System: Samsung Gear VR
Price at Time Of Review: £2.29
Comfort Rating: Green (No Movement)
Genre: Sports
Input: Touchpad
Best Playing Position: Sitting, Standing
Multi-Player: No
Age Rating: PG
Description: At the moment, this is the only game that brings the thrill of the bowling alley to the Samsung Gear VR. And I guess we are lucky that it is Tribal City Interactive, the company behind the immensely successful bowling game for mobile devices that took on the task. If you can’t get enough of strikes, spares or turkeys (in my case it’s more gutterballs) then you have a comprehensive bowling game here that will give you hours of fun.
Review: The graphics are great. When you launch the game and enter the main menu you’ll be presented with five different ball choices and three bowling locations, of which one is a common bowling alley, another one a futuristic version and then my favourite, something that looks like it’s straight out of an Indiana Jones movie. The normal bowling alley is also quite nice, but it feels a bit spooky, that you have the huge place all to your own. If you look behind you though you’ll find that some other people obviously just left. There are still pizza boxes and drinking cups on the table behind you. A further look around lets you take in the nice graphics with vending machines, a bar and everything else that gives bowling alleys such a social atmosphere. No people, though.
The main menu is easy to navigate. This is where you choose your bowling alleys and the colour of your ball. Simply tap on the choices you want which will frame them in a yellow box and start the game.
The game controls need some getting used to, but if I can do it, so can you. With a bit of practice, you’ll quickly figure out how to change the ball’s starting position with your head movement and curve it with a swipe up or down. After all, it’s not supposed to be easy now, is it?
This game is great fun, and that comes from somebody who’s not much of a gamer. Graphics are great and after some practice, the controls become second nature. What I miss a bit is the social aspect of bowling. If TCI could add a multiplayer modes in the future this game would be even more fun.
