Lost City Lanes

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We rate this game easy. (This is our rating, not Neopets')		NP Ratio: 3.45 3450 pts :: 1000 NP

Introduction

Ever since the Lost City of Geraptiku became deserted, there hasn't been much activity aside from the tourists who visit the Deserted Tomb. To pass the time in this otherwise dreary place, a clever Lizark took it upon itself to create a bowling alley inside the very jungles of Geraptiku! Take part in this interesting twist on bowling and see how many pins can be knocked down!

Game play & Instructions

Lost City Lanes' objective is to knock down as many pins as possible within each of the 7 levels. In order to do so, a bowling ball is used by speedily sending it down the alley. The controls for this game are the left and right arrow keys and the space bar.

When the level starts, a bowling ball will be visible and two transparent buttons on the screen will show that the ball can be moved either left or right. Move the bowling ball to the desired position and press the space bar. Pressing the space bar will bring up a Power Meter (as seen below) with a bar that constantly moves back and forth. This bar indicates how powerful the ball will roll once the space bar is pressed. Press the space bar again, preferably when the bar is red at the very end of the meter, and watch as the ball is released.

Once in motion, the bowling ball will make its way down the alley. During this time it is possible to take control of the ball with the arrow keys. To make the ball turn left or right, press the left or right arrow keys respectively. Pressing the space bar will make the ball perform a hop.

Each level is split up into 5 frames. These frames are like "rounds", each one with a new set of pins. The player has two chances per frame, with the exception of the fifth one, to knock down all ten pins before continuing to the next one. The fifth frame is unique, because it allows three chances to be made.

Once all five rounds have been completed, the game checks whether or not enough points have been earned to proceed to the next level. The number of points required to enter the next level can be seen next to the text that states "Level Target".

Score-

The worth of each individual bowling pin is 1 point. If a ball were to knock down three pins, then three points would be received.

Strike- A strike is the term used to describe when a bowling ball manages to knock down all 10 pins at once. Since each pin is worth 1 point, bowling a strike will reward 10 points. The symbol for a strike is X.

Spare- A spare is the term used to describe when a bowling ball manages to knock down 10 pins not at once, but within a frame. For example, if a bowling ball knocks down 6 pins, 4 will be remaining for the second attempt. If the four pins are knocked down, a spare will be earned. Just like a strike, a spare is worth 10 points. The symbol for a spare is /.

Bonus- A bonus can be obtained each frame, which are extra points. These extra points can be acquired through the use of power-ups. For example, 10 extra points can be received when picking up a Diamond power-up. Below is a list of power-ups seen throughout the game:

Power-Up	Description	Power-Up	Description
	Diamond 10 bonus points are given.		Wind Gust The bowling ball is pushed all the way to the end of the alley for an automatic strike or spare.
	No Gutters The gutters on each side of the alley are sealed and 10 bonus points are given.		Switch Mats The arrows on the arrow pads have their direction switched to the opposite one.
	Super Ball The bowling ball becomes indestructible and is able to smash crates.		Shockwave Any nearby crates are instantly shattered.
	Green Arrow Pads- These arrows are incredibly helpful and should be taken advantage of, as they give the bowling ball an extra boost in speed. Red Arrow Pads- These arrows are something to avoid at all costs. Coming into contact with a red arrow pad will instantly stop the bowling ball.

Also, be aware of the shallow indents on each side of the alley. These are the gutters and if a ball manages to roll into one of them, the frame ends with 0 points.

Tips & Strategies

An important strategy to keep in mind before releasing the bowling ball is to make sure that the Power Meter is filled to the max. This will ensure that the ball will have enough momentum to make its way to the end of the alley where the pins are waiting.

Leading the bowling ball straight into the center of the pins at max speed is likely the best bet for achieving a strike.

An alternative way of achieving a strike is to lead the ball down the center and once it enters the pins, move the ball in a sweeping motion. This may be more useful if the bowling ball is not going at max speed.

Although the Wind Gust power-up is incredibly useful for automatic strikes or spares, it might not be beneficial all the time when going for a high score. This is because when the Wind Gust is collected, the ball is unable to pick up any other power-ups, potentially missing out on bonus points.

Remember that the ball can hop by pressing the space bar! If an obstacle is the way, such as a short crate, it is possible for the bowling ball to make a jump over it.

Conclusion

Lost City Lanes is by no means complicated, meaning that earning 1,000 Neopoints per game should be easy enough to accomplish. However, earning said Neopoints may be a bit tedious as the game tends to take a bit longer than other flash games. Whether or not Lost City Lanes is worth playing for easy Neopoints is entirely up to the player.