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Bowling (1977)

Image from the box of an RCA Studio II console. A 1970's family playing Bowling on their TV alongside the image of a player bowling.

Bowling on the RCA Studio II

10-pin bowling in black and white for two players. This game is one of five built into the RCA Studio II Emulator available by pressing "3" on your keyboard after starting up. Bowling is a very simple game but a good place to start learning about emulation.

Once you have started a game you will see the large square on the left (that's your ball) automatically moving up and down. Thanks to this players have only to choose the right moment to throw their ball.

Bowling screenshot. Black and white and blocky.

Controls

Press "3" to begin. Players take it in turns. Player 1 uses "2" to hook up, "W" for straight and "S" for hook down. Player 2 uses numeric keypad "8" to hook up, "5" for straight and "2" for hook down. Plays a full 10 frame game although scoring is simplified from the real thing. Press "F1" to reset the console at the end of a game.

RCA Studio II: Emulator Controls

Accessibility suggestions

Use an alternative controller to the keyboard with JoyToKey:

Obviously the keyboard isn't the most accessible controller for many gamers. Using a utility such as JoyToKey will allow you to connect a USB Joystick compatible controller in place of the keyboard. Many switch interfaces such as the C-SID, Adapted Namco Arcade Stick and Dream-Gamer will work in this way. If you do not have access to these I recommend using any Playstation joypad or arcade stick connected via a USB adapter.

One Switch play:

By setting an accessibility switch to throw straight ("W" for Player 1 - Numeric Keyboard "5" for Player 2) one switch play of this ancient game is possible.

For your convenience JoyToKey has a "RCA Studio II" configuration that will work straight away with Playstation compatible controllers. Here you should be able to connect a switch to the RIGHT joystick socket for player 1 and to the CIRCLE socket for player 2. Press START to begin and SELECT to reset.

LEGAL NOTICE: Many game ROMs remain the copyright of the original owners who may or may not be happy for them to be played under emulation. Put in the context of these games impossible to play in their original format for some disabled gamers and I would hope that attitudes would be more relaxed. Support developers by letting them know why you can't play their games and offer some solutions.

 
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