Elf Bowling 1 & 2 Nintendo DS

Elf Bowling 1 2 for the DS is a compilation of two seasonal sportsthemed titles originally released via Internet in 1999 and 2000. Both games are included as direct ports with no further enhancements. The action either involves knocking down wisecracking elves with a bowling ball or throwing the cheeky crew across a ship’s deck like shuffleboard pucks. In Elf Bowling, players slip into Santa’s red suit and bowl ten frames with the elves substituting as pins. Play involves pressing a button or tapping the touch screen as Santa moves left and right across an icecovered lane. Tapping the screen or button when Santa’s hand passes over the lane’s center arrow will send the ball rolling straight toward the animated elves, with the resulting collision viewed in the top screen.

The elves won’t go down quietly, however, as some will pass gas, hold up signs, sing, taunt, and occasionally step out of the way. Elf Bowling 2 continues the elfin infliction, albeit on a cruise ship instead of a bowling alley. Players alternate turns with a computer opponent or a friend as they fling elves across the deck. Power and aim are determined by tapping the screen as a meter moves up and down the deck’s surface. The ship will also periodically rock back and forth, requiring minor adjustments between shots. The game otherwise plays like shuffleboard with a sadistic twist, as players try to keep their elves within strategic point areas while knocking rival elves into the sharkinfested ocean. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide