Sports guide
Bowling Game Tips: Only 6 of 18 Games Scored
Key takeaways
- A centered throw with the power bar stopped at 0.69 seconds and the spin arrow at 0.12 seconds scored 31, 28 and 39.
- Stopping the spin arrow at 0.9 seconds scored 0 in all 6 games that tried it.
- Stopping the power bar at 0.52 seconds, or sliding the bowler 14 steps to the right, scored 0 in all 6 games.
- Random settings scored 37, 22 and 20, and the highest score we saw was 39 of a possible 300.
The first bowling game tip is to stop the spin arrow right away: in Pinroll, 3 games with the spin stopped at 0.12 seconds scored 28 to 39, and all 6 games with it stopped at 0.9 seconds scored 0. Only 6 of our 18 games scored at all.
How a Pinroll throw works
Pinroll is a ten-frame 3D bowling game. You slide the bowler left or right with the arrow keys, then press the space bar (or tap the screen) three times. The first press starts the power bar, which fills and empties over about 0.75 seconds each way. The second press stops it and starts a spin arrow that swings from side to side. The third press stops the arrow and releases the ball. You get two throws a frame and three in the tenth, and 300 is a perfect game.
What we measured
We played whole games in a test browser at 700 by 900 pixels with software rendering, which is slow. A small script slid the bowler, pressed the space bar at fixed times for every throw, and read the game’s own total score at the end. We tried six settings, 3 complete games each, 18 games in all. The script did not aim or adjust, and it is not a person, so the numbers show what those settings do, not what a skilled player can score. A game took 150 to 210 seconds in our test browser.
| Settings | Games | Total scores |
|---|---|---|
| Centered, power stopped at 0.69 s, spin stopped at 0.12 s | 3 | 31, 28, 39 |
| Random position, power and spin | 3 | 37, 22, 20 |
| Power 0.52 s, spin 0.12 s | 3 | 0, 0, 0 |
| Power 0.69 s, spin stopped at 0.9 s | 3 | 0, 0, 0 |
| Power 0.52 s, spin stopped at 0.9 s | 3 | 0, 0, 0 |
| 14 steps right, power 0.69 s, spin 0.12 s | 3 | 0, 0, 0 |
18 complete games in one test browser with slow software rendering, thrown by a script, not by people. The times are seconds after the first press. We did not test the phone controls or look at individual throws, so a score of 0 means the whole game scored nothing.
Stop the spin arrow early
The spin arrow was the biggest difference. With it stopped at 0.12 seconds, the three centered games scored 31, 28 and 39. With it stopped at 0.9 seconds, all 6 games that used a late stop scored 0, whether the power was 0.69 or 0.52 seconds. In the game’s code the spin comes from how far the arrow has swung when you stop it, so a late stop curves the ball.
Fill the power bar most of the way
With the spin stopped early, a power press at 0.69 seconds scored in all 3 games and a press at 0.52 seconds scored 0 in all 3. By the game’s own easing curve the bar is about three quarters full at 0.69 seconds and about a third full at 0.52 seconds, so a weaker throw may simply not reach the pins; we did not check that.
Start near the middle
Sliding the bowler 14 steps to the right scored 0 in 3 games, while the centered bowler scored 28 to 39. The random settings, which moved the bowler anywhere within about 16 steps of the middle, scored 37, 22 and 20, so a small shift is not the problem; the 14-step shift was.
4 tips that follow from the numbers
- Stop the spin arrow immediately. At 0.12 seconds it scored 28 to 39, and at 0.9 seconds it scored 0.
- Stop the power bar near its peak. About 0.7 seconds after the press scored; 0.52 seconds did not.
- Stay near the center. 14 steps to the right scored 0 in 3 games.
- Do not expect 300 yet. The highest of our 18 games was 39, so fine tuning still matters.
Where to try it
Try it yourself in Pinroll. For another game about timing a press, Hoplane has you jump between lanes.
Frequently asked questions
How do you throw the ball in Pinroll?
Press the space bar or tap the screen three times: to start the power bar, to stop it, and to stop the spin arrow and release the ball.
When should you stop the spin arrow?
Right after it starts. Stopping it at 0.12 seconds scored 28 to 39 in 3 games, and stopping it at 0.9 seconds scored 0 in all 6 games where we tried it.
How full should the power bar be?
Fairly full. Stopped at 0.69 seconds the throws scored; stopped at 0.52 seconds three games scored 0.
Should you aim away from the middle?
Not in our test. Starting 14 steps to the right scored 0 in 3 games, while a centered bowler scored 28 to 39.
What is the highest score possible?
300, a perfect game. The game shows a special message when you reach it. The best of our 18 games was 39.
Is this how people play?
No. A script pressed the keys at fixed times, so the numbers show what those settings do, not what a person can score.