Machine Guides

Game History

The Simpsons Bowling is a 3-D trackball arcade game developed and published by Konami in partnership with Fox Interactive, released in 2000. The game features characters from the popular animated series The Simpsons, with their bowling uniforms taken from the "Team Homer" episode that originally aired in January 1996.

The game was developed by Konami Amusement of America and ran on the Konami GV System hardware. Players use a trackball to control the bowling action, with each character having unique animations and special bowling balls that could be unlocked after achieving three strikes in a row (a "turkey"). These special balls included a fire ball, a Maggie ball (launching Maggie down the lane), a nuclear ball, and a bomb ball. The game also featured a hidden unlockable character, Abe (Grampa) Simpson, who could be accessed by moving the cursor up and down quickly at the character selection screen.

The game featured a variety of playable characters including Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Apu, Krusty, Mr. Burns, and Groundskeeper Willie, each with unique victory animations. The game's opening sequence showed the inside of Sector 7G of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant with a sign on Homer's chair saying "Gone Bowling" as alarms blared warning of a core breach.

How to Play

Objective

The main goal of The Simpsons Bowling is to score as many points as possible by knocking down pins in standard ten-frame bowling games. You play as one of the Simpsons characters who compete against other characters from the show. The ultimate objective is to achieve the highest score possible by executing accurate shots and utilizing each character's unique abilities.

Controls

• Trackball: Roll the trackball forward to control the power and direction of your bowling shot
• Roll Speed: The speed at which you roll the trackball determines the power of your shot
• Roll Direction: The direction you roll the trackball determines the angle and curve of your shot
• Character Selection: Use buttons to select your character from the available options

Gameplay

• Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin your bowling session.

• Character Selection: Choose your character from the available options including Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Apu, Krusty, Mr. Burns, and Groundskeeper Willie.

• Shot Execution: Roll the trackball to execute your bowling shot, with the speed and direction determining power and angle.

• Standard Bowling Rules: Follow traditional ten-frame bowling rules, with two rolls per frame to knock down all ten pins.

• Character Abilities: Each character has unique animations and bowling styles that affect how they play.

• Special Balls: Achieve three strikes in a row (a "turkey") to unlock special bowling balls unique to each character.

• Score Tracking: Monitor your score throughout the game, with strikes and spares earning bonus points according to standard bowling scoring.

• Opponent Competition: Compete against computer-controlled Simpsons characters who also bowl and provide commentary.

• Game Completion: Complete all ten frames to finish your game with your final score displayed based on your performance.