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I?m a casual player to pool, but I have had a lot of experience with the PC versions of Virtual Pool from a couple years ago. The best thing about Virtual Pool was that it allowed you to move the camera angle and take a look at your shot instead of from the overheard perspective of most pool games. Virtual Pool Mobile emulates this function, and in doing so, gave me the most enjoyable gaming experience I?ve ever had on a Pocket PC.
Game Modes
The installation of Virtual Pool takes up approximately 11.5 megabytes. Installing went off without a hitch, and I was quickly at the main screen, where there are options for Quick Play, Career Play, Tournament, Load Games, Settings, About and Help.
Quick Play brings up a setup screen for some quick pool action. Here, you can choose your username, game mode (practice, vs. computer, and vs. human), game style (6 ball, 8 ball, 9 ball, 10 ball, rotation, and straight pool), and match length (1-15).
Career Play allows you to start a ?New career?, specializing in one specific style of pool, and going from place to place, challenging the local players. After you beat the ?boss? in each locale, you open up the next set of players and a new setting. Eventually, you?ll make it to the end, where you will take on the hustler Curly in the Beach House. Each setting changes the background around your pool table. Every player you encounter has a little story and a bet to give, and by beating them, you start earning enough money in order to take on the better and more expensive players.
In Tournament mode, you get to start a tournament and play vs. up to 32 other pool players. Again, you can set the game style and location, and tournaments can be saved to play again at a later time.
Load Game, obviously, allows you to load games saved before. They also allow you to load up a game with the balls set up in a specific fashion, such that you can do some practice and trick shots. This allows you to build up the skills necessary to take on the top players in career mode and versus another human player.
Let's Play Some Pool
Enough of the game modes, however, how does the game itself play? In one word --
unbelievable. People who have played Virtual Pool, and even real pool, will feel right at home. Everything just feels ?right?.
 
For starters, the graphics are gorgeous. The balls, the cue movement, the table look absolutely bang on. On my Ipaq1935 the game ran silky smooth with only a touch of slowdown when the table was rotating around the game room before a match. The physics of the game mimic real life, so the transition from real pool to Virtual Pool will be very straightforward. In fact, I think less experienced pool players will actually benefit from some time with Virtual Pool, as they can transfer some of the practice they obtained from Virtual Pool and put it into their real life game.
Controlling your cue stick is quite intuitive. Dragging your stylus around the pool table allows you to rotate the cue stick around the ball, aiming the ball. Dragging the stylus on the tip of the cue allows you to adjust the English of your shot (where you hit the ball), and stroking your stylus back and forth on the cue stick allows you to take your shot. By adjusting the speed of your stroke, you can alternate between a strong, hard shot and a light, soft touch just like a real cue.
Sound is also executed quite well. The sound of the cue hitting the ball, the sinking of a ball into a pocket, the balls hitting each other; they sound exactly like what you would hear in a pool hall. The music, on the other hand, was a bit distracting, but thankfully there is an option if you want to play without it.
Conclusion:
Virtual Pool Mobile is the most addicting game that I have so far played on the Pocket PC platform. I found that the tiny graphics on games like SimCity 2000 and Tower Mogul turned me off, but this simulation didn?t give me an eyesore or headache after playing just a few minutes. Virtual Pool Mobile also has a level of polish that approaches that of a game on the PC or Console platform, and allows up to two people to kill time on on a bus ride, waiting in a theatre or doctor?s office, or just at home. The graphics will run great on any Windows Mobile 2003 equipped Pocket PC, and has a definite high replay value due to its vast amount of options and game styles and modes. For $24.95 USD, you are getting an excellent simulation that will probably outlast your PocketPC.
Where Can I Purchase It?
You can easily purchase and download your copy at Handango.
This Review was uploaded by Matt Kitchen. |
