Yup, the game just got dramatically harder and with a twist. And this is what Hotshot Pool is based on. On the Easy level, you've just got to pot all the balls. On Normal, pockets start getting blocked off and there's an ashtray placed at random on the table. On Hard, there's also a CUE on the table, plus you lose the object ball aiming aid that's present up to that point.
In addition to these (ahem) obstructions, there are extra rules and caveats. Miss a pot and you lose a life, pot two in one shot and you gain one, and so on. If your lives reach zero, the game's over, of course. And if you pot a ball in a pocket with the right coloured gem in it, you also gain a life.
The rules and modifications are all explained in the game's built-in Help, but be warned that the language is a little 'pidgin' English in places.
And, of course, as you advance through the levels, the initial ball placements change and the obstacles become more awkward. But all of this is just frippery compared if the pool mechanics themselves aren't fun to play.
The nHD screens of current phones are used well, this doesn't seem to be a port from another mobile platform. You aim the cue by swiping the touchscreen in the appropriate direction, while (on the Easy and Normal levels) a red line helps out by showing the direction the object ball will take. Cue power is chosen by tapping and holding the green button at the bottom-right of the screen - just release it when it's showing the power you want:
Lives that are lost (or gained) are animated on-screen, with the current tally shown at bottom-left:
All of which sounds straightforward enough, doesn't it? Unfortunately, compared to the aforementioned Micropool, Hotshot Pool fails spectacularly. Here's why (and grab yourself a coffee, this is a fairly lengthy list of failings...!)
- The balls don't actually roll. There's no sense of rotation and they simply glide around the table, air-hockey style. This is a compromise that many pool games make to speed up what would otherwise be too sluggish. On its own, this wouldn't be a show stopper. However....
- Aiming a shot involves dragging the cue aiming line around. Unfortunately, this is tiresome because you can't move it quickly even if you swipe quickly. Changing direction by 180 degrees involves many swipes and you get there eventually. On its own, this wouldn't be a show stopper. However....
- Fine tuning the aim of a shot is tricky. You can tap tentatively at the aiming line and it adjusts itself.... too far. So you tap or swipe the other side and... it goes too far again. What's needed is a couple of shot aim tuning arrows, just as in every other touchscreen pool game I've ever used. On its own, this wouldn't be a show stopper. However....
- There's no concept of cue ball spin. This may seem like an advanced option that shouldn't exist in every pool game, but in the real world (and in Micropool) it's the key to better play. Playing every shot 'full ball' is, quite simply clumsy, especially when you're working your way around obstacles and trying to achieve complex aims. On its own, this wouldn't be a show stopper. However....
- The collision detection around the pockets is wierd. I'll often aim a ball perfectly and it'll bounce off somehow, while at other times the ball will go vaguely near the pocket and sink immediately. On its own, this wouldn't be a show stopper. However....
You get the idea. Add five minor pool gameplay annoyances together and you get something which is close to unplayable and very frustrating.
Hotshot Pool is a good proof of concept game. Now the developers just need to put in the same amount of work again improving the interface and mechanics. And then we'd have a title to be reckoned with.
Steve Litchfield, All About Symbian, 15 July 2011
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