It is

If you watch the Melee video on the web site they say it's a new and improved Versa Max.  Reads the mids better.

I love my VM but wish it had a stronger drill.  May need to get a Melee!

I only have 3 games on my Melee, but I can tell you the shape is very similar to the Versa Max. It is a tad cleaner and a tad more angle.

Thanks Adam.  Right now I am leaning towards the Beatdown, but if the Melee will handle medium to medium-heavy oil like my 14# Versa-Max does, (Nexxxus also) I may take that ball into consideration also when I buy my first 12# ball. Right now I am considering the Beatdown with the Motiv Primal Scream a distant 2nd. I don't need a heavy oil ball as I never see heavy oil but do see a bunch of medium and medium-heavy but more medium than medium-heavy oil.

Melee will handle the medium more than the medium-heavy. The Beatdown will be better on that.

I see more medium than medium-heavy oil probably by a margin of approx 70-30 or so. I never see heavy and worry about the Beatdown being too much ball for medium with my slower speed and low revs.

Brick, if you have a lower ball speed, I would suggest waiting for the Melee. I would be afraid the Beatdown will simply run out of energy when it gets to the pins.

Baer, that is exactly my thinking as my speed is 14 mph with low revs and not much hand for this old man. I am not a move left and throw it out right bowler I play on the oil line and move in at times to 12-13 boards throwing out to 8 board or so.

I also only have a few games on the Melee, but after one shot, I could tell it was gonna do a great job replacing the versa max. Like Adam said, just a tad cleaner and a hair more pop....same overall shape. I definitely breathed a sigh of relief knowing I could retire my versa-max's without worry.