getting started

When you start the game you can choose to head straight to the lanes or stop in at the Pro Shop. If you go directly to the lanes you'll get a random 15 lb. ball. If you choose to go into the Pro Shop you can pick out your own ball. First choose a ball. They all perform the same, so pick one based on how it looks. Next, you can pick the weight. A heavier ball will deflect less when hitting the pins, and will have more inertia, creating more pin action. A lighter ball will deflect more when glancing off a pin. It's easier to throw a light ball faster than a heavy ball.

The pins are called out by number like this:

Always call pins in order. The Lily, for instance, is called out as the 5-7-10, never the 7-5-10. The 1-pin is called the head pin, while the 5-pin is sometimes called the king pin.

The pin indicator at the upper right corner of the screen during the game shows which pins are standing. This can be helpful when one pin is hiding behind another (a "sleeper"). If you don't hit it just right the front pin will deflect one way while the ball deflects the other, leaving the sleeper standing.

The dots and arrows on the lane are there to help you line up your shots. The dots right next to the foul line are roughly in line with the pins spotted on the pin deck. The large dot in the center is lined up with the head pin. You can follow the boards on the lane straight down from the large dot to the head pin. The boards are often numbered as you move away from the edges. Five boards from the left edge would be L5, while ten boards from the edge right would be R10.

The arrows part way down the lane allow for more advanced targeting. Rather than aiming for a pin, experienced bowlers will line up at a specific board on the approach and aim for an arrow. If the ball rolls over the arrow but doesn't end up where expected, the bowler will make an adjustment to the starting position on the approach or to the targeted arrow.