The Sims Pool 3D

Everyone knows the Sims which has continued to grow in popularity around the world with every bigger and better version. The familiar name and style has been adapted to almost everyone’s favourite bar pastime in The Sims Pool 3D.

Unlike all other pool games, before you get to dust down your favourite cue and rack-‘em-up, you get to pick your avatar (sim). You get to choose from three male and three female sims who are almost stereotypical in appearance. The Hispanic looking chap has a goatee meanwhile the Caucasian has a beanie hat on! Unfortunately, other than changing the colour of the hair, shirt and jeans, there’s not much else you can tailor your character’s appearance – which may upset true Sims fans.

Now you’ve sorted out your appearance it’s time to get stuck into the main part of the game. Pool is (as I’m sure you know) a game of skill, luck and just a bit of flair. Besides these, the aim of this game is to develop your character’s popularity – which will be rewarded through more spectators attending your games.

Great attention to detail has been given to this game and as a result the balls move as you would expect them to in a real match. What’s more - you can play either US or UK 8-ball or 9-ball pool for added variety and challenge. Additionally, to include more variety, you have trick shots to try and master – more of these are unlocked as you progress in the career mode. If you are tired of playing against the computer or against yourself you can challenge your friends and family to a friendly competition.

If you decide to play against the computer, you will be pleased to know that the AI is pretty good and you are far from guaranteed a win every round. You are greeted with some impressive graphics which would equal the kind you would find on bigger screens and more powerful machines. The camera sweeps around the table and shows you and your opponent before allowing you to take your first shot.

The controls are simple and effective, up, down, left and right and OK to select the angle, then the same controls again for be in command over the cue ball and lastly it’s a question of timing for your power gauge. To help you line up your shot, you can turn on and off the direction lines (I’d advise using these as you can see how accurate your shot will be and it also will help even up the game against your computer opponent too). I was a little disappointed that these direction lines (which show the line of shot as well as the direction the cue ball will travel after the contact) doesn’t accurately represent the angle which the white ball when you’re tweaking with the screw you’ve added to it.

Apart from that little negative note, the game is pretty realistic and overall the look, control and feel that this game provides a scarily realistic simulation. I would say that this is a fantastic pool game that is easy to get to grips with, has a nice level of detail both on and around the table which will give any gamer a much more satisfying result.

Rating 93%

Positives

Great simulation of the game

Nice touches

Plenty of variety and challenges

Lots of control over every aspect in sound, graphics etc

Negatives

A little sluggish and keeps pausing as it calculates each shot

Not much variety in your character’s appearance – bit of a let down to a Sim fan