Another 3D Box! Mastertronic churned out some absolute bangers in the ’80s, but for every gem they released, there was an equal number of duds that were pure rubbish. Strike falls squarely into the latter camp. At first glance, the graphics don’t seem half bad. The main character is sharply defined and animated with decent flair, while the isometric view adds a fresh twist—most bowling games of the era stuck to a straightforward down-the-lane perspective.
But the second you try to hurl that ball, Strike reveals itself as an utter dumpster fire. You nudge the joystick left or right to position your bowler, then push it forward to launch the throw, sending your character charging toward the foul line. Here’s where the real pain kicks in: you’ve got to press and release the fire button at precisely the right moment for the ball to sail toward the pins. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. You’ll foul more shots than you’ll care to count. Let go too early, and you’ll either fling the ball backward or drop it on your own foot. Hold on too long, and you’ll stumble past the foul line, botching the shot entirely.
Strike! is a miserable excuse for a bowling simulator. Even its budget £2.99 price tag couldn’t redeem it. If you’re itching to bowl on your Commodore 64, do yourself a favor and stick to the vastly superior 10th Frame by US Gold.
