Virtual Pool 64 is a 3D first-person sports simulation video game that was developed by American studio Celeris and released for the Nintendo 64 by Crave Entertainment on December 17, 1998, in North America, and in Europe on February 26, 1999. The game features simulations of 11 forms of pool (pocket billiards). It is part of the “Virtual Pool” game franchise, which also includes the PC games Virtual Pool, Virtual Pool 2, Virtual Pool Hall and Virtual Pool 3. The game has been simultaneously lauded as “a top-notch simulation” and criticized as dull, lacking both player incentive and engaging characters.

Gameplay

Virtual Pool 64 as the follow up to the main series title Virtual Pool 2 retains the same different pool games, and adds new games, such as Rotation pool.^[1] The game features 11 different pool games: Eight-ball including American “bar pool” rules, British rules and APA league rules) Nine-ball including variations such as Three-ball, Six-ball and Ten-ball, as well as Straight, One-pocket, Bank and Rotation pool.^[2]

The game follows on from Virtual Pool 2, including additions such as a tournament mode, allowing the player to play through up-to a 32-man tournament with AI players, a trick shot mode, and three difficulty levels, amateur, professional and championship. The different levels of gameplay not only change the skill level of the opponent (who range from “pushover” to “vicious”), it will also change the size of the table and pockets for the table.^[3] It can also be played in “free play” mode, with no rules, or “shark-skins” mode requires you to clear a table of three, six, and nine balls in the fewest strokes possible.^[1]