(I could have sworn I already posted this, so forgive if you see a duplicate)
Too me several playthroughs to figure out to pick up the balls. These plays were still a blast because every interaction with the ball was delightful - I love all the sounds that they make and running to "kick" them into the pins was a great time. Being able to pick up and actually throw balls and pins later on became a benefit.
The2nd level felt more like a cool reward for exploring and having a timer for space walking made perfect scence.