How to play
Aim with the mouse; the dashed line shows your shot trajectory. Adjust spin by clicking on the cue ball indicator (top for follow, bottom for draw, sides for English). Set power with the power bar; click to shoot. Standard 8-ball rules: pocket your assigned suit, then the 8-ball to win.
Game features
- Realistic physics with spin, follow, draw, and English
- Single-player AI ladder: amateur, casual, skilled, expert, grandmaster
- Turn-based online multiplayer (no account required)
- Standard 8-ball, 9-ball, and snooker rule variants
- Customisable cue and table felt colours
- Shot replay system for reviewing complex pocketings
Editor review
Pool simulations live or die on the physics simulation and the cue ball control fidelity. Pool Master gets both right. The cue ball responds to spin inputs convincingly — follow shots roll the cue ball forward after contact, draw shots pull it back, English causes the cue ball to deflect predictably off cushions. After fifteen minutes of practice you can execute setup shots that require specific cue-ball positioning, which is the genre's highest skill expression.
The AI ladder is well-tuned. The amateur AI makes obvious mistakes; the casual AI plays competent fundamentals; the skilled AI starts looking for combinations and safety play; the expert AI executes advanced position play; the grandmaster AI is genuinely difficult to beat. Each tier earns progression rewards (cosmetic cue and felt unlocks).
The turn-based online multiplayer is a clever implementation. No account is required — you receive a match URL to share with your opponent, and the game state is preserved server-side between turns. Each turn has a 60-second clock; running out gives the opponent a ball-in-hand. This format works well for play-by-correspondence sessions across time zones.
The 8-ball, 9-ball, and snooker rule variants give the game real depth. Snooker is particularly well-implemented — the small pockets and 22-ball setup make it the most strategically complex of the three. Recommended.