The Flintstones: Bedrock Bowling is a kid’s game, but well done. Or, I would say it’s for gamers who may not have been around the block, and because of the “cutesy” graphics here, we’re probably talking younger kids. There’s a great CG cut-scene at the beginning of the game that introduces the characters (like they really need introduction?!), which sets the tone for the whole game. Voiceovers are right on the money, and the in-game graphics’ quality is more than adequate for a game aimed at the younger set. Sure, there are some edges showing and collision-detection gets spotty, but I’m way more forgiving than I would be if this was made for people my age.

There’s not much variety in the music, which is a surprise considering how great the music was in those “Flintstones” cartoons. Licensing problems, maybe? The intro scene has some good music, but the levels themselves sound a little bland. Fred has some funny remarks (“Way to go, Frrrrreddy-Boy!”) during each race, and each character has some signature dialog.

Of course, Fred and Barney are big on bowling. But unfortunately, Fred’s stuck at work digging a trench for Mr. Slate. Luckily, Gazoo shows up and has the bright idea of combining Fred’s work with his play. The result? Big trenches filled with bowling pins and gems (Spyro, anyone?), and the Flintstones cast rides weird “bowling shells” through them, trying to knock over the pins and rack up points. It’s a total hoot, and I was hooked right away. Kids will dig the action because at the easier levels, there’s no way to run off the track, so it’s mostly just a pretty ride.

Like real bowling, you’re judged on how many pins you can knock over, but there’s the added element of running over these birds in the track to get an Extended Play. Without Extended Play, you won’t get all the pins, and won’t even see the whole track. Obstacles include things like bugs, spiders, monkeys, explosive kegs, even a fire-breathing dragon duo in a level that looks like a “Godzilla” movie set. By nailing your Extended Play every time, you earn bonus tracks and even a hidden track or two.

The playable characters in the game are Fred, Barney, Dino, Bam-Bam, and Pebbles. No, Wilma and Betty aren’t included; I guess marketing gurus don’t think girl-gamers spend enough money to justify playable female characters that aren’t in diapers... Even though the box says 1-4 players, don’t expect any Multitap action here. Players take turns, and in the end, it’s all about score. There aren’t extra modes, so after 12 tracks, you’ve seen it all. Competing against friends does keep the replay value higher than it would be otherwise.

SouthPeak Interactive did a good job of balancing the difficulty on all but one or two tracks, and even those make good challenges for kids who want to play every bit of the game. On Easy, there are invisible walls set up around the tracks so it’s impossible to fall off. On Hard, it’s very possible to fall off, and you will. Notching up the difficulty also changes where the pins are on the tracks, and how hard it is to get them. It’s possible to save after each level, which means even people with reflexes like a tortoise on flypaper can persist and conquer. Sometimes the control is a little floaty, but never enough to ruin the fun.

Can’t think of much traditional bowling strategy or technique that would apply... The Flintstones: Bedrock Bowling reminds me of the levels in Tarzan (the game) where you slide down a vine, picking up objects and avoiding trouble. The motion here is left and right, with the ability to punch the X button for a turbo boost. Technical strategy is greatly simplified for most of the lanes, but the bonus lanes require you to hit certain boost points to reach pins stashed away in high places. The hidden levels have things like narrow, curvy paths and loop-the-loops for variety. I thought the design of the levels was smart, and they all have a consistently applied theme.

I only wished for a “hop” feature like we always get in kart racing, ‘cause unless a jump or bump comes along, you’re pretty much on the ground in Bedrock Bowling. The explosive kegs can actually help get you to places you might miss otherwise, but it’s easy to get turned around with things like moving conveyor-belts and water obstacles. The point system is fairly intricate and changes according to difficulty. One nice feature is that when more than one player competes, scoring defaults to the lowest difficulty setting, meaning that if you play on Hard and your friend plays on Easy, the score won’t be adjusted in your favor. A handicap, if you will...

SouthPeak does as good a job as anybody has in crafting a game kids will no doubt get into, and although I couldn’t even recommend it as a rental for an experienced gamer, it’s bound to be a winner for the pre-teen crew. On the whole, there doesn’t seem like tons of depth here, but I don’t think anyone will confuse The Flintstones: Bedrock Bowling with Wipeout at the checkout counter. The concept is very original, and kids will have a ton of fun playing it; that’s the bottom line.