Capcom Bowling is a top down bowling sports simulation game developed by Incredible Technologies[3] (under the brand name Strata) and released by Capcom to arcades in 1988.[2] Up to 4 four players could play a single game playing alternately. The controls feature a trackball which is used to control both direction and power, and two buttons which control left and right spin or hook. Comedic animations play for making certain shots.
| Capcom Bowling | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Strata[2] |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom |
| Designer(s) | Elaine Ditton Richard Ditton |
| Artist(s) | Tim Skelly Richard Ditton |
| Composer(s) | David Thiel |
| Platform(s) | Arcade |
| Release | August 10, 1988[1][2] |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
| Mode(s) | Up to 4 players alternately |
The game was released in both an upright cabinet and a cocktail version. Most of the upright cabinets are conversion kits for existing cabinets although a limited number of dedicated cabinets were produced. These cabinets featured a birch plywood finish to mimic a bowling lane, a larger marbled trackball and painted side art.[4] The Japanese version featured a different cabinet.
An alternate version, Coors Light Bowling, was released the following year.[4] This version features endorsement from the beer Coors Light. The title screen is completely different on this version and some of the animations were changed to add Coors Light references.
Reception
editIn Japan, Game Machine listed Capcom Bowling on their October 1, 1988 issue as being the most-successful upright/cockpit arcade unit of the month.[5] In North America, it was a commercial success, selling about 12,000 arcade units by early 1991.[6]
Your Sinclair called the game "quite fun" but "a little quick and easy".[7]
Bowlingo
editIn 1990, Capcom entered the bowling industry with Bowlingo. It was a coin-operated, electro-mechanical, fully automated mini ten-pin bowling installation. It was smaller than a standard bowling alley, designed to be smaller and cheaper for amusement arcades. Bowlingo drew significant earnings in North America upon release in 1990.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Capcom Bowling (Registration Number PA0000417176)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ a b c Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. p. 112. ISBN 978-4990251215.
- ^ Siegel, Alan (June 24, 2015). "How Golden Tee became the best bar game in America". USA Today. Gannett. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
Then, in 1988, Capcom Bowling — a game Incredible Technologies produced — hit arcades. To roll, players had to aim and spin a trackball. The process wasn't quite analogous to bowling, but it made the game interactive in a way that joysticks and buttons alone couldn't.
- ^ a b "Capcom Bowling". Killer List of Videogames. International Arcade Museum. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 341. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 October 1988. p. 21.
- ^ "Craven Exits Capcom to Form Leprechaun, Inc.; Walker Now Tops Capcom Sales, Sets Dealer Meet". RePlay. Vol. 16, no. 5. February 1991. pp. 36, 38.
- ^ "Bowling". Your Sinclair. August 1988. p. 63.
- ^ "A Bowling Alley No Arcade Should Be Without / Capcom Bows "Next Final Fight" With Magic Sword". RePlay. Vol. 15, no. 12. September 1990. pp. 19–20, 68.
External links
edit
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