Actua Pool
Encyclopedia
Actua Pool is a sports
simulation video game developed by British company Gremlin Interactive
as part of their highly successful Actua Sports
series of sport simulators of the mid-to-late 1990s. Actua Pool, a pool (pocket billiards) was originally released on the Microsoft
Windows
platform and the Sony
PlayStation home console in 1999
; these versions were also published under the name Pool Shark. The game was very well received, praised for its realistic physics engine
and challenging AI
opponents, although the game spawned a sequel
which was not as successful. In 2007, Actua Pool was ported to the Nintendo
DS
handheld game console
, under the title Underground Pool in North America.
, cutthroat rules, bank rules, speed pool
, one-pocket, various foreign styles and traditional snooker
rules. There are dozens of venues, unique individual opponents and even different-shaped and unique tables are also available to unlock.
In one player mode, called "Hustle Mode", the character must hustle your way through smoke filled bars, casinos, pool halls and nightclubs and aim to black ball up to 18 challengers of ever-increasing skill across a range of challenging tables. There is an interactive tutorial if the player wishes, and the player can learn hundreds of trick shot
s from the tutorial. Each individual NPC opponent has its own unique appearance, voice, mannerisms, playing style and difficulty, and winning tournaments unlocks new NPCs to play against and venues to play in. The last opponent is the Devil himself, who you will play in Hell
on his very own pool table and play for your very soul.
There are also the traditional two-player modes, as well as three-player, four-player, and so on. Any number of players can join in, and tournaments for up to 16 players are also available in which the NPC's can also be included. Player character
s are completely customizable, and stats (such as accurracy and shots potted) tally up an individual player's ability.
was praised as very realistic, and the AI
fairly advanced for a pool game.
by Zoo Digital Publishing
under their "Zoo Classics" label.
In 2007, U Wish Games released another updated version for PCs.
In 2007, the game was re-developed with enhanced graphics by Frontline Studios, published by Zoo Digital Publishing and ported to the handheld game console
Nintendo
DS
. This version is known as Underground Pool in North America. This version enjoyed good sales, but was not as well received critically as the original game. It has been noted that the uniqueness of individual opponents has been lost in this version, as are all the different variations of rules available, as there are only two different games in the DS version whereas the original had dozens.
was released in 2004
for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 2
entitled Pool Shark 2. It was developed by Blade Interactive
and published by ZOO Digital Publishing
. The "Actua" title was not included as the Actua Sports
series had become defunct some years previously, as had the original developers Gremlin Interactive
, and therefore Pool Shark 2 is not actually part of the same series of the original. Although Pool Shark 2 had better graphics then Actua Pool due the advances in game technology, the sequel was not as critically well received as the original, and did not enjoy good sales like its predecessor.
Sports game
A sports game is a computer or video game that simulates the practice of traditional sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, athletics and extreme sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport , whilst others emphasize strategy and organization...
simulation video game developed by British company Gremlin Interactive
Gremlin Interactive
Gremlin Interactive was a British software house based in Sheffield and working mostly in the home computer market.- History :...
as part of their highly successful Actua Sports
Actua Sports
Actua Sports was a sports video game series published by Gremlin Interactive which competed with Electronic Arts EA Sports label during the second half of the 1990s, until Gremlin was acquired by Infogrames...
series of sport simulators of the mid-to-late 1990s. Actua Pool, a pool (pocket billiards) was originally released on the Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
platform and the Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PlayStation home console in 1999
1999 in video gaming
-Events:*British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosts the 2nd annual BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards*March – Game Over republished as “Game Over: Press Start to Continue”...
; these versions were also published under the name Pool Shark. The game was very well received, praised for its realistic physics engine
Physics engine
A physics engine is computer software that provides an approximate simulation of certain physical systems, such as rigid body dynamics , soft body dynamics, and fluid dynamics, of use in the domains of computer graphics, video games and film. Their main uses are in video games , in which case the...
and challenging AI
Ai
AI, A.I., Ai, or ai may refer to:- Computers :* Artificial intelligence, a branch of computer science* Ad impression, in online advertising* .ai, the ISO Internet 2-letter country code for Anguilla...
opponents, although the game spawned a sequel
Pool Shark 2
Pool Shark 2 is a video game which was developed by Blade Interactive as a sequel to Pool Shark...
which was not as successful. In 2007, Actua Pool was ported to the Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
handheld game console
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
, under the title Underground Pool in North America.
Description
Actua Pool is a pool simulation game with dozens of game modes, including eight-ball, nine-ball, three-ball, ten-ball, killer rulesKiller (pool)
Killer or killers is a multi-player folk variant of straight pool in which each player is assigned a set number of "lives" and takes one shot per to attempt to a ball, or else lose a life. Usually if the player then an additional life is lost...
, cutthroat rules, bank rules, speed pool
Speed pool
Speed pool is a solitary pool game. As its name suggests, one all the pool balls on the table as quickly as possible. It can played be competitively with the aid of a stopwatch.-Rules:...
, one-pocket, various foreign styles and traditional snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
rules. There are dozens of venues, unique individual opponents and even different-shaped and unique tables are also available to unlock.
In one player mode, called "Hustle Mode", the character must hustle your way through smoke filled bars, casinos, pool halls and nightclubs and aim to black ball up to 18 challengers of ever-increasing skill across a range of challenging tables. There is an interactive tutorial if the player wishes, and the player can learn hundreds of trick shot
Trick shot
A trick shot is a shot played on a billiards table , which seems unlikely, impossible, or requires significant skill...
s from the tutorial. Each individual NPC opponent has its own unique appearance, voice, mannerisms, playing style and difficulty, and winning tournaments unlocks new NPCs to play against and venues to play in. The last opponent is the Devil himself, who you will play in Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
on his very own pool table and play for your very soul.
There are also the traditional two-player modes, as well as three-player, four-player, and so on. Any number of players can join in, and tournaments for up to 16 players are also available in which the NPC's can also be included. Player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s are completely customizable, and stats (such as accurracy and shots potted) tally up an individual player's ability.
Venues and opponents
- Candy's Bar is a dinerDinerA diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
and barBar (establishment)A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
at a roadside location in the United States accompanied by easy listening music. The opponents there are a trucker named "Slim Chance" (the poorest player in the game), and Candy Girl, a very skilled waitress and also the owner of the venue (expert level). The unique unlockable table of this venue is a hexagon corners table. - The Croc Shack is a beach hutBeach hutA beach hut is a small, usually wooden and often brightly coloured, box above the high tide mark on popular bathing beaches. They are generally used as a shelter from the sun or wind, changing into and out of swimming costumes and for the safe storing of some personal belongings...
and bar by the sea in Australia with calypso musicCalypso musicCalypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
. The opponents there are "Wipeout", a blonde Australian surfer (professional level), and "Boom Bruce", a Crocodile DundeeCrocodile Dundee"Crocodile" Dundee is a 1986 Australian comedy film set in the Australian Outback and in New York City. It stars Paul Hogan as the weathered Mick Dundee and Linda Kozlowski as Sue Charlton....
-type character (master level). The unique unlockable table of this venue is a square eight table. - The Pit is an American motorcycle clubMotorcycle clubA motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually...
/truck stopTruck stopA truck stop is a commercial facility predicated on providing fuel, parking, and often food and other services to motorists and truck drivers...
featuring rock musicRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and a jukeboxJukeboxA jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
. The opponents here are Ed Case (amateur level), a stocky and bald biker with anger managementAnger managementThe term anger management commonly refers to a system of psychological therapeutic techniques and exercises by which someone with excessive or uncontrollable anger & aggression can control or reduce the triggers, degrees, and effects of an angered emotional state...
issues, and an orange-haired female punkPunk subcultureThe punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
named Chopper (expert level). The unique unlockable table of this venue is a square sides table. - Paradize Hole is an graffitiGraffitiGraffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
-painted, underground hip hopHip hopHip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
club in New York City. The opponents there are "TikTok" (professional level), an up-and-coming African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
hustler, and his mentor, the suave and dapper pimpPimpA pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
known as "Nu Jack Hustler" (master level). The unique unlockable table of this venue is a diamond sides table. - The 1815 Club is a conservative and traditional English club frequented by members of the British armyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. The 1815 Club is located inside an antique country house in the English countryside, and features classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
. The opponents here are Lt. James Jasse (professional level), and the elderly monacled individual identified only as "The Colonel" (master level). The unique unlockable table of this venue is a hexagon sides table. - Neon City is located in Tokyo and features bright neon lights, a transparent plastic pool table and a technoTechnoTechno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
soundtrack. The opponents here are a Japanese woman called Idoru (amateur level), and a man known as "Sayonara Kid" (expert level). The unique unlockable table of this venue is a square corners table. - Elysian FieldsElysian Fields-General use:* Elysium, in Greek mythology, the final resting places of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous- Places :* Elysian Fields, Hoboken, New Jersey, site of the first organized baseball game* Elysian Fields Avenue, New Orleans* Elysian Fields, Texas...
is a casinoCasinoIn modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan areaThe Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
. The opponents are Alvis Burger, a blonde Elvis impersonatorElvis impersonatorAn Elvis impersonator is someone who impersonates or copies famed American musician Elvis Presley. Professional Elvis impersonators can work all over the world as entertainers, and such tribute acts are in great demand due to the unique iconic status of Elvis...
(professional level), and Al Cheeseman (master level), a tacky ex-gameshow hostPresenterA presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
with a devoted following who follow him everywhere. Cheeseman's supporters cheer or cry depending on his performance, and since he is one of the best players in the game, they are usually clapping and laughing. The unique unlockable table of this venue is a diamond corners table. - Z Generation is an American strip clubStrip clubA strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
which in appearance is not entirely unlike the Neon City venue, including neon lights and a transparent pool table. The opponents here are an sultry blonde woman named Tiffany (amataur level), and a blonde suited man named Gary No One (expert level), a cocky yet skilled player who is apparently obsessed with New Wave musicNew Wave musicNew Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
. The unique unlockable table of this venue is a triangleTriangleA triangle is one of the basic shapes of geometry: a polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are line segments. A triangle with vertices A, B, and C is denoted ....
corners table. - Philly Joe's Pool Hall is the penultimate venue of the game in "Hustle Mode", and in which the player must go up against Philly Joe, the owner of this pool hall and the opponent with the best stats in the game. Philly Joe is also stated as being the undisputed champion of all previous international pool tournaments. This venue is actually played on Philly Joe's own table in his penthouse suite. The unique unlockable table of this venue is a dog-legDog-legDog-leg is a term used to describe a configuration of stairs between two floors of a building, often a domestic building, in which a flight of stairs ascends to a half-landing before turning 180 degrees and continuing upwards...
corners table. - Judgement is a unique level actually played in HellHellIn many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
. The pool table is suspended in the air above a pit of fire, with screams echoing from below, and the player challenges the Devil himself who appears as a floating, bald man with a goatee in a red suit. The Devil's stats are simply listed as ??? due to his supernatural abilities on the table. He cackles manically, and his head spins on his shoulders. It is not uncommon to be "7 balled" on this last level, so saving beforehand is recommended. The unique unlockable table of this venue is a pentagonPentagonIn geometry, a pentagon is any five-sided polygon. A pentagon may be simple or self-intersecting. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°. A pentagram is an example of a self-intersecting pentagon.- Regular pentagons :In a regular pentagon, all sides are equal in length and...
sides tabe.
Reception
At its initial time of release Actua Pool was enjoying impressive sales and was also critically well received, and had above-average ratings in almost all reviews. The graphics of the game were generally considered impressive at the time of release, and the game physics enginePhysics engine
A physics engine is computer software that provides an approximate simulation of certain physical systems, such as rigid body dynamics , soft body dynamics, and fluid dynamics, of use in the domains of computer graphics, video games and film. Their main uses are in video games , in which case the...
was praised as very realistic, and the AI
Ai
AI, A.I., Ai, or ai may refer to:- Computers :* Artificial intelligence, a branch of computer science* Ad impression, in online advertising* .ai, the ISO Internet 2-letter country code for Anguilla...
fairly advanced for a pool game.
Legacy
In 2003 Actua Pool was re-released for the PCPersonal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
by Zoo Digital Publishing
Zoo Digital Publishing
Zushi Games is a British computer game publisher. Based in Sheffield, UK, Zushi is the owner of the multi-million selling Premier Manager series...
under their "Zoo Classics" label.
In 2007, U Wish Games released another updated version for PCs.
In 2007, the game was re-developed with enhanced graphics by Frontline Studios, published by Zoo Digital Publishing and ported to the handheld game console
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
. This version is known as Underground Pool in North America. This version enjoyed good sales, but was not as well received critically as the original game. It has been noted that the uniqueness of individual opponents has been lost in this version, as are all the different variations of rules available, as there are only two different games in the DS version whereas the original had dozens.
Sequel
A sequelSequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
was released in 2004
2004 in video gaming
-Events:*January 20 — Wireds Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner Duke Nukem Forever.*March 4 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Peter Molyneux into the AIAS Hall of Fame*March 22-26 — Game...
for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
entitled Pool Shark 2. It was developed by Blade Interactive
Blade Interactive
Dark Energy Digital, is a privately owned video game developer and publisher based in the United Kingdom. It was formed from members of Blade Interactive, which continues to operate as a separate company...
and published by ZOO Digital Publishing
Zoo Digital Publishing
Zushi Games is a British computer game publisher. Based in Sheffield, UK, Zushi is the owner of the multi-million selling Premier Manager series...
. The "Actua" title was not included as the Actua Sports
Actua Sports
Actua Sports was a sports video game series published by Gremlin Interactive which competed with Electronic Arts EA Sports label during the second half of the 1990s, until Gremlin was acquired by Infogrames...
series had become defunct some years previously, as had the original developers Gremlin Interactive
Gremlin Interactive
Gremlin Interactive was a British software house based in Sheffield and working mostly in the home computer market.- History :...
, and therefore Pool Shark 2 is not actually part of the same series of the original. Although Pool Shark 2 had better graphics then Actua Pool due the advances in game technology, the sequel was not as critically well received as the original, and did not enjoy good sales like its predecessor.