I’m obsessed with Steam’s unhinged new ‘bowling shooter’

If you’ve ever been bowling, you’re probably seen your fair share of weird animations that play every time you roll a ball. Bowling alley videos have an unmistakable low-budget aesthetic that’s surreal and just a bit unsettling. Who hasn’t wanted to smash a TV after throwing a gutter ball and getting mocked by creepy, sentient pins?

Well, now you can live out that very specific revenge fantasy thanks to Sparedevil. Quietly released on Steam last week, Sparedevil is a an arcade-style first-person shooter that puts players in the center of a bowling alley animation. It’s a bizarre concept, but one that transcends its gimmick thanks to satisfying shooting (or bowling, rather) and quick rounds that feel especially built for Steam Deck. It’s not the most sophisticated game, but I can’t put it down.

If you’re familiar with Devil Daggers, then you should know exactly what to expect here. Sparedevil builds on that shooter’s minimalist formula by throwing players in an arena full of enemies and seeing how long they can survive while racking up a high score. Its $12 price tag reflects its limited scope, as it’s meant to be a quick blast of arcade fun that only requires a few minutes of commitment per round. It’s a perfect portable game to have on deck at all times.

While that’s a familiar setup, Sparedevil elevates it with a well-implemented bowling system. Instead of using a gun, players toss a bowling ball that can be charged up for extra power. The most basic enemies that spawn onto the field are pins in a traditional triangle formation. If players knock them all down in a strike, they gain a laser charge that can quickly vaporize fiercer enemies. It all works surprisingly well, which is perhaps more a testament to how fundamentally enjoyable bowling is. Hucking a ball and scattering pins, with a loud clatter to emphasize the impact, just triggers some innate satisfaction.

Developer Sludge Pipe Games doesn’t just go all-in on bowling with its fine-tuned shooting; it has a