Arcade Pool
Encyclopedia
Arcade Pool is a pool
simulation game developed and published in 1994 by Team17
, initially for the Amiga
home computer system. The game was later ported to the PC, and a special CD32
release soon followed.
The game is essentially a simple top-down pool simulator. Although simple, the physics were surprisingly accurate. The game featured many UK and US variations of pool as well as two variations of ball set (standard UK red and yellow, and standard US circles and stripes).
The game doesn't feature any popular names from the world of pool. Instead, computer-controlled players are named after members of Team17 Staff (with Creative Director Martyn Brown being the most difficult computer-controlled player). The computer-controlled players with the lowest difficulty are all named after staff of Future Publishing
-owned Amiga gaming magazine Amiga Power
, adding more fuel to the fierce rivalry between the two companies (see Team17; The Amiga Power Dispute).
A particular point of humour in the game stems from an Illegal Move message that appears, stating that you have "pocketed your opponent's ball(s)". This, of course, refers to pocketing balls which do not belong to you.
version was not ported in-house. Most likely the game was ported to the PC by either East Point Software
, who had previously ported Alien Breed: Tower Assault
and Ultimate Body Blows
to the PC as well as assisting with the PC version of Worms
; or by MicroLeague, who ported the original Alien Breed
. The ball physics for the PC version was known to be occasionally bizarre, with balls moving in strange ways.
rules. The resulting game, Arcade Snooker, was given away as a freebie with CU Amiga Magazine, an Amiga magazine with whom Team17 had a good relationship (CU Amiga would later include exclusive additions and upgrades for Team17's Worms: The Directors Cut
as part of one of their cover-mounted CDs, although a bug in the game would prevent users from taking advantage of these enhancements).
. The game went straight to Hasbro's "Best of" budget label, priced at UK£
9.99. It was essentially an updated and overhauled version of the original, albeit with Internet play and additional play modes.
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
simulation game developed and published in 1994 by Team17
Team17
Team17 Software Ltd. is a video game company best known for developing the Worms series of games , but it has made many other games, notably Superfrog and the Alien Breed series. Most of its early releases were on the Amiga home computer system and featured trademark smooth scrolling, and detailed...
, initially for the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
home computer system. The game was later ported to the PC, and a special CD32
Amiga CD32
The Amiga CD32, styled "CD32" , was the first 32-bit CD-ROM based video game console released in western Europe, Australia, Canada and Brazil. It was first announced at the Science Museum in London, United Kingdom on 16 July 1993, and was released in September of the same year...
release soon followed.
The game is essentially a simple top-down pool simulator. Although simple, the physics were surprisingly accurate. The game featured many UK and US variations of pool as well as two variations of ball set (standard UK red and yellow, and standard US circles and stripes).
The game doesn't feature any popular names from the world of pool. Instead, computer-controlled players are named after members of Team17 Staff (with Creative Director Martyn Brown being the most difficult computer-controlled player). The computer-controlled players with the lowest difficulty are all named after staff of Future Publishing
Future Publishing
Future plc is a media company; in 2006, it was the sixth-largest in the United Kingdom. It publishes more than 150 magazines in fields such as video games, technology, automotive, cycling, films and photography. Future is the official magazine company of all three major games console manufacturers...
-owned Amiga gaming magazine Amiga Power
Amiga Power
Amiga Power was a monthly magazine about Amiga computer games. It was published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and ran for 65 issues, from May 1991 to September 1996....
, adding more fuel to the fierce rivalry between the two companies (see Team17; The Amiga Power Dispute).
A particular point of humour in the game stems from an Illegal Move message that appears, stating that you have "pocketed your opponent's ball(s)". This, of course, refers to pocketing balls which do not belong to you.
Amiga version
The original version of the game. Fit onto one floppy disk. Essentially the "vanilla" version of the game.PC version
The MS-DOSMS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
version was not ported in-house. Most likely the game was ported to the PC by either East Point Software
East Point Software
East Point Software Ltd., also known as Promethean Designs Ltd., is the software development company for Aqua GT on the SEGA Dreamcast.-Games:*Adventures of Tintin, The: Prisoners of the Sun*Alien Breed: Tower Assault*Alien Breed 3D II: The Killing Grounds...
, who had previously ported Alien Breed: Tower Assault
Alien Breed: Tower Assault
Alien Breed: Tower Assault is the third game in the Alien Breed franchise, a series of science fiction-themed top-down shooters. It was released in 1994 by Team17 for the Amiga, PC and CD32, and is the last 2D game in the series....
and Ultimate Body Blows
Ultimate Body Blows
Ultimate Body Blows is a 1994 Amiga CD32 and DOS fighting game. It is largely an amalgamation of Body Blows and Body Blows Galactic released in 1993 by Team 17, featuring characters and locales from both games but using the HUD and menu interface of the first game...
to the PC as well as assisting with the PC version of Worms
Worms (computer game)
Worms is a series of turn-based computer games developed by British company Team17 Software. Players control a small platoon of earthworms across a deformable landscape, battling other computer- or player-controlled teams...
; or by MicroLeague, who ported the original Alien Breed
Alien Breed
Alien Breed is the first in a series of science fiction computer games played in the form of a top-down shooter for one or two players. It was released in 1991 by Team17 for the Commodore Amiga and later in 1993 by MicroLeague for MS-DOS.-Gameplay:...
. The ball physics for the PC version was known to be occasionally bizarre, with balls moving in strange ways.
Amiga CD32 version
Almost a direct port of the original Amiga version, but with various enhancements. The most noticeable is the background ambience, which can be toggled between a Bar background, a Bar background with Blues music, a Pool Hall, and two different Blues tracks. The game also takes advantage of some of the enhanced CD32 hardware.Arcade Snooker
In 1995 the game engine was adapted and modified to snookerSnooker
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. The resulting game, Arcade Snooker, was given away as a freebie with CU Amiga Magazine, an Amiga magazine with whom Team17 had a good relationship (CU Amiga would later include exclusive additions and upgrades for Team17's Worms: The Directors Cut
Worms (computer game)
Worms is a series of turn-based computer games developed by British company Team17 Software. Players control a small platoon of earthworms across a deformable landscape, battling other computer- or player-controlled teams...
as part of one of their cover-mounted CDs, although a bug in the game would prevent users from taking advantage of these enhancements).
Arcade Pool II
A sequel, Arcade Pool II, was published in 1999 by Hasbro InteractiveHasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive was an American video game production and publishing subsidiary of Hasbro, the large game and toy company.Hasbro Interactive was formed late in 1995 in order to compete in the computer and video game arena. Several Hasbro properties, such as Monopoly and Scrabble, had already...
. The game went straight to Hasbro's "Best of" budget label, priced at UK£
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
9.99. It was essentially an updated and overhauled version of the original, albeit with Internet play and additional play modes.