| Brunswick Pro Bowling | 
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| From: Crave Entertainment
Category: Video Games
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $12.72
You Save: $17.27 (58%)
Buy New/Used from $12.72
Avg. Customer Rating:   (43 reviews)
Sales Rank: 647
Platform: Nintendo Wii
ESRB: Everyone
Media: Video Game
Batteries Included: No
Age: 5 - 20 years
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 40002
UPC: 650008400021
EAN: 0650008400021
ASIN: B000QJLQBM
Release Date: August 21, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Realistic Physics-Real time changing lane conditions for the player to master during the course of a match | | • | Career Mode- Work your way from an amateur to a true professional Brunswick Pro Champion | | • | 10 different environments to choose from | | • | Authentic Brunswick bowling products to improve your characters performance. |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
STRIKE! You're in! Using your Wii-mote, you're entering a bowling alley and are set to play the game with utmost realism while viewing it on your TV throughWii. Brunswick Pro Bowling will give players a detailed, realistic bowling-center experience, complete with authentic sights and sounds, and official Brunswick bowling gear. Brunswick Pro Bowling will be highly customizable, allowing players to choose everything from their character's appearance and accessories to ball styles.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 38 more reviews...
 It's not that bad, people were hasty to berate it. June 11, 2008
Like a lot of really low reviews, when I got the game I was pretty annoyed at the game play, expecting something like the gameplay of Wii bowling but with more options and maybe a bit more realistic looking.
The only big drawbacks I can think of, really, are that the graphics of the characters are not that good, but otherwise is just the alley, the balls, and the pins; the characters are stiff and very un-life like. On Wii bowling, the characters are all cartoony, but move very fluidly. I also like the sound effects on the Wii... get a 8 or 9 pins and the crowd cheers; get a strike and they howl. Get a gutter ball and they boo.
But the biggest drawback is simply that the onscreen character doesn't follow your movements. You have to hold the Wii remote up in front of you, hit the button, and then just bowl, ignoring what your character does.
I think the big complaints people have is that they are accustomed to Wii bowling. The throwing mechanics are different... you have to go back and throw forward with a STRAIGHT arm, giving the twist starting at the bottom and during a full follow-through, with your arm pivoting at the socket from back to front with little movement to the side... a side movement is going to throw the ball off to that side, unlike the Wii.
It did take me at least 7 or 8 games to get the hang of it, but when I did, it started playing very naturally. I still had to keep playing to get in a rhythm, but really it became a lot more enjoyable.
The one huge drawback is when the "b" button gets stuck when throwing. I think another reviewer has mentioned it... you line up your shot, you take your time, you're all mentally set... and then it just doesn't go. It breaks your rhythm, and it can be really annoying.
Overall, though, for the twenty bucks I paid for this, I'm pretty happy with it, as a bowling game. I didn't like the character animation, but that doesn't affect the game play. I didn't like the lack of ambient sounds, but that didn't affect game play either. If they fixed those things, and the occasional stuck trigger, this'd be a five, easy.
 STILL TRYING June 5, 2008
GAME IS A LOT HARDER THEN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WITH A REG. PERSON BOWLING YOU GET OUT OF STEP WITH THE OBJECT AND IT CAN THROW YOU OFF OTHERS DIDN'T LIKE IT AS MUCH AS THE BOWLING GAME THAT CAME WITH THE WII
 Wish I had read the Amazon reviews before I purchased. June 4, 2008
It could be fun if you could just get the bowler to bowl! It is soooo tricky to get the bowler to finally release the ball. I tried everything I could think of and it still is hit and miss to get him a movin'. Very frustrating and now on the bottom of my pile o' games.
Good game for experienced bowlers April 11, 2008
If you are an experienced bowler, this is the game for you. Oil patterns change, you get fatigued. different balls react differently. If you are new to bowling or younger fan, not game for you.
This is NOT Wii Sports Bowling March 30, 2008
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
Brunswick bowling
The Interface for Brunswick Pro Bowling is a bit different than Wii Sports Bowling. At first, you will be thrown off by the slow backswing of your bowler, but if you disregard it, and throw the ball like you normally would, things will be just fine. After all, bowling is about making the same throw every time, and adjusting where you stand, not adjusting your throw, per se.
You will become accustomed to the difference in style (compared to Wii Sports bowling) after a few games. Be patient and you will find this game can be just as addicting. One of the main differences in style is the addition of oil conditions on the lane. You will definitely notice that the ball reacts differently in the areas that are well oiled. You can also have two balls at your disposal, like in real bowling, where you would like a strike ball and a spare ball.
The career mode is set up of several `League Nights' in which you bowl 3 games against an opponent. Win 2 or more, and you will build up stats, but no money. In fact it costs money to participate in league nights. Eventually, you will get to a tournament, in which you can win some big cash. These comprise of 5-6 games, if you plan to win. There are also major championships. The career mode seems pretty well laid out in scheduling matters. I wish it was a little easier to make money along the way.
Yes, it is very slow to make money and there isn't a ton of stuff to buy. By the time you make enough money to buy anything, you'll question whether you'll want to change your entire style to adjust for the increased hook of the new ball. That's where practice mode comes into play. I bowled 6 sets of 3 games before I made it to a tournament in which I made any money.
Brunswick Pro Bowling keeps track of a good amount of stats, including your average, high score, # of strikes, spares, turkeys, etc.
One thing I didn't like about multiplayer, is that I couldn't find a way to use a separate controller for each player. Each player is forced to use the same controller, and that is just plain dumb. On a controller where it is advised to wear a wrist strap to protect your tv, I don't want to continuously trade off the controller every 30 seconds. What were they thinking?
Overall the presentation is a bit dry, and the music isn't great at all, but I've yet to play a bowling game with a rock n roll soundtrack anyway.
Those looking for a more in depth bowling game than Wii Sports will find it here, if you show a little patience to get past the presentation differences.
8 Fun
5 Graphics
8 Replay Value
8 Control Scheme
2 Multiplayer
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