CNET Editors' review
Virtual Pool 3 was released in 2000 to much acclaim and fan praise due to its realistic ball physics and comprehensive customization features. So how does it stack up after five years? It's still one of the best pool games available for the PC. The graphics and sound both seem outdated, but the controls are top-notch and the gameplay engaging. Unfortunately, a lack of online functionality and extremely limited game and table choices keep this quality sim among the four-star downloads.
Old-fashioned billiards enthusiasts be warned. This is not your great-great-grandfather's game of American four-ball. The only game available in the demo is a "Quick Play" version of "four-ball," which is actually nine-ball without balls four through eight. And while you can easily challenge a friend to a quick match, there's no computer opponent to provide us solitary folk with competition. As mentioned, the gameplay remains very solid. Everything from adding English to raising the cue butt is accomplished through simple and logical hot keys. Virtual Pool 3 rewards smooth strokes, which means that shooting the cueball via mousestroke feels very much like the real thing. Yet while the ability to change rail firmness, pocket size, and corner cut can add variety and difficulty to the gameplay, there's only so many games of four-ball most gamers will want to play.
Publisher's Description
From Interplay:
Virtual Pool 3 allows you to take shots from any point of view you choose and offers full simulation of all physical action including friction, speed, collision, roll, cue, stick to ball interface, and computational ball tracking. Rack 'em up in 8 different pool rooms to test your skill with several realistic themes such as biker bar, garage, Malibu mansion, and more.
Start with $50 and a dream in Career Mode, challenging all comers at the local pool halls to earn enough stake money to take on one of the most well-known players in the WPBA, Jeanette Lee, at her beachside mansion. Online multiplayer games will be improved through a new dedicated Web site with features such as tournaments, worldwide ranking ladder, leagues, and spectator support.
More Popular Sports Games downloads
- Pro Evolution Soccer 12 demo
2,661 downloads
- International Cricket Captain 2011
2,444 downloads
- FIFA 07
2,084 downloads
- FIFA 2012 demo
1,564 downloads
- Pro Evolution Soccer 6 demo
1,368 downloads
-
All versions:
4.1 starsout of 181 votes
-
Current version:
4.1 starsout of 11 votes
-
My rating:
Write review
Results 1-9 of 9
-
"Not what it's cracked up to be."
Version: Virtual Pool 3 demo 3.2.1.7
Pros
Excellent point-of-view physics that make the game seem very real.
Cons
The physics aren't nearly as "realistic" as you're being led to believe.
Summary
As noted under "Cons," the behavior of the balls, etc., isn't quite tied to reality. Rather, the physics have been tweaked subtly to influence how things turn out in the end.
Here's how to stink up a decent sim!
Briefly, if you play the game, you ultimately realize that (1) if you strike the cue ball a little too hard, you'll wind up scratching far more often than would be the case in the real world; and (2) if you're playing (say) 9-ball, "extra" balls will get knocked into the pockets at a disproportionately high rate. There are also subjective (non-real) effects in terms of how far a ball may roll--particularly in career mode, the programmers obviously wanted to control not only how the game is played but what the outcome was going to be.
I have no idea why this was done. It certainly detracts from the game at every level, and I'm hard-pressed to understand why it would have been any more difficult to just let reality be realtiy.
Another note--if you were foolish enough to purchase the CD version of Virtual Pool 3 (after the Jeannette Lee edition), you're up a creek in terms of support any any level. Celeris just doesn't support it, period. To me, that's just chicken****.
Updated on Jun 28, 2010
The physics are nice, or seem to be. But when you get into the game play in some depth, you realize that it's all "dumbed-down"--i.e., the computer tweeks ball roll, direction, speed in some situations rather than just calculating it mathematically. In Career Mode, this leads to scripted outcomes rather than real competition based on credible odds or tolerances (the computer opponent can be as good or bad as the programmer thinks the situation requires, and your efforts are similarly helped or hindered arbitrarily).
Perhaps the most irritating feature of this game (not a real sim, as noted) is the allowance of shots that would be purely illegal in a real pool room--masse and jump shots specifically. Somebody obviously though this was WAAAAAAAY cool, but it actually just punks down the game, kind of like adding monsters to a car racing "sim."
They need to backtrack on some things and give users what they deserve (what's advertised!).
Updated on Oct 8, 2010Just a note about the designers of this sim--
They clearly had no respect for the real game.
In this sim, jump shots and masse shots are perfectly okay, even though they're illegal everywhere in the real world.
This trashes up the game and detracts from what would otherwise be a very nice (and realistic) sim.
Add to that the serious flaws in the game physics and the even more annoying weaknesses in the career mode, this comes up far short of what could have been achieved, and what should have been readily attainable at this stage.
(After all, now many versions of this game have there been?)
It's time to get it right. -
"EXCELLENT POOL SIMULATOR"
Version: Virtual Pool 3 demo 3.2.1.7
Pros
I actual have the full version Virtual Pool 3 DL version 3 3.3.1.1 .Which I bought at there website.It ismost like being in a real pool hall.The best part is to play online against players from all over the world.Physics are good .
Cons
No cons but I would like to see more rooms to choose from. Graphics could be a little better.It's not spectacular looking
Summary
It's worth the price by far.Buy the game and have tons of enjoyment.Adding english to cueball is nice. masse (massé) shots can be done.Online chat during gameplay
-
"The motion of balls, particularly the physics itself gives a very realistic game"
Version: Virtual Pool 3 demo 3.2.1.7
Pros
Me myself like billiards
-
"I liked it"
Version: Virtual Pool 3 demo 3.2.1.7
Pros
I really like this game.It's simple and has great gameplay.The graphics are nice and the backrounds are interesting.Try it man it's free.
Cons
Not much.The sound on this game needs some work.I'm not nearly as good as in real life.
I'm not being cute here, but I think gta san andreas has the best pool game I've ever played unfortunately it's not a pool game lol which means only 1 table.I wish someone would just copy them ,only a full fledged pool game.
-
"On my top list of billiards games"
Version: Virtual Pool 3 demo 3.2.1.7
Pros
Great realism, great graphics, easy gameplay, and low enough requirements to play on my crap hold of a computer. It has a great realism system that also runs fast and smooth. No lagging on low system performance computers. I can't rate much as I have not bought the game, but from what I played in the dem (single-player 4-ball) it is fun and would expected (from what I've played) be amazing on the full version. Recommended.
Cons
The sound in this game is horrible. It randomly makes loud annoying sounds. Luckily that can altered with sound volume on your computer.
-
"The best pool simulation ever"
Version: Virtual Pool 3 demo 3.2.1.7
Pros
It's not only a great way to improve your real life pool skills, you can play people from all over the world in daily tournaments on Gamespy.
Other than in most other poolgames you actually feel the shot. You stroke the mouse like you would stroke a cuestick and shoot in realtime, the speed of the ball reflected in the speed you move the mouse.
Cons
What I don't like.. not much.. just instead of a few hundred there should be thousands of pool players in the VP3 online community.
-
"Best Pool, Carom and Snooker sim ever with full realism."
Version: Virtual Pool 3 demo 3.2.1.7
Pros
Gameplay is fast and fluent, highly customizeable settings, has low hardware requirements, runs absolutely smooth and is so close to reality. So many game types to choose from, Snooker, 1Cushion, 3Cushion, 9Ball, Straight, 4 types of 8ball and many many more. Big, FREE online community on a very high standard, direct contact to the programmers, forums, daily online tournaments, world championships, etc. This is the game all real billiard players ever dreamed of.
Cons
In game sound... better put your fav CD in.
-
"Just Pass Me By"
Version: Virtual Pool 3 demo 3.2.1.7
Cons
Unfortunately, I don't think this game is up to snuff. I currently play TerraGames' Live Billiards, and it's far superior in graphics and playability to Virtual Pool
-
"Almost better than the real thing!"
Version: Virtual Pool 3 demo 3.2.1.7
Pros
I have the Full game. Its very realistic, You could practice your real pool with this game, in terms of getting your angles and other aspects of playing pool right. The different types of challenges make it very interesting.
Cons
I can't think of any. Honest!
Results 1-9 of 9
Add Your Review
Submit your reply
E-mail this review
Report offensive content
See more CNET content tagged:
Previous Versions:
