Rolling and scoring
Drag sideways to choose where you stand, then swipe up. On a keyboard the arrows move and aim, Q and E add hook, and Space rolls. A camera follows the ball down the lane to the pins.
The lane is oiled at the front and dry at the back, so a ball with side spin goes straight at first and turns late. Pins fall when they are hit hard enough and keep sliding, knocking others over, so splits and pins that fall late are part of the game.
A strike scores ten plus your next two balls, a spare ten plus the next ball. The tenth frame gives bonus balls after a strike or spare, up to three. A perfect game is 300.
Hitting the pocket
- Aim between the head pin and the pin behind it on your side. A ball that arrives there at a slight angle carries the most pins.
- A gentle hook beats a straight ball. Too much hook crosses in front of the head pin and leaves a split.
- For spares, roll across the lane: start from the side opposite the pins that are left.
- If you keep missing to one side, move your start a little the other way rather than changing the angle.
The guide Aim and spares shows the common leaves and how to pick them up.
Reading the score sheet
The sheet shows each frame's marks: an X for a strike, a slash for a spare and a number for an open frame. The total under a strike or a spare is filled in only when its bonus balls have been rolled. That is why a strike followed by two gutter balls is worth just ten, while three strikes in a row are worth thirty in the first of them. Aim for spares before strikes: a game of nothing but spares scores at least 100 and usually far more.
Questions
What is the daily bowling challenge?
Ten spare set-ups chosen by the date, one ball each. Clear five for two rays on the Venture lamp, eight or more for three.
How strong is the computer?
There are four levels, from about 60 a game to about 170 on the strongest.
Can I play alone?
Yes, solo mode is a plain ten-frame game for your own high score.
Why did a pin fall late?
Pins keep moving after they are hit and can knock others down on their way, just like on a real lane.