DV8 Dark Side Curse Review
The Dark Side Curse is a budget control piece for medium oil — low diff and polished solid tames rev-dominant bowlers at $149.95. Video reviews inside.
Oh, okay. >> Got no regrets. I'm on the run, chasing the check, dropping the top, riding the vet, feeling myself. What you expect? You know, I'm with it. No better feeling cuz I could have quit, but I didn't. When I'm on a mission, moving it up to a better position. They thought I was. >> What's going on social media land? Charles Hson here. DV8 Dark Side Curse again. the the the first one came out cool colors. The logo is still pretty fire and uh again all red shinies solid.
Yes, again they did it. So based on that information, we're going to be taking a look at the danger zone as well just so we have a little bit of a reference point. Um we got a fresh house shot out here and yeah, we going to have a little fun, man. Layout 60 by five 60x 4 and a half by 30. uh gets my pin getting like right above my my my ring finger and uh yeah man. So we got those two bone balls. Going to check them out. House shot fresh, you know. But the thing with this
particular core, right, is it has intentional voids. So like you can drill into it and don't hit the core at all. And then there's, you know, if you look at everything is pretty much pinned to center of grip. You can change all the angles, but as long as you're a certain uh inch away from the core um or or certain inch away from center of grip to the dot like that's kind of how they instruct you on how to drill it. So you can either again blow differentials up or shrink them and leave it as like a benchmark ball. But uh yeah, on Hype
Base channel, Jacob's going to be throwing this particular ball and he drilled a 5 and 1/2 in pin. So should be interesting to say the least. So that's how you doing. So, um, yeah, man. Going to get on the lanes. See it. I haven't to the surface. I haven't even thrown this ball at all, but hopefully we strike a little bit. Let's get going. First shot. EV8 Dark Side Curse.
Hopefully, it looks good. But a lot of I think the design intent and a lot of what I've heard is the ball supposed to be smooth. Now y'all know for me that don't always hold true for Steph. I ain't going to lie, that's pretty good so far. And it does look pretty controllable. All right, sitting on 20 currently. So,
we gonna kind of ride the wave for a little bit. Oh, soon as I said something, pulled it left. Let's keep on going though. Having a little fun here. If that would have dropped that last one, bro, that would have been insane.
That would have been insane. Boy, start getting a little loose. Start throwing that joint. And I'm onehanded. That looks pretty good. All right, so that's five so far. Did a little bit of striking.
Hold. Okay, that seems about right to me. That seems about right. There's another pretty smooth ball coming out that I think these are like they're smooth but for like the opposite reason. So, I mean I'll talk about it more once we get a little bit closer but
Oh man. on oil, right? Should look like this. I think once the friction sets in, right, we're going to see this ball, you know, really get offline. Oh, I caught all of it. Oh. Oh, and it held
I thought that was going sideways. cuz I literally felt like I caught everything and it was just going jack knife. It is I give it that smooth. So if I was throwing it, you know, on something a little more difficult, something a little flatter, I could definitely see hitting it with some service making a little bit earlier. But again, I might just use it as a breakdown ball cuz this is giving me a lot of good ball motion just playing a little bit further right.
I talk it up and then oh get out my hand even cleaner and that's what happens. I'm going cheat a little bit left. So I was standing on 25 on 20 I'm sorry. Now I'm on 20 about 20 22 on my feet. Use the inside of my left foot to measure and I'm going to drift at least about about three to the left. Yeah, buddy.
So, that is hitting the rack pretty nicely. I'm going to throw one more just to do it. Then going to pick up the the danger zone just again just to get an idea. And hopefully these things are a little bit different. And y'all know, man, I like to get left and this ball is really not forcing me
to do that, right? It's not snatching off the back end and doing anything crazy. So, yeah, I did a lot of striking right there. I had some misses when I just kind of dropped it in, but I'm not mad at it at all. Both balls are laid out exactly the same. 60 by 4 and a half by 30. So I'm going to stay in the exact same place I was standing with the dark side. Oh, fell a little bit.
Oh, I thought he was in a log. Let's get some more data. Let's get some more data. So, I think once we get a little further left, we'll be able to kind of identify a little bit better if this one's like that much stronger or not. As of right now, they don't look that far off, but
you know, it's a house shot. Let's get jump even further to the right. And I'm going to do this with both balls and see where where we get that sat there, buddy. That sat there really good. So, let's see if we can't get this this
to do something similar. So, I'm thinking the danger zone might be a little bit cleaner. Like, I do kind of feel that way. Maybe the cover sock right is just a little more projection in this particular cover sock and a little more early in the the curse. All right,
let's jump to 25 with the curse. Try throw same speed little my normal. Okay, so tried to trip the forward. Sorry, my back was itching like crazy. Um, try to trip the four, but as you saw, it shot down the lane. See if we can get in the same zone with this one. Danger zone.
Oh, let me try to get a little bit further to the right. I feel like that one's a little bit in, but that could answer a little bit of question. I'm going to throw ninja one more time. Try to again project a little bit more. I felt like I threw the last threw the curse more to the right. So, I want to be fair. Feel like I cheated. Don't want to cheat the curse.
Eh, feel like that one again is just feel like it's seeing definitely down lane a little bit more and maybe getting the curse a little rounder. So, probably slow my speed down for ones to strike. All right, I'm going to throw it a little bit slower. Give the ball time to take it back to the pocket. Yeah, that one is it's like I see it like kind of just
pushing like easier. And maybe it's cuz the compound's fresher on this ball and the danger zone has a little bit of, you know, not lane shine cuz it was never sanded, but just more wear on that cover. Yeah. So, definitely interesting. Smoother 100%. And I like it. I honestly do. This
might have a chance at my uh at League cuz y'all know League has been a roller coaster. Um yes, I'm behind on some League stuff, but yeah, just got editor so we going to be able to pump out a lot more content a little more consistently. Um, so yeah, that is on the way. But I want to see this curse. You know, I'm slowing my speed down a little bit to help it get the corner from further left. Right. Moving to a little bit closer to 30 now.
Oh, I caught all of it. So, I said I've caught all of it a couple times. I like almost spun it. And this ball didn't change directions like crazy at all. It just that's a good sign. Like many of the people say, um, I can hook any bowl. I think there there is a some truth to that. But when
people ask for different, this ball's different like from a lot of stuff that we seen. And some people are going to be like, "Oh, it's that's good." Some people say it's not not that good. My personal opinion, y'all always ask for stuff, they give it to you, and when you don't buy it, that tells them not to make it again. So again, I Everybody just wants to see big sweeping hook.
And that is smooth. Big smooth. But um yeah, man, that's the video. I think you guys got a good idea. Would I be using this ball? Stand left with it, especially when it's fresh oil. No, I'm saying right. And again, if you're carrying a corner with this ball, I think you should be able to keep striking this ball for a very long time. Um so yeah, man. Until next time, hit like, subscribe, bro. Get the cool 12 bagger, the hype bowling, grab the shammy. More stuff is always on the way.
moving. Put the music up. I'm keeping you sleeping on me. Just keep snoozing.
Performance Analysis
Performance Analysis
Testing revealed the DV8 Dark Side Curse delivers notably smooth lane motion on fresh house conditions, distinguishing it from more aggressive reactive solid offerings. Independent reviewers observed controlled ball reaction throughout the initial phase, with the coverstock providing predictable read and manageable backend motion. On the test house shot, the ball demonstrated consistent striking action when thrown at moderate speeds, with accurate pin carry even on slightly mishit deliveries. The Curse showed particular stability when thrown from further right on the approach, resisting the aggressive direction changes some bowlers expect from reactive solid equipment—a characteristic that proved both a strength and potential limitation depending on style and lane conditions.
When compared directly to the DV8 Danger Zone using identical drilling layouts (60x4½x30) on the same fresh oil pattern, the Curse exhibited marginally earlier midlane reaction with a rounder, more controlled backend motion. Reviewers noted the Danger Zone appeared slightly cleaner down the lane, while the Curse generated earlier friction and read—suggesting the reactive solid coverstock formula delivers material differences in motion shape. Testing indicated the ball’s smooth characteristics remained consistent across multiple shot attempts, and significantly, the Curse did not exhibit dramatic direction changes even when thrown with significant axis rotation, making it more forgiving for bowlers with varying release techniques.
The intentional core voids in the Curse’s symmetric design proved noteworthy from a drilling perspective, allowing customization of differential without altering overall motion shape—a feature that extends the ball’s versatility beyond initial layout options. Surface adjustments were not required during fresh-condition testing, though reviewers suggested aggressive surface preparation could activate earlier midlane motion for medium-heavy oil conditions.
Who Is This Ball For?
The DV8 Dark Side Curse is well-suited for bowlers seeking a controlled, forgiving option in their arsenal rather than a dramatic angular response. House league bowlers and recreational players who appreciate predictable motion without sharp backend snap will find this ball’s smooth characteristics advantageous, particularly when oil conditions are fresh or moderately heavy. The ball’s stability through the pins makes it an excellent choice for bowlers working to refine accuracy, as errant releases don’t produce wild carrydown or unpredictable deflection—instead delivering consistent results that reward fundamental technique.
This ball also appeals to bowlers building a well-rounded bag or seeking a reliable breakdown option as conditions transition. At the $149.95 price point, the Curse offers solid value for competitive league play where controlled, repeatable motion often outperforms aggressive pearl coverstock reactions. Conversely, bowlers expecting dramatic hook potential or those preferring sharper backend recovery on lighter oil may find this ball’s temperament more suited to fresh-oil scenarios than dry lanes, making it less universal for extreme condition variation.
The Pros
- • Exceptional value at $149.95 — one of the most affordable reactive solids in DV8's lineup
- • Low .036 differential and smooth solid coverstock make it extremely controllable
- • Versatile on medium conditions where stronger balls would overreact
- • Polished solid finish provides a surprisingly clean look through the fronts
The Cons
- • Low hook potential (6.3) means it will not handle heavy oil volume
- • Pin action at 6.8 reflects the limited entry angle — light hits will leave corners
- • Not enough backend motion (5.8) for bowlers who rely on angular carry
Who Is This Ball For?
The Dark Side Curse is a budget control piece for medium oil — low diff and polished solid tames rev-dominant bowlers at $149.95. Video reviews inside.
Technical Specifications
How It Compares
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DV8 BowlingVerified Bowler Reviews (9 reviews, 5.0/5 avg)
Not enough reviews for AI summary
Summaries generate automatically at 5+ reviews
I love the original Dark Side but sometimes it just doesn't handle the fresh condition well enough and I need something earlier and a bit stronger. The Dark Side Curse is perfect! It reads the middle part of the lane really well, picks up exactly where I need it to and doesn't go completely sideways off the back of the pattern. It is 100% exactly what DV8 said it be and I LOVE IT. I used it last night in league and kept it at box finish. I think I'll hit it lightly with a 2000 pad to get the compound off and it will be perfect!
Great addition to the line. This is the smoothest ball DV8 has made, very controllable. I drilled mine 85x5.75x55 , I changed the surface to 800. Out the box it was speed sensitive for me, if it saw oil it squirted, and if I moved right it over reacted.
I was looking for a new transition piece (middle) to add to my DV8 arsenal. After going back and forth, decided on the DSC. Had mine drilled 5 x 4 x 4.25 and man this thing is clean through the fronts and mids and BOOM, just destroys the pins. Glad I picked it up!
Frequently Asked Questions
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