Wii Bowling Perfect Game – five tips to defeat your friends

My friends and I have been in the habit of meeting with our respective families for years. This happens at least two Saturdays a month.
After dinner, we dedicate ourselves to our common passion for video games, but given the presence of wives and children, we need quick, easy ones.
Wii Bowling meets both requirements.
The cheerful atmosphere of this Nintendo title makes games extremely fun and everybody can aim for final victory, after some practice.
In this article, I am going to give you some suggestions in order to improve your game and surprise your friends.

Below are my 5 tips to play the Wii Bowling perfect game:

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1. Make some room for shooting – your arm must be able to move freely

A Wii Bowling game

Move sofas, tables, chairs and anything that may limit your freedom of movement. Although
shots are only virtual, you need to execute them like real ones. I know, not only are we held back by physical obstacles, but also by our friends’ judgement. Some are quick to taunt you about taking the game too seriously. If this happens just remind them that you play for fun, but in order to have fun, you have to fully enjoy the game. So, if you cannot shape your shot the way you want it, it is better to change game.

2. Set up a shooting routine – counting footsteps or seconds

After making some room for yourselves and clearing your shooting area, it is time to focus on how to shoot.
In order to often bowl a strike, it is of fundamental importance to memorize the way we shoot a 10-pin. By doing so, we can mechanically repeat the same movements, paying attention to details in the process. In this sense, counting our footsteps or the seconds that we take to shoot will allow us to fine-tune our gaming style and turn into unstoppable snipers.

3. Use the d-pad – the small stuff matters

Wii remote control

Most of the people I have played Wii Bowling with only care about shooting hard. Basically, they think that power is everything. While it is safe to say that a powerful shot is likely to knock down more pins than a weak one, there is more than that. Using the d-pad must be part of your shooting routine in order to combine power and accuracy.

When trying to convert a spare, changing direction of a shot – even by one centimeter – can often prove decisive to knock down the remaining pins. More on the d-pad in my next paragraph (I am going to share a little secret).

4. Never stand in front of the 1-pin – straight shots do not exist.

I learned this after repeated losses. Whether you are right or left-handed, the bowling ball will always tend to slightly hook from right to left or vice versa. So, if you aim at the 1-pin with the intention of bowling a strike, use the d-pad arrows and place your Mii either slightly to the left or to the right, according to your favourite hand. Obviously, this goes even when you are trying to convert a spare: make sure you never stand in front of the pin or the pins you intend to hit.

5. Use a bowling ball to practise – no, you do not need to throw it into your TV

I know it may seem strange, but practising with a real bowl can be of great help in order to learn how to properly grip a wiimote for shooting. Although they are totally different shapes and weights, they have something in common in the shooting mechanics. I reckon I have seen at least half a dozen different ways to grip a Wii remote control and most of such grip styles produce weak, missed shots.

So, If you own a bowl or you can borrow one for a couple of days, position yourself in front of your TV and use alternately the bowling ball and the wiimote. Obviously, you do not have to throw the bowl for real: just pretend to shoot – tweaking the way you hold it – and test your newfound grip with the wiimote. You will soon notice that this bizarre practice will bear fruit, despite the game being nowhere near bowling simulation.

I recommend using a carpet or a gym mat in your practice area, in order to cushion any accidental falls of the bowl, thus avoiding family fights. In addition to that, do not forget to wear the wiimote wrist strap, in order to prevent your controller from flying out of your grip and keep your environment safe

Ready to rumble? – your Mii and your friends will not believe their own eyes

We have come to the end of this guide and if you are still reading – rather than toying with a bowl – I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and wish you good luck with your future games. Actually, not much luck is needed, if you follow my tips. Just practise and expect quick, big improvements. Please let me know your friends’ reactions and go for the perfect game, you can make it!
Greetings from my Mii (currently on a 19-game winning streak)! 😀

My Mii

Ps.
I care to remind you that Wii Bowling is one of the five sport games being featured on Wii Sports by Nintendo.
So, whenever you want to change game or – better said – whenever your friends implore you to change game because they cannot take it any longer 😀 , you can choose among tennis, baseball, golf and boxing.

I am not too familiar with boxing and I dare say it is not that family-friendly, but tennis, baseball and golf can certainly guarantee hours and hours of additional family fun.

I have tried them all and guess what! I have a story for each of them, maybe more than one, considering that over the years I have arranged a variety of offline tournaments including Wii Tennis and Wii Golf.
Yeah, arranging video game tournaments is another passion of mine, but I am giving out too many spoilers today, no hurry! 😛
Soon, I will talk about the hectic tennis (doubles tennis is a blast), the relaxing golf and the all-for-one one-for-all baseball.

Apologies for this long but necessary PS. Stay tuned for more Retro material!