Rocketbowl appeared on Xbox Live Arcade today for a mere 800 points.  I say “mere” as in not a lot because it is not a lot of points for a LOT of fun.

There are 10 bowling alleys to unlock, except these are no normal bowling alleys.  Instead of an alley in the traditional sense, you have a wide map area with lots of sets of pins and collectables.  Think maps about the size of Marble Blast Ultra but with bowling pin sets scattered across the course.  The purpose of course is to knock down the set of pins in that frame only (the one which is highlighted by a red arrow) but there is nothing to stop you from going for other sets of pins on the same course to boost your score of the current pin set.  Say for example for some reason you miss your target pin set.  You can guide your ball while it still has pace to another pin set and try and take down those instead.  If you take any out of that set, when it comes to bowling that set in your next go, the pins you took down will already be down.

Rockets can boost your balls to go a lot faster.  But be careful when using them because pressing X to left boost will shift the ball slightly left and you can actually miss your target, the same for pressing B to boost right.  It is difficult to explain but you can clearly see how it works in the trial version of the game.

Alongside the courses and collectables on the map you have challenges and tournaments.  Challenges are against one computer opponent and Tournaments are against 4 or 5.  The good thing is that you do not have to go through every computer controlled opponents before you get another go.  You only see your goes and the opponents are tallied up in the background.

This is of course also online and local multiplayer if you wish to play your friends.

Throughout the course of the game you will earn cash and this will allow you to buy better bowling balls with more accuracy and better firepower.

It is a good game and quite addictive and certainly worthy of 800 points in my opinion.