8 Ball Pool 55.4.3

Ever since good old Virtual Pool 2, I was amazed about my proficiency at playing this game. Until I got to try the real thing. Somehow not having a vector line is a bit harder than seeing exactly where the white ball is supposed to go. So good thing that Miniclip brought back the same excitement on my tablet.

Miniclip games have evolved from amateur flash game to full fledged freemium incarnations. As a pool game, 8 Ball Pool looks professional enough to warrant a close eye.

Playing this pool game is fairly easy. You rotate the Cue by dragging a circle on the screen. Once you are comfortable with the angle, you may apply spin by selecting a point of contact and then drag on the power track to apply the force and then release.

Bad shooting is no worry, but every match requires a wager of 50 coins. Of course you can win 100 but in case you run dry, you can buy more. There's a very advantageous beginner's pack but you also get 25 per hour.

Playing offline is also possible. There are two options. Pass and play allows you to play locally with a friend and Quick Fire is a single player point challenge. Instructions included.

Playing online is not only for fun, but winning also increases your VIP status. Having a higher status unlocks bigger benefits such as more coins per hour and bigger XP returns.

Coins are also used for purchasing cues. There is a wonderful selection cues that boast different designs, but the real criteria for choosing a specific cue is because of its stats. A cue has four stats that influence the success of your shot. Force, Aim, Spin and Time. While the first three are pretty self explanatory, the last stat modifies the amount of time that you have to plan your shot. You start off with the awesome Beginner Cue which has 0 out of 10 on each stat. So there's definitely some room for growth in this pool game.

The interface is okay, except for the main menu which is cluttered with all sorts of promotions and free game offers, but that's "free" for you.

Conclusion

8 Ball Pool is a good game about shooting pools. The restriction on coins might be a deterrent to play it often, but the gambler in you should see it as a challenge.