Reviewed by Inkhands
If you don't know who Minnesota Fats was...well he was a
pool legend, just like it says in the title of this game. If
you ever played Side Pocket on one of the five different
systems (I lost count) it was on then, then you know that
it's a great pool game. The same company released both that
game and this game and it really shows. Just imagine this
game to be Side Pocket with more options and worse control.
In this game you get four modes of play. A versus mode for
two players in which they compete against each other in nine
types of pool games - 8 ball, 9 ball, one pocket, rotation,
14.1 continuous, cut throat, and 3 ball.
There is a tournament mode for one player in which you can
compete in 8 ball, 9 ball, one pocket, or rotation against
seven seven other players, for a total of four
matches. With four types of pool to be played though that
does offer some variety to this mode.
There is a trick shot mode. There are 16 different trick
shots to be completed. Usually you have to sink a certain
amount in only one shot. Sometimes there are crystal glass
on the table and you have to avoid breaking it to win.
There is also a story mode. Minnesota Fats appears in this
mode. He sends you up against other players usually with a
specialty in a certain type of fool . The first one is a
lady and you play 9 ball with her. The second is a man and
you play 8 ball with him....and so on. All this leads up to
your match with Minnesota Fats. You play a best 2 out 3
tournament to advance against all of your opponents.
There really isn't much to say about graphics to this game.
It's a pool table and it's an okay looking pool table.
Nothing special. The same applies to the sound. The sound is
okay, but nothing special.
You want me to talk about the control to this game? You
don't? Hmm...okay, I will anyway. You see a line from your
cue to the ball you are aiming at. The line tells you the
course the ball will most likely take once you hit it. This
makes setting up shots much easier, but it's still not that
easy. It still takes a lot of skill to know where to hit the
ball and how hard to hit it. You do get a meter indicating
the power of the shot. Don't overdo it, but don't underdo it
either. Anyway the control to this game is pretty good, but
sometimes it seemed to stick and just didn't respond as well
or as fast as it should have.
The challenge is very high. For me at least. I'm just not
that great at pool, but maybe for pool experts the challenge
will probably be a lot lower. Getting through all the modes
and all the trick shots is quite a task and takes a lot of
practice.
Fun factor and Replay Value. If you like pool at all then
this should be somewhat fun for you at least. As for the
replay value...there certainly are a lot of modes to play
through. If you really like 8 ball or something, you can
always just go back into the 8 ball tournament and play it
again. This game is too good not to have good replay value.
Overall -
What's good about this game? The amount of options.
What's bad? Only that the control sticks a little. Or at
least it did for me. Other than that nothing.
Bottom line - This is a good game. As I said earlier it's
like Side Pocket with more options. This still isn't the
best pool game ever, but it's certainly a contender. If you
like pool and you see this game cheap somewhere, then maybe
you should check it out.
Graphics - 6/10
Sound - 5/10
Gameplay - 9/10
Control - 8/10
Challenge - 9/10
Fun Factor - 9/10
Replay Value - 7/10
Overall - 9/10
