed champion, always applies a lot of hook to his shots, and has to really slam on the trackball to compensate. In order to achieve this effect, he will pull the ball sharply back, then quickly switch directions, rocketing his palm and ball onward to glory. Consequently, his shots are powerful enough to overcome the spin he compulsively uses, regardless of its efficacy. Conversely, Bethany Massimilla and I rarely use spin at all, instead relying on a sort of karate-chop method to launch the ball directly at the desired stack of pins. Adam Buchen, described in a recent all-GameSpot meeting as a developer/success story, doesn't seem to have much of a strategy at all, and is usually on very intimate terms with the gutter.
In all honesty, it took me a while to warm up to Let's Go Bowling, as that relic from the '80s didn't seem all that attractive an option when juxtaposed with my beloved Neo Geo MVS, not seven feet away. Although I was initially content to dutifully carry Terry, Chin and Joe to glory in KOF '98, despite dwindling competition on that cabinet, I was eventually intrigued by the cult-like devotion of the ever-expanding Let's Go Bowling team. In our little arcade, Samurai Shodown supremacy has ceased to be so hotly-contested. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 no longer draws crowds. Let's Go Bowling, which has been relegated to the center of the room, beetling heavenward like some proud monolith of gaming.
As soon as we get Let's Go Bowling league shirts, and figure out how to hire the eponymous ska band, we'll surely be hosting a ho-down for the ages. Stay tuned.