It’s pretty funny to look back on the Virtual Boy. On paper the device actually sounds really cool. It featured a 3D display, and a 32-bit graphics processor. In addition to this it was a portable device with its own controller that features dual directional pads. This all is pretty impressive for a platform released in 1995, but Nintendo fudged it up in some pretty major ways. When set up the system looked like a tripod, and it’s uncomfortable to set up and play. In addition you must look through the display (which looks like goggles) which is unconventional to say the least, and it featured only red LED lights limiting the palette to just black and red. With that said there are actually some pretty decent games that were released on the platform. Nester was an old character featured in the Nintendo Power publication, and the only game he has starred in was released on the Virtual Boy. Nester’s Funky Bowling is decent, but it’s severely lacking in features.
There’s no real story here; this is a bowling game after all. You play as Nester (or Hester, if you’re player 2) and play through a full ten frame match. The scoring is realistic, and the game doesn’t throw any curve balls. At the beginning of each turn you line your character up on the lane, then press the A button to stop an indicator on a meter to determine your spin, and finally fill up a gauge just right to determine the power. There’s no real goal here other than to repeatedly try to best your high scores and strive for that fabled perfect game. Two players can compete with one another which is a really nice feature. You do so by taking turns on the same system, and this actually works pretty well. This is by far the best feature in this game, and the only mode with significant replay value. It’s mildly entertaining to pop in for a solo game once in a while, but there’s just not enough options nor is there any real diversity in gameplay. You’ll get bored fast.
The biggest problem is that Nester’s Funky Bowling is severely limited in game modes. As I mentioned you can jump in and play a solo match, and you can also compete against a friend, but the other offerings are a little on the weak side. You’ve got a practice mode that helps you improve your game by teaching you how to knock down various splits. It’s entertaining for a few minutes, but largely unnecessary. The other mode you have to choose from is challenge. This throws various pin set ups and scenarios at you, but you only get points if you manage to pick up the spare. This is a little better, but it’s still nothing that held my interest for more than a few minutes. Unfortunately there are no more game modes included here. I’m not too familiar with bowling video games, but I imagine most of them come with some sort of tournament mode. That only makes perfect sense to me which is why it’s shocking that Nester’s Funky Bowling features no such thing. It’s really disappointing and makes this feel like more of a tech demo.
Honestly this would be a decent game if there was just more to it. The available game modes are lacking, and it’s pretty clear that the developers wanted to push this one out as fast as possible. The core mechanics are solid though. The meters are easy to read and are explained well within the game, and it’s quite easy to get the hang of. You’re given the option to select which size of ball you want to use, and this has a decent affect on how hard and in which direction your throws go. Still, it’s possible to do and see just about everything this game has to offer in just ten or twenty minutes which is inexcusable for a title released on a 32-bit platform; I don’t care if it’s the Virtual Boy or not this game needed significantly more work to increase its longevity. This feels like a title that was rushed out the door by developers who didn’t really care much for quality.
The graphics are pretty decent, but still look like something the Super Nintendo could have pulled off with no real downgrades. Like all titles on the Virtual Boy the display is composed only of black and red pixels, but it’s not so bad in this case considering it’s just bowling. The lane is drawn with fair attention to detail (though the floor is mostly just solid black) and the animations are pretty impressive. When Nester and Hester approach the lane they do so with highly detailed movement and a large number of frames. The ball and the pins also move with decent fluidity. The real highlight here (and I guess what makes this game so ‘funky’) are the animations that occur at the end of each turn. These include wacky expressions on both Nester and Hester as well as zany close-ups and even animations detailing spares and strikes. These are actually kind of entertaining. The 3D effects don’t work particularly well in this title, but they’re noticeable and mildly pleasant. Overall Nester’s Funky Bowling is a decent, but not great looking title.
Unfortunately the soundtrack is pretty forgettable. The standard music isn’t really ‘funky’ nor is it particularly memorable. During gameplay you have your choice of three different songs but none of them are particularly good and sound like simple bleeps and blips that are a downgrade from what even the Super Nintendo could produce. The sound effects are also quite bad and can actually be very annoying (particularly the ball rolling down the lane). They could have used much more work. On another note the game contains a few different recorded voice samples, and these are pretty impressive considering the hardware. An announcer will speak aloud when you get a spare, strike, or even a split and this is mildly entertaining. These sound samples are a little scratchy to be honest, but they’re a pleasant inclusion. The audio isn’t particularly good overall.
I really wanted to like Nester’s Funky Bowling. It isn’t a bad game by any means, but the limited number of options and fact that it wasn’t even among the best titles of its kind back at release makes it hard to recommend. The fact that this is the only game Nester ever starred in, and it was on the Virtual Boy, makes this a great collectors piece, but I wouldn’t recommend actually taking the time to play it because you’ll soon be bored. Nester deserved better in my opinion.
