204. Dynamite Bowl (Soft Vision, Famicom, 1987)

I figured I might as well play the third and final Famicom bowling game, which was actually the first released, all the way back in 1987. Dynamite Bowl actually turned out to be my favorite of the Famicom bowling games, though it certainly didn't blow me away.

Gameplay is pretty similar to its contemporaries: there is a shot angle meter and a shot power meter, and together with the position of your bowler, you can control your shot. Dynamite Bowl feels even less like a simulator than Perfect Bowling and Championship Bowling, as basically any contact with the pins will knock them down, curving the ball is not really possible, and your ball reaches the pins extremely quickly after it is thrown. Still, these constraints make for a more easygoing, straightforward bowling experience that set it apart.

In addition to the normal bowling rules game, there is also "Game B" where you have to get a strike, and then after that, each pin is worth its position valve (i.e. pin 7 is worth 7 points). This mode is more of a novelty than anything, but it adds a little variety to Dynamite Bowl that is missing in other bowling games.

Presentation is also a highlight, with a colorful bowling alley complete with a tiny sprite of your bowler dancing along to the music at the top of the screen. The control and power meters are also a nice mint green and have pleasing graphical design. My only real big complaint is that the cover art depicts a monkey bowling, but no monkey is selectable in the game.

3/5, Cuter, faster, and simpler than other Famicom bowling games.