Elf Bowling to Play Online

By Sarah White

People look for Elf Bowling to play online as a holiday-themed escape or just for a good laugh. Now there are several Elf Bowling games to choose from that are sure to bring a smile to your face, even if it's not Christmastime.

History of Elf Bowling

Elf Bowling originally came out for the Christmas season of 1999 and has been popular every holiday since. The premise of the game is that the elves, angered by having to make too many gifts during the Christmas season, have gone on strike.

The only way that Santa knows to get them back in line is to play a bit of elf bowling. A moving cursor shows you where the bowling ball is going to go, and clicking the spacebar or mouse when it's in the right place will roll the ball down the lane and knock out those lazy elves.

It doesn't sound like a very impressive game, but it is harder than it sounds, as the cursor moves pretty fast and the elves and their catcalls are highly annoying.

There have been several versions of the Elf Bowling game, including:

Elf Bowling
Elf Bowling 2
Elf Bowling 3
Super Elf Bowling
Elf Bowling Bocce Style
Elf Bowling 6: Air Biscuits
Elf Bowling 7 1/7: The Last Insult

No Elf Bowling to Play Online

Unfortunately, there is no Elf Bowling to play online. As of this writing, there is also no version that works on Apple computers. But for those who use a PC with a Windows platform, you can easily download Elf Bowling to play year round.

The programs are relatively small and quick-to-download .exe files. This has gotten the company that produces the games, NStorm, into a bit of trouble and even resulted in an urban legend that the game was in fact a way to get viruses onto people's computers rather than a fun holiday game.

The truth is that it is perfectly safe to download and run any of these programs on your computer, and once you do you'll find yourself quickly addicted, even if you can't play it online.

Elf Bowling Downloads

The easiest place to get any and all of the Elf Bowling downloads is from the company that produced them, NStorm. This page includes many other popular games from the company, with some favorites listed at the top and then going on in alphabetical order, so you may need to scroll down to find the download you want. To download, just click on the title and click where it says "download for PC." The download will start automatically. Open the file when it is done and you'll be taken though a very quick installation, and then you can play the game.

Elf Bowling Variations

Which one of the games should you download? They are all similar in the basic idea of knocking over elves, but each one is slightly different:

Elf Bowling involves Santa and the elves in a basic bowling alley.
Elf Bowling 2 adds Santa's brother, Dingle Kringle, and puts the action on a cruise ship with the elves as shuffleboard pucks.
Elf Bowling 3 involves using the elves as weapons to shoot penguins out of the sky.
Super Elf Bowling is a three-dimensional game that goes back to the classic bowling idea in different settings and with all new insults.
Elf Bowling 6 involves hurling the elves to get distance and hangtime records and to attempt to pop balloons as they sail.
Elf Bowling 7 1/7 is another classic bowling game with fancier graphics and more colorful insults than the original.

No matter which Elf Bowling download you choose, you're sure to have fun abusing the elves. You might just feel a little more holiday spirit when you're done.