Billiards Games

Billiards games are about aiming the cue, setting the power and sinking balls in the pockets. There are about 60, from realistic matches to versions with special effects, and nearly all are controlled with just the mouse.

The game types

The best known is 8-ball (8 Ball Pool Challenge, 8 Ball Pool With Friends): there are solid balls and striped balls, each player goes after one group, and whoever sinks the black 8-ball at the end wins. In 9-ball (Nine Ball, 9 Ball, 9 Ball Knockout) only the balls numbered 1 to 9 are used, you must always hit the lowest-numbered ball first, and whoever pockets the 9 wins. In Snooker the table is bigger, the pockets are smaller and there are red and colored balls worth different points, so it's harder.

Besides those, there are arcade-style games, like Pool Jam, Speed Pool King, Speed Billiards or Pool Time Attack, whose names point to quick games or racing the clock. And others with a twist: Blast Billiards, Black Hole Billiard, Pool Bubbles, Candy Pool and Magic Ball Billiard change the look of the table and sometimes the rules. If you want to see it in three dimensions, look at 3D Pool.

Controls and tips

The usual setup is to move the mouse to aim the cue, click to charge the power and release. Some let you put spin on the cue ball by hitting the top, the bottom or a side. Accuracy usually beats power: a soft, well-aimed shot does more than a hard one. Before you hit, think about where the cue ball will end up, because your next shot depends on it. And don't trust a long line: angles are easier to judge from up close.

To start, stick with 8-ball or 9-ball: they're the easiest to understand. Snooker takes more patience, so save it for when you've got the hang of the cue.