Review: Action Bowling Free and iBowl

Monday Monday, can’t trust that day,

Monday Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way

Oh Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be…

– The Mamas and the Papas

Welcome to the Monday App Wrap. This Monday finds Cold War Fruit rolling out of the garage and putting the blog into gear. Driving ahead this week, we will have a review for tower defense game The Creeps.  Today though is all about free bowling apps. Enjoy!

Action Bowling Free features hot space bowling action set to music from The Hooks. Never heard of them? Neither have I. Let me try this whole thing again. Action Bowling Free is a marketing tool for The Hooks. So, if you want to rock out to The Hooks go for it. I’m not going to stop you from having a good time. The app is free…but certainly a pointless download. Unless you like The Hooks.

DEFCON 1 – Avoid at all costs

Now with bowling trivia!

Next up on our Monday bowling adventure is iBowl. Featuring a highly original name, iBowl allows players the choice of four different bowling alley themes. Once the theme is chosen, players position their ball, hold down the bowl button, and make a bowling motion with their iPhone/iPod Touch. One does not know the outcome until he checks the screen afterwards.

Even though I am a total sucker for motion controls, I feel that iBowl does not accurately simulate the bowling experience. The speed at which I simulate throwing the ball does not translate well into the game (if at all). I can be sitting down, barely moving the iTouch and the ball moves at the same speed as if I had made a quick motion. Motions controls aside, the frame rate also stutters quite a bit in this version (3.0). iBowl seems to be on the right lane to greatness. Innovative multiplayer (you can play with a friend online) adds an extra layer of icing. However, further polish is needed for iBowl to become a  solid app.

DEFCON 3 – Unpolished

The week is still young. Don’t let Monday get you down!