Milo's Astro Lanes

by Nintendo

Product Features

• Nintendo 64

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00002STHK
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 0.9 inches ; 2.4 ounces
• Media: Game Cartridge
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,753 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

GameSpot Review

It's a shame there aren't more bowling games out on console systems today. In the abstract, bowling games can appeal to the senses in ways similar to golf. Most, if not all of the action is strategized before the ball is actually sent on its way so that at the moment of release, players relinquish the reins of control and rely on the game engine to process whether or not the execution was effective. Unlike bowling, golf's mainstream appeal has paved the grass green for golf games on both consoles and PCs. Bowling titles, on the other hand, appear to be financial roulettes for game developers. Enter Milo's Astro Lanes, developed by Player 1 and published by Crave Software for the Nintendo 64 - the system's first and only bowling title. Player 1 adds plenty of twists to the game of bowling in an attempt to spice up the game of bowling, but in the end, this also becomes the game's undoing.

In a sweeping thematic decision, everything in Milo's Astro Lanes swings with the happy-go-lucky veneer of the atomic golden age from the 1950s. The end result is that the art direction is strikingly Jetson-esque, sans the Flintstones contrast. It's the 22nd century, and you're Milo, a "techno-wiz" who spends his days honing his skills for the Astro Games (bowling). The Astro Games are televised across the universe and attract competitors from all reaches of the galaxy. The manual excitedly points out that "the Astro Games uses an exciting blend of bowling and miniature golf, both extremely popular during the 20th century!" Go figure.

Milo's Astro Lanes has two main modes of play: league and versus. In league mode, you compete against other Astro Bowlers for the elusive Astrolight Trophy while unlocking all 12 lanes available in the game. Each bowler begins by selecting an Astro Ball, which has no effect on performance, only aesthetics. Aside from Milo, there are five other characters you may choose from. As expected, each character has different throwing characteristics, which can play a role in your bowling style. There is something strangely appealing about the heavy-handed kitsch found throughout Milo's Astro Lanes. While the character design is generic, it is also offbeat enough to stir up cult-status affections, if you're into that sort of thing. Planetary, galaxy, and cosmos make up the three different categories in league play. There are four lanes per league - you must progress through each one in order to ascend towards the Astrolight Trophy. The matches are standard ten-frame games run on established bowling rules (spares, strikes, three tries in the tenth frame if you spare or strike, etc.) Controls in Milo's Astro Lanes are very straightforward. The A button throws your ball down the lane, while the B button cycles through available power-ups, and the R button is used to zoom in on the pins (in case the in-game graphics are too blurry, and no I'm not kidding). The control stick is used to move an arrow that determines the strength and hook desired on each throw. All in all, the game is a snap to learn. There are also "puzzle" bonus lanes that Milo and his cohorts will need to pass in order to move forward. These puzzles are one-frame games where you will need to take down all the pins within three tries. Bonus lanes also help you accumulate power-ups, which is Milo's Astro Lanes' most important offering to the bowling genre. Versus and practice modes are also available, and each is fairly self-explanatory. Unfortunately, you will only be able to access the lanes already unlocked in one-player league mode, which tends to put a damper on the pick-up-and-play mentality so important to classic party games. --Chieh Chou
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc.

Manufacturer Description

A cosmic blend of 3D miniature golf and bowling. Sound cool? It is cool. Set in a retro-future wonderland Milo's Astro Lanes transports you to space-age settings where you can challenge the finest - and strangest - bowlers in the universe. Best of all you can ditch those nasty old bowling shoes you have to wear at your neighborhood bowling lanes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun and original bowling game, September 28, 2000

By 

jasenao (Dothan, Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Milo's Astro Lanes (Game Cartridge)

When I first looked at the back of the box of "Milo's Astro Lanes" at the video store, I didn't think that it looked like it would be any fun. My little brother and sister rented it and I figured I'd give it a try. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a lot of fun. You choose a person or an alien as your bowler and then you go to a bowling alley that is floating in outer space. The bowling alleys range from one where you bowl on an alien's tongue while it stares at you to just a regular bowling alley with stars circling around it. But what really makes "Milo's Astro Lanes" different from any other bowling game is that you can have 'weapons' to use against your opponents while they're bowling. For example, when your opponent bowls, you can drop a bomb in front of the ball and make it explode. You also have weapons that you can use when it's your turn to bowl that will help you out such as one that will make your bowling ball ten times bigger with two smaller bowling balls on the side.

"Milo's Astro Lanes" is a good bowling game. The graphics aren't bad, the control is good, the sound is bearable, and it's a lot of fun. It's also multiplayer so you can play it with other people. When you play the one-player game, you have to bowl better than your computer opponent and then you have to complete a bonus level in which you have to knock over ten pins in just three tries.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars pretty fun bowling game, April 10, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Milo's Astro Lanes (Game Cartridge)

My mom took me and my younger brother and sister to pick out a few games to rent and my mom told us to rent Milo's Astro Lanes. I said that it looked stupid and I didn't want to rent it. I rented Twisted Metal 2 but my little sister chose to stick with Milo's Astro Lanes. It turned out to be a pretty cool game. The concepts of it are stupid, but I mainly judge a game by how fun it is and its graphics. I thought it was fun bowling with all the new and original attributes such as laying a bomb in front of your opponent's ball when they bowl and making it explode. There's also other things such as turning your ball into a huge bowling ball with 2 little ones on the side and putting a spring in front of your opponent's to make their ball bounce off the court, thus preventing them from scoring. The game also has good graphics. The monster in the level where you have to bowl the pins into the monster's mouth looks cool and the other levels are also done good. The only drawbacks to the game are that it's easy to beat it and the characters are a little stupid. However, playing the game against your friends or your family is the best part of it.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Milo's Astro Lanes, January 26, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Milo's Astro Lanes (Game Cartridge)

Wow! Milo's Astro Lanes. It combines all the fun of bowling... and Milo. Great, huh? This game is one of the simplest concepts ive ever seen. The jist of it is that its a bowling game in space. The characters are a bunch of hermaphrodites with little talent. The lanes are aliens mouths and stuff. This game is very easy to master though. The only drawbacks are that its a bit slow and the concept is stupid. This is definitely a great party game though, if you actually find someone willing to play with you.