| League Bowling | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | SNK |
| Publisher(s) | SNK |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer (up to eight players via link-up) |
| Arcade system | Neo Geo MVS |
League Bowling [lower-alpha 1] is an arcade game released in 1990 by SNK for the Neo Geo console and arcade systems. [1] [2] The players controls characters with red and blue hair and can select balls from 8 to 15 pounds. It is the only bowling game released on the Neo Geo.
League Bowling has three types of modes, played up to 4 players. [3] [4]
Played just like a normal game of bowling, with 300 being a perfect score.
Values of 100 to 300 will flash on a randomizer during the time the bowler throws his shot. A strike adds the bonus flash value to the score accumulated at the end of the game. Below each strike value is a smaller point value, which is added to the score for a spare.
Unlike regular bowling, bonus shots in the tenth frame are not awarded; once a strike or spare is thrown, the game ends.
The maximum possible score is 3,000.
Played just like Regulation mode except that a strike scores 90 points for the frame, and a spare scores 60 for the frame, with no carry-over bonus. 30 points are awarded in the case of a field goal (throwing the ball in between the 7 and 10 pins). Like the Flash mode, there are no bonus shots in the tenth frame.
The maximum possible score is 900.
In addition, it also has the option to link up to 4 Neo-Geo MVS machines to become the 8-player game. This is the only Neo-Geo game that features the 8-player support.
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| AllGame | (NG)   [5] |
| Consoles + | (NG) 68% [6] |
| HobbyConsolas | (NG) 85/100 [7] |
| Joystick | (NG) 80% [8] [9] |
| Player One | (NG) 91% [10] |
In Japan, Game Machine listed League Bowling on their February 1, 1991 issue as being the eighth most-popular arcade game at the time. [11] Likewise, RePlay reported the game to be the twentieth most-popular arcade game at the time. [12] The title was met with mixed to positive reviews from critics, many of which criticized its awkward controls for being passable but praised its humorous artstyle as well as the characters and their reactions. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]
AllGame 's Kyle Knight praised the cartoon-style presentation, simple gameplay and multiplayer but criticized the audio and lack of replay value. [5] Consoles Plus's J.B. Aerstut also commended the visual presentation, comparing it with the works of Tex Avery , audio and playability but felt mixed in regards to its longevity. [6] Hobby Consolas ' Manuel del Campo gave positive remarks to the multiplayer, character animations, appropriate music, sound and playability but criticized one gameplay aspect. [7] Joystick 's Jean-Marc Demoly and Player One's Cyril Drevet commented positively in regards to the animated audiovisual presentation, realism and longevity. [8] [10] Joystick also regarded it as one of the best bowling simulators in the genre but was criticized for being repetitive and limited. [9]
Tom Fulp, the founder and CEO of Newgrounds, ported the game to Flash in 2002. The port features no ball selection, a regulation mode only, fewer animations, and the different player's sprites are the same.
Later in 2010, SNK Playmore releases the NEOGEO Station, which includes the emulation of the game and other Neo-Geo games for the PlayStation 3 and the PSP.
In July 2011, Virtual Console version for the Wii was released in Japan.
Nadia, from the anime Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water , can be seen cheering in the background.
The Neo Geo, stylized as NEO•GEO and also written as NEOGEO, is a ROM cartridge-based video gaming system released on April 26, 1990, by Japanese game company SNK Corporation. Designed as both an arcade system board and home video game console, the Neo Geo was marketed as the first 24-bit system; its CPU is actually a 16/32-bit 68000 with an 8-bit Z80 coprocessor, while its GPU chipset has a 24-bit graphics data bus. It was a very powerful system when released, more powerful than any video game console at the time, and many arcade systems such as rival Capcom's CPS, which did not surpass it until the CP System II in 1993. Neo Geo hardware production lasted seven years; it was succeeded by Hyper Neo Geo 64.
NAM-1975 is a war shooting gallery arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on April 26, 1990. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms, in addition to being the only title in the system that does not feature the Neo Geo boot screen in its attract mode, as well as one of the pack-in games for the AES.
Alpha Mission II is a vertically scrolling full screen shoot 'em up released by SNK in 1991 for the Neo Geo arcade and home systems. It is the sequel to the 1985 arcade game Alpha Mission. It was later released for the Neo Geo CD in 1994 and for the PlayStation Portable in 2010.
Magician Lord is a side-scrolling action-platform arcade video game developed by Alpha Denshi and originally published by SNK on April 26, 1990. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms, in addition of also being one of the pack-in games for the AES.
Baseball Stars Professional is a baseball arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on 26 April 1990. A follow-up to the original Baseball Stars on Nintendo Entertainment System, it was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms, in addition of also being one of the pack-in games for the AES, as well as the first baseball title released for the Neo Geo.
Cyber-Lip is a run and gun video game released in arcades by SNK in 1990 for the Neo Geo MVS. It was released for the Neo Geo AES home console in 1991.
Neo Geo is a family of video game hardware that was developed by SNK. On the market from 1990 to 2004, the brand originated with the release of an arcade system, the Neo Geo Multi Video System (MVS) and its home console counterpart, the Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System (AES).
Last Resort is a horizontally scrolling shooter by SNK released as an arcade video game in 1992. It was also released for the Neo-Geo and Neo Geo CD systems, SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii, as well as ACA Neo-Geo for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Burning Fight is a beat 'em up arcade game released by SNK in 1991 for the Neo Geo MVS system. Introduced to capture a share in the then-popular beat 'em ups market, it was meant to compete with Technōs' Double Dragon, the leader of the genre at the time. Three years after its release in the arcades and on the Neo Geo AES, it was released on Neo Geo CD as the only other home version.
Blue's Journey is a side-scrolling platform game released by Alpha Denshi in 1990 on SNK's Neo Geo MVS arcade system and their AES home system. It was ported to the Neo Geo CD in 1994. It was rereleased on the Wii's Virtual Console in Europe on November 9, 2007, followed by North America on November 12, 2007.
Ninja Combat is a 1990 side-scrolling beat 'em up video game developed by Alpha Denshi and published by SNK. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and AES (home) systems.
Ghost Pilots is a vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game released in 1991 by SNK. It has elements similar to Capcom's 194X series, but the player controls a seaplane.
World Heroes is a 1992 fighting arcade game developed and published by Alpha Denshi with the assistance of SNK. It was originally released for the Neo Geo MVS arcade cabinet on July 28, 1992. It is ADK's first game in the fighting game genre, as well as their earliest attempt in the fighting game trend of the '90s that was popularized by Capcom's 1991 arcade hit Street Fighter II. It was even the last game with the "Alpha" logo labeled within the game before the developer became "ADK"; however, the "Alpha" logo was last used on one of the arcade flyers of its sequel.
Top Player's Golf is a golf arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on May 23, 1990. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms in the United States, the second golf game created by SNK after 1988's Lee Trevino's Fighting Golf, as well as one of the two golf games released for the Neo Geo, with the other one being Nazca Corporation's 1996 Neo Turf Masters.
Andro Dunos is a scrolling shooter arcade video game developed by Visco Corporation and originally published by SNK on June 15, 1992. It is the first title to be created by Visco for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms. Andro Dunos, along with 1996's Breakers are the only two Visco developed games to be officially licensed for distribution on the Neo Geo AES platform. All other Visco games were only released on the Neo Geo MVS arcade platform.
Riding Hero is a hybrid racing/role-playing arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on July 24, 1990. It was the first title for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms that featured "Multi Play" (Multi-Link) support, which allowed two systems to be connected via a phone jack port integrated into each cartridge for versus LAN play.
Football Frenzy is an American football arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on January 31, 1992. It was the second football game created by SNK after 1987's Touch Down Fever, as well as the only football game released for the Neo Geo platform.
Dunk Star is an unreleased 1991 basketball arcade video game that was in development and planned to be published by Sammy for the arcade Neo Geo MVS and Neo Geo AES home console. Had it been launched before Street Slam, it would have become the first basketball title for the Neo Geo platforms.
Super Sidekicks is a 1992 soccer arcade video game developed and published by SNK. It is the first installment in the eponymous series and the second soccer game released for Neo Geo MVS, succeeding Soccer Brawl (1991). Featuring an arcade-style approach to soccer compared to other games released at the time, the title allows players to choose any of the available game modes with AI-controlled opponents or other human players with the team of their choosing. Its gameplay uses a simplified two-button configuration.
Super Sidekicks 2: The World Championship is a 1994 soccer arcade video game developed and published by SNK. It is the second installment in the Super Sidekicks series and the third soccer game released for Neo Geo MVS, preceding the original Super Sidekicks (1992). Featuring an arcade-style approach to soccer as its predecessor, the game allows players to choose any of the available game modes with AI-controlled opponents or other human players with the team of their choosing. Its gameplay uses a simplified three-button configuration.
