3-D POOL

 3-D POOL is an eight-ball pool simulation written by Aardvark Software,
published by Microplay, and distributed by Medalist International, a division of
MicroProse. The package offers outstanding graphics and animation; practice,
tournament, and two-player modes; trick shot editor; mouse control; and copy
protection. 3-D POOL will run on any Atari ST (the basis of this review) with
512K and a color monitor.

 3-D POOL is much the same as any other pool/billiards simulation you might have
played. The fundamental difference lies in the absence of a cue stick; you have
to imagine a cue-line emanating from the cue ball, outward to the center of the
screen, around which you rotate the table to line up a shot. What Aardvark
called "revolutionary" I initially thought was "horrible." After I got my little
head straightened out so that the revolutionary aspect became second nature, 3-D
POOL turned into a really good game.

 The game here is Monte Carlo eight-ball, all aspects are controlled with the
mouse, and the screen display on the ST consists of a solid-modeled,
three-dimensional pool table, atop which are the white cue ball and the racked
yellow/red balls. Above the play table are six pool table icons, reference cue
ball, power bar, left/right swerve balls, and a menu square.

 You click on a table icon to rotate the main table left, right, forward, or
backward, and to zoom it in and out. On the reference ball, the black cross
shows exactly where the imaginary cue stick will strike the cue ball, as well as
which way it'll spin after it strikes. Move the table forward or backward to
move the cross vertically (follow-spin, backspin); click on the swerve balls to
move the cross horizontally.

 In order to line up a shot, you rotate the table. This is a smooth and easy
process, but it takes some getting used to: You have to keep in mind that the
black cross on the reference ball has nothing to do with the shot itself -- it
concerns spin only. Exactly where the cue ball hits another ball or a cushion
(or anything) is determined solely by the position of the table. The left button
performs large rotations; the right button performs incremental rotations for
more precise shot alignment.

 Clicking the right button on the reference ball performs an instant 180-degree
table turn, a handy feature. Clicking the left button on the reference ball
invokes the shot, after which the balls slide and bounce smoothly (with audible
clicks) along their paths. Sink a ball and you shoot again; don't sink a ball
and your (computer or human) opponent shoots. Commit a foul and, according to
the Monte Carlo rules, your opponent gets at least two shots.

 The setup for a trick shot is preset. Load one of them and it will appear on
the table ready to be, er, tricked. The editor itself lets you set up your own
trick shots. There is no save feature, though, so you'll have to invent, debug,
and perform your invention in one session.

 The 3-D POOL package comes with one copy-protected disk, an instruction manual
for all versions, and a Monte Carlo/American eight-ball rule sheet.

 3-D POOL falls short of WORLD SNOOKER (Artworx), which has everything,
including a cue stick and digitized voices. Nevertheless, wonderful
three-dimensional graphics and animation, great play physics, and easy mouse
control make for an fine, easy-to-play program. At first, I was confused about
the table rotations and the spin of the cue ball, which are separate events.
Once I had it all straight, though, the frustration and dislike brought on by
hundreds of wayward shots gave way to pleasure. 3-D POOL is a good-looking game
that anyone can play.

 3-D POOL is published by Microplay and distributed by MicroProse.

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