Archer Maclean's 3D Pool Game by Ignition Entertainment Reviewed by retropyor bobplate@hotmail.com Size: 64mb Save: Battery save for one player Released: October 2004 Works with: GBA, Game Boy Micro, Nintendo DS **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: The eternal game of billiards, on the eternal pocket device. **************************************************************************** Gameplay Descripion: Pool, no matter on what game machine, will never beat the real thing to me. I'm a huge pool fan, and this game just doesn't do it justice. With that being said, it is a good enough representation of what pool should be.The physics are remarkably done well for a handheld, or any other simulation for that matter. The game modes and types are plentiful for any average user, with a Trick Shot Editor, Single Player practice and match, Two player practice and match, Multiplayer, and Tournament mode. Liked: The fact that it's pool Hated: The fact that it's not real pool **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: Graphically, it's confusing. While most certainly not the prettiest game on the handheld, it is fully 3D, except for the actuall balls. Those look like colored paper circles. The icons that control almost all of the games functions and features accurately represent what they do, although they do require a bit of practice to understand. The camera of the game is exceptional. You can zoom in or out, tilt the table, go for a bird's eye view, rotate around any point on the table, including every ball, and there's no hangups or stuck camera controls. One minor quibble I did have was that the camera, once the shot was taken, keeps the cue ball in frame as well as the first ball you hit. This means that the camera is always moving, and for those who don't take dramine, it gets really sickening after a while. My suggestion here is to get used to it. Liked: The camera control makes me feel like a god. A very seasick god. Hated: There is no option for playing the game only in Bird's Eye View. It's just a snapshot of what the table looks like. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: Not exaclty top notch here. Obviously, most of the game's design went to the physics of the balls and a 3D game. You get some early 30s or 40s type music, elevator music really, for the intro, a sound effect for chalking the cue stick, and sound effects for hitting the balls, pocketing the balls, and this really weird effect that sounds like an annoying crowd cheering. Liked: Pool never was a loud game, though. Quiet is good. Hated: That crowd. Easily the most annoying ever. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: Here's where the game shines, aside from physics. Almost anything you can do on a real pool table, you can do here. The only thing missing, in my opinion, is the ability to make the Cue ball jump off the table, to make it over a ball. But that's not really playing pool. Also, it shows your line of shot of the cue ball if you want, but it does not give any angles of richochet. Yahoo! Poolis really good about that. Liked: All the options Hated: The learning curve. **************************************************************************** Improve: This is the type of game that really should have been made for the DS, because the touch screen control would make it so much better. Perhaps if ever a future game were made (which I doubt), then angles of richochet could be added, as well as some sort of tutorial for those just getting into pool. RIYL: Pool, Championship Pool for the DMG, Obscure GBA titles that aren't very well known but are still good quality titles. **************************************************************************** Final Words: If you can find it, pick it up. It takes time to learn, but so does real pool. You can usually get it for under $15 new, but I was able to pick it up for $9 new at Toys R Us. It's a good bargain buy, and a good game in general. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: 5 stars Graphics: 4 stars Sound/Music: 1 stars Play Control/Game Design: 5 stars Personal Opinion: 5 stars Total: 20 Final Score: 80% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: When planning yours shots, the background consists of various blinking eyes, and the little balls will suddenly become animated smileys and taunt you. Not really a code, but still kinda funny to see.