Grand Theft Auto IV (4K) - Bowling with Michelle
116Bowling is a game that can be played alone or against a friend or girlfriend in Grand Theft Auto IV.
It can be played at two bowling alleys owned by Memory Lanes. Bowling is introduced to the player during the mission First Date but the player can bowl anytime while not on a mission before that. The player gets a choice of playing a half game or a full game. A win in bowling is required for 100% completion. The achievement Gobble Gobble is given if the player scores a "turkey" (three strikes in a row). Non-playable characters can be seen bowling in the bowling alleys. The player can still bowl in The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, but it is no longer available as a friend activity, seemingly replaced by Air Hockey.
Cost
A full game of bowling, where each player gets ten turns each, costs $10. A half game, where each player gets five turns, costs $5 (though the price for both is $10 in the PC version). The price does not vary whether Niko is playing alone or with a friend.
Rules
The player (either playing with a buddy or alone) must roll the bowling ball to the end of the lane to knock down as many pins as possible. Before doing so, the player must mark his starting position for the best trajectory. Once the ball is released, the placement may be adjusted until the bowling ball passes the red markings on the center of the lane. After that, it's just luck. All of the instructions for the buttons are displayed on the top of the screen.
Glossary
Guttered – The bowling ball fell into one of the two gutters, or channels, knocking no pins down
Perfect – Throwing 12 strikes in a row, achieving the best score possible in bowling: 300 points
Pins – The ten white targets of bowling to be knocked down
Spare – All remaining pins knocked down with the second ball, denoted by a "/" on the scoreboard
Split – Pins remain on both sides of the lane but none in the middle. Most splits are very difficult to spare
Strike – All ten pins are knocked down with the first ball, denoted by an "X" on the scoreboard
Turkey – Three strikes in a row
Trivia
At full launch speed (depending of the joystick's movement), the scoreboard will register a variable speed of 28.51-28.54 mph.
It's possible to make the NPCs bowl a gutter-ball by standing on the lane in front of the ball, and the NPCs will react like it is their fault and won't become hostile to the player.
While the NPCs are lining up their shot, it's possible for the player to walk straight through them as if they were not there. However, Niko will still sometimes push them, but they won't react.
It is possible to destroy the bowling pins in each lane by shooting or blowing them up. They will disappear all at once as if they were one object.
A bowling pin can be seen inside the Esperanto that is meant to explode in the mission I Need Your Clothes, Your Boots, and Your Motorcycle.
The addition of bowling combined with the friendship system has been responsible for many memes about GTA IV as well as a full length song.
Bringing out your phone to check for messages won't work while bowling or with any other activity like pool, darts or LC Cage Fighters.
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