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Ten Pin Alley for PlayStation 1Ten Pin Alley is anything BUT simplified - the programmers relied on technical assistance from a major university to come up with physics...
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Ten Pin Alley is anything BUT simplified - the programmers relied on technical assistance from a major university to come up with physics algorithms. And it shows. The pins in this game break with uncanny realism - it couldn't look any better if they'd motion-captured strikes and spares. The power meter is also very well-designed, and requires a surprising amount of timing to get it right. In this regard, Ten Pin Alley the look and feel of a top-of-the-line golf game. Bowling 300 in Ten Pen Alley is as difficult as in real life, which is to say, all but impossible. Strangely enough, this feature is one of the game's most appealing aspects: It requires players to make tiny technique adjustments and constantly work to find the perfect delivery.
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9 Reviews from Shopping.com
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Best Bowling game ever?
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Pros: Gameplay, atmosphere, stats
Cons: tournament difficulty
The Bottom Line:
Ten Pin Alley is a great alternative to those other sports games on the market.
Ten Pin Alley could very well be called the best bowling game ever created for a video game console. it features 12 characters (6 male, 6 female) with individual stats and animations for each bowler based on spin, power, and control. The feature that most appeals to me is the way you can customize the bowler's outfit, hair color, ball weight and make (plastic, resin, or urethane), and skin color to your individual liking and rename them. Additionally, these created bowlers can be saved on a memory card (1 block) for prolonged play and long-term stats.
the gameplay mechanics of the game are very simple. you first line up where you want to throw, and the power and accuracy of it is determined by gauges. the bottom gauge is the most important one, because if it's pressed at the wrong time it counts as a foul with some sort of funny animation. this is the first game I've known with a foul system implemented and it's well represented.
as for gameplay modes, it allows for up to 6 bowlers, with or without a multitap, to compete in regular, team, and tournament modes in either regular scoring or no tap (9 pins is a strike). the downside to so many bowlers is the length of the game. also in team mode a handicap system should have been added because in some cases games can get very lopsided.
The tournament mode is the mode that should be really recommended for at most 2 players, mainly because of the switching back and forth between players and the amount of rounds involved. Another difficult part of the game is the accumulation of prize money in tournaments. In order to walk out with at least some money, a player must make it passed the third round. The difficulty of this can differ based on the opponents. Amateur mode for tournaments is recommended, but pro mode is only for those experts in this game.
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