Pure Pool Reviews
In the absence of the real thing, Pure Pool is the closest you’ll get on your Switch. Career may be a bit lacking, and multiplayer a bit vacant, but when it looks this good you won’t care. There’s enough to keep you racking and chalking up to experience.
When it comes to video games, I have genres that I tend to play more than others, such as platformers and fighting games. However, there is a genre that I don’t advertise that I enjoy equally as much as these. Virtual sports games, with Pool being a very firm favourite. With this small bit of exposition out of the way, I recently had the chance to play Pure Pool on the Nintendo Switch. Did I enjoy my experience with the game? Find out after the “break”.
After one hell of a year – one in which I haven’t been able to socialise with friends in real life – it’s an absolute joy to escape to this cosy little bolthole and shoot some pool. Pure Pool is exactly what its name suggests and an essential purchase for all fans of the sport.
At this moment Pure Pool’s purchase potential is surrounded by a lot of “Ifs”. It does cost only ten dollars, however, acquiring the title now would only give you half a game. There’s a good foundation, however, the rest of the game is filled with holes.
While I’ve never been super serious about playing pool it is a sport I’ve enjoyed in quite a number of pool halls and friends’ homes over time...
From the photorealistic detail, realistic pool physics, and an approach where you can just sit down and play without going through a hundred options, Pure Pool offers bang for your buck. It's challenging from the start, but in a way that promotes your growth, you will want to get better in order to beat your opponents. If only the online was a little more real-time, I would be inclined to give this a perfect score.
Pure Pool isn't perfect, there are a few minor niggles, such as a lack of a replay option for when you hit that perfect shot, or get extremely fluky. It would also be nice to see some of the other pool variation included, because as it is, it feels very bare in that regard. However, as an actual simulation of pool, VooFoo studios can be very proud of what they have created. They are the current kings of the pool hall.
Pure Pool does just enough to be worth purchasing for fans of Pool but its shortcomings stop it from becoming a real leader in the cue sports genre overall.
Pure Pool delivers one of the most fun and authentic pool experience you can get on any platform. It can be recommended even for those who are not into the sport that much.
The attention to detail and the graphics of the game make it a solid entry in the genre, but the title also suffers from some issues when it comes to the control players have over their shots and the way the PC port works.
A passable game that can be good for a couple hours of play, sure, but that's about the best of it.
The beauty of pool is that there is no story to plough through, no defined ending to strive towards - other than winning the current match - and this very essence is captured perfectly in Pure Pool. It's just the tale of a man with a stick and some balls getting down to business on a table...!
Time trials, speed potting and high score challenges all sit alongside the game's main career mode, and while they're all perfectly serviceable game types, it's Pure Pool's multiplayer that really stops the repetitive nature of the game from sticking its claws in.
There’s not much else that can be said about Pure Pool (also we’ve reviewed it previously, so check that out). VooFoo Studios has successfully made a game that remains relevant and feels current over half a decade after it first released it, and for “sports games”, that’s a rare achievement indeed. You’re not going to find better ball porn anywhere, and so, even though this is a port of a six-year-old game with very little added to it, it’s great that it’s now portable and on the Switch.
You can easily sunk hours into Pure Pool but it's not very suitable for newcomers.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
There may not be a lot of choices on Nintendo Switch for those who want to jump into a worthwhile pool experience, however Pure Pool is the one to get for those who are keen. As good as it gets with a pool-based digital experience on the handheld, with plenty of offline and online content to make this easily worth the money.
Pure Pool's minimalist presentation and authentic physics are reflected in its simple, serious title.
It's a pool game. A pure pool game. It works.
While newer players could be frustrated by camera limits, some gameplay quirks, and overall lack of personality, simulation fans can see minutes turn to hours when playing Pure Pool. It's a highly entertaining game that I've sunk more time into than expected.
If you are looking for a small-sized game coming in at a whopping 400MB that can provide hours of enjoyment for you are even other guests, well this title is one that I would highly recommend. The price is also very reasonable $14.99. With smooth graphics and a wonderful ability to be picked up and played at any given time this makes Pure Pool a valued purchase.