Whether or not you're a fan of Sims or Bowling, this iPod game is certainly one that is worth a much closer look. I must admit to not having played Sims before, it just does not really appeal to me as a gamer, but bowling I love and have "Garfield Bowling" on my Nokia which you can get as a free download from Coolgorilla.com

I started off my test drive by opting for the "Bowl Now" option which is purely just the bowling game without the added distractions of Sims.

My first observation was that my opponent, David, was rather over-dressed for bowling sporting a shirt, tie and suit and looked more like your bank manager than bowling buddy. None the less I liked David as he started off even worse than me.

I soon got the hang of things thanks to the fact that the controls are well thought out and the sequence authentically replicates that of the real game. Adjust your launching position with scroll wheel, select the level of power you require and take aim before finally placing any spin on the ball.

By the sixth frame I had hit a strike and was rewarded with a replay although this was not as advanced to provide different camera angles or provoke the Sims to high five or grab me a beer from the bowling bar.

I decided to stick with the "Bowl Now" option and had another game only to find that David had suddenly improved tremendously! Had he limbered up from his stressful day job or was David not really a bank manager at all but a very successful hustler? I managed to improve my game to 147 although David absolutely trounced me with 176. His perfectly pressed appearance suddenly became an irritation and so it was time to see what the other playing options were like.

Sims life comes with the options to change the appearance of your Sim, purchase bowling equipment and of course become more popular than you are in real life. The bowling options include Classic, Spare-o-thon, Strike-o-thon and Practise where you can choose from any formation of pins to work on your splits.

I opted for the Classic game mode to start with and changed my opponent to the more casually dressed Marcus. Playing in Sims mode rewards strikes, well played frames and opens up a number of awards that can be won.

After a few more games and a few rounds of Spare-o-thon, which is a nice take on the original game, I felt I should wonder back to the pad and see if my bowling had rewarded me with a hot tub and some scantily clad models. No such joy, I received a sofa.

I was however presented with the offer of a new job which pays more money but takes time away from bowling. Was I going to disrupt my work life balance? Would I have to pawn my new sofa if I didn't take the job?

I accepted the new job to find out my bank balance had increased dramatically even though I hadn't actually done any work! Cool! But what cost would my Sim now pay with these added life pressures? I headed back to the alley to find out ....after all I didn't want to end up like David.

It seemed my bowling skills had worsened and I lost three games on the trot. So, like any well paid, worse-than-average sports enthusiast I spent the vast majority of my above average wages to purchase the best equipment for the job which in this case was a titanium bowling ball!

This was just the trick, in my first game I scored a whopping 214, bowled a turkey and picked up a striker plaque for achieving 5 or more strikes in a game.

So, after all that bowling, what did we make of Sims Bowling for the iPod?

Well, it certainly kept me entertained during a 2 hour train ride whilst all those around me looked bored from reading the same magazine several times and since the cost of Sims Bowling is similar to that of a magazine it should be a no-brainer that Sims Bowling is the more effective boredom alleviator for travelling. I am sure I return to my Sim in a few weeks time, once he has replenished his bank account, maybe to lure of the Jacuzzi hot tubs and a life of bowling will be too much and I will get addicted to it!

In our mind Sims Bowling is worth the money and delivers what it promise and is far better than any mobile phone downloads we have seen.