Lunar Pool is a rough simulation of pool (pocket billiards) combined with aspects of miniature golf

Miniature golf

Miniature golf, or minigolf, is a miniature version of the sport of golf. While the international sports organization World Minigolf Sport Federation prefers to use the name "minigolf", the general public in different countries has also many other names for the game: miniature golf, mini-golf,...

, created by Compile

Compile (software company)

Compile Co., Ltd. was a Japanese video game company established on April 7, 1982, under the name Programmers-3. Founded by Masamitsu Niitani , they were famed for developing shooters and puzzle games such as Aleste and Puyo Puyo.Compile filed for bankruptcy and disbanded in 2003, but the franchise...

 for the Nintendo Entertainment System

Nintendo Entertainment System

The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...

, in which each stage is a differently shaped pool table. The object is to knock each ball into a pocket using a cue ball. There are sixty levels to choose from, and the friction of the table is adjustable.

The Japanese Lunar Ball version often appears on Famicom clone systems and pirated multi-game cartridges, such as the Power Player Super Joy III

Power Player Super Joy III

The Power Player Super Joy III consoles are a line of unauthorized handheld Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom clones manufactured by NRTRADE that are sold in North America, Brazil, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The system resembles a Nintendo 64 controller and attaches to a TV set...

. It was released for the Wii

Wii

The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...

 on the North American Virtual Console

Virtual console

A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...

on October 22, 2007.

Gameplay

Lunar Pool is played in boards of different shapes, wherein the player has to shoot the cue ball to knock other colored balls into the pockets. If the player fails to pocket at least one colored ball in three consecutive turns, then the player will lose one life. Also, if the player pockets his own cue ball, he loses a life.
If a player pockets all the colored balls in a level consecutively without failure, the player will get a "Perfect!" remark, and bonus points will be added to the player's score.

Modes

Lunar Pool can either be played alone, against another player, or against the computer. If the game is played against another player or the computer, players take turns shooting the cue ball. If one player fails to knock at least one of the colored balls into a pocket, or pockets his own cue ball, then it will be the opponent's turn.