Bowling FAQ for the Atari 2600 Version 1.0 Dated 5/5/03 Written & Compiled by TestaALT Email Address TestaALT [at] NetZero.com ================= Table of Contents ================= I. Introduction II. Basics A. Story B. Controls C. Overview III. Strategies IV. Frequently Asked Questions V. Closing A. Credits B. Legal Disclaimer C. Contact Information ============================================================================== I. Introduction ============================================================================== Welcome, welcome to my short (and hopefully sweet) guide on Bowling. This guide covers the game on it's video game origin, the Atari 2600. Bowling is an art, well, maybe not. Most people know it as the-sport-where-you-wear-other-people's-shoes. Hell, I even know it as that. But I can give you assurance that the professionals have there own shoes, as well as socks and under. But, besides the point. Here is my walkthrough on Bowling for the atari 2600. Maybe you have it, maybe you do not even have an atari. Either way, this guide is sure to please all! Note: You do not have to wear other people's shoes while playing this game. ============================================================================== II. Basics ============================================================================== ============================================================================== A. Story ============================================================================== This guy was walking down the street and he sees someone get shot and and... Wait, There IS no story for this game! ============================================================================== B. Controls ============================================================================== Joystick - Controls the character and the bowling ball. Just remember that the bowling ball will only use your first movement. Fire Button - Allows the player to throw the bowling ball. ============================================================================== C. Overview ============================================================================== Short little screwy diagram of the bowling lane. Oh, this is the overview of the game for beginners that don't know what this ball-pin game is. ----------------------------------------------------------- | <- Gutter Lane | • | • | • • | • • | • • | • | • | <- Gutter Lane ----------------------------------------------------------- Pins ---- One of the most basic things in this game is the pins. There is 10 pins and they are stationed at the end of the bowling lane. What you need to do is get your bowling ball and throw it, sliding on the ground, at the pins. If you hit a pin you will accumulate a point. If you hit many you will get as many points as pins you knocked down. There is some special bonus points if you knock down all of the pins. Bowling Ball ------------ This is that 6-15 pound ball you throw at the pins. Well, not really "throw." Sort of like slide. That's right. You slide the bowling ball down the lane to the pins. The more you hit the more points you get. This bowling ball has three holes in it big enough for a human finger. Reason being is because you put your fingers in the hole when throwing the ball. But that does not have anything to do with this game, what I am babbling about now? The Lane -------- This is the long yellow wood stretched to the pins. You slide the bowling ball on the lane and it slides over to the pins. It takes a little more skill then that, mind you. Oh, and just for you to know, they keep the floor freshly polished and waxed so *please* do not get a 10 pound bowling ball and throw it on your Mom's to-die-for tile. She will be pissed. The Points ---------- Gosh, what did I say in pins? Every pin you knock down serves as a point. So, if you knock down 8 you would add 8 points to your total. There are things like strikes and spares which count for more points. These are *special*. Oh, and the point meter is located on the top of the screen in big letters. Look for the oh-so-colorful atari numbers. Gutter ------ The gutter is located at the sides of the lane. If you get your ball into the gutter it will slide by and not hit *any* pins. You do not want this so don't be a terrible shot. Aim for the pins and not the side of the lane, for christ sakes! The Line -------- You cannot go up close to the pins and knock them down. There is a line that you cannot cross fairly far away from the pins. This means that you have to make a good slide and not get into the gutter while you roll down a lot of floor. Good game now, ain't it? Strikes ------- This is something when you get all the pins down in one go. You can get up to thirty points if you get the same thing on the next turn. Spare ----- This is something when you get all of the pins down in two goes. You can get extra points if you hit down pins in the next turn. The Player ---------- You control a little 8-bit contorted freak on the side opposite of the pins. You are the little dude (that is very square today, might I add) that throws the ball to the pins. You can go up or down to aim the bowling ball to where you want it to go to. Controlling the Ball -------------------- This is the weird part in this game, after you throw the ball and why it is rolling down the lane you can either move it up or down. Remember that it will use your first movement and your first movement only. If you press up expect it to steadily go up. Same goes for down. This is good to be more accurarte and adds more uniqueness to this game as well as hard-ness.. ============================================================================== III. Strategies ============================================================================== Legend ------ Y O = The player, the U is his U boots and the Y is his face. • = Bowling Pins - = Side Lane and Bowling Ball. #1 "How to get a strike" ------------------------ This is how you get a strike in this game. It is actually quiet easy if you are at the exact placement. The diagram below shows you where you have to be when you throw the ball. It will also show the balls movement. ----------------------------------------------------------- • Y • O • • U ----------------------------------------- • • • • • • ----------------------------------------------------------- If you are off on precision, you need to up or down the ball to avoid having a split. The next two diagrams are of the ball going in the upper and downward motion and how it will effect the pins. Upward will knock down 7 pins on the first try as the downward will. Upward ----------------------------------------------------------- Y • O • U ------------------------------------------. • • •'. • •'. • •'. • ----------------------------------------------------------- Downward ----------------------------------------------------------- • •.' Y •.' • O •.' • U ------------------------------------------' • • • • ----------------------------------------------------------- #2 "Getting the remaining pins" ------------------------------- This little strategy will tell you how to get the remaining pins that are on the bowling lane. There might be a couple diagrams and there might be a dozen. What this strategy is suppose to tell you is how to get the remaining pins, as the title states. ----------------------------------------------------------- Y O • U -------------------------------------------• • • ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- Y O U --------------------------------------------------• ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- Y O U ----------------------------------------•. • •' • •' • ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- Y O • U ------------------------------------------- • • ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- Y O .'• U --------------------------------------------• ----------------------------------------------------------- #3 "Getting a Spare" -------------------- The point of this is to get a quick spare and avoid the dangers of trying to get a strike. Here is a diagram that is of where you need to throw the ball to get a spare. It should work with a little practice and a little luck. ----------------------------------------------------------- Y O • U -------------------------------------------• • • • • • • • • ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- Y O U ----------------------------------------•. • •' • •' • ----------------------------------------------------------- #4 "The Split" -------------- This is a strategy to getting the split which is extremely hard and will take months to do. ----------------------------------------------------------- • : : : Y : O . U ---------------------------------------------'• ----------------------------------------------------------- And that basically concludes any strategy you will need. It is only 4 but they will grow and are basically all this game needs hence it is very... short. ============================================================================== IV. Frequently Asked Questions ============================================================================== Q: What is the highest score you can acquire in this game? A: Three-Hundred is a perfect game. Q: What is your highest score in this game? A: My highest score would be 217. Q: How do I make the ball rise and sink? A: Hold up or down on the joystick. Q: I rise it but I cannot control the ball after this, what gives? A: Nothing gives, the game would be way to easy if you could control the balls every movement. Basically, it goes off of your first movement of the joystick and that's it. Q: How many pins are there in this game? A: Ten to be exact. Q: What is a split? A: When the pins on either side are still up after your first throw. This is a "split." It is very hard to get all of the pins, now. Q: How are the points marked up? A: Every pin you knock down counts as a point. If you get a strike and knock them all down you are able to get thirty in one run because the next throw counts for the first one and the second one. Q: This game flickers when I play it, how can I make this not happen? A: You have the old 2 K version. This version is defective to some. Q: Where can I buy this game? A: No clue. Most likely Ebay or another site with ancient games such as this. Q: My "skillz" suck at this game, how can I get better? A: Play the game more and try out my strategies. After time you will get good. Q: All that strike and spare bolongy, I don't get it. What does it mean? A: See: Basics section. ============================================================================== V. Closing ============================================================================== ============================================================================== A. Credits ============================================================================== Credits to the people that have made this document possible. - CJayC for creating GameFAQs. - Trace, Chad, Brian, Seth, David, and others for being great people which inspire me to write. They are also very intriguing people that make great guides. And well, I talk to them all the time. Also the FAQ Contributor Board for being a place to go to. ============================================================================== B. Legal Disclaimer ============================================================================== This document is Copyright © 2003 Andrew "TestaALT" Testa. All Rights Reserved. This document may not be reproduced or retransmitted in any form and under any circumstances without the complete consent of the author. It may not be sold, altered, or published in any way without the advance permission of the author. All sources, which have contributed to this document, are cited and/or credited in some form. The only sources you can see this document at are GameFAQs (GameFAQs.com) & IGN (IGN.com). If you see this document at any other sources email me telling so as I will not allow this document to be published at any other sources. Please do not ask me, as it is very annoying. These terms have become binding once the recipient (or reader) opened this document. Violation of these terms is strictly prohibited and will result in a lawsuit. Please do not take these terms as threats and/or not read them as they are all very much true. I can sue you for an act of plagiarism and will not hesitate to do so. Thank you for reading this legal disclaimer and have a nice day! "Don't Steal, just ask!" - Breath of Fire III ============================================================================== C. Contact Information ============================================================================== This section will tell you how to contact the author regarding work that he has done. If you have a valid question my email address is TestaALT@aol.com. I will not respond to your email if the answer can be found in this file. If the version for this guide is marked "Final" then this means that the author thinks the game is covered completely. If you have a question that cannot be found in this file do not hesitate to email me. If it is of any use for the guide it will be added in the next update. I will try my best to respond to your question. Thank you for reading this information. Did you like this guide? Rate my guide then see some of my other work at: -> http://gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/23249.html <- Thank you for reading this file and have a great day! +- End of File -+