Pool Blitz

Genre: Sports (Pool)

Players: 2 Competitive (Online), 2-8 Competitive (Online Tournament)

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Review:

WARNING: THIS GAME HEAVILY PUSHES MICROTRANSACTIONS, LOOTBOXES, AND SEASON PASSES

Pool Blitz is a free-to-play Pool game released in 2022 on mobile devices, then in 2023 ported to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and then in 2024 ported to Nintendo Switch. This game allows players to compete with others online in 8-Ball and 9-Ball game variants, as well as an exclusive variant called Blitz.

I’ve got to be honest, when I hear “free-to-play Pool game” and “first released on mobile devices two years ago”, my natural inclination is to have pretty low expectations. So imagine my surprise when this game actually turns out to be surprisingly good.

Now, just to reign in expectations a bit, this game isn’t going to be taking the crown from Pure Pool any time soon – that game’s top-notch visuals, tons of options, and fine-tuned gameplay are well beyond what you’ll find here, and Pure Pool also doesn’t have any microtransaction junk to deal with. However, given that this game is free-to-play, that we’re even comparing the two is quite a feat.

In terms of presentation, Pool Blitz is really quite excellent, with detailed 3D environments and some nice subtle reflection effects on the balls themselves. This is undercut a bit by some pretty ugly-looking human characters in the background, as well as the bizarre decision to have players represented by robotic arms wearing masks. I suppose it’s one way to give players personality in the game (and customization to sell cosmetic DLC) without having to include actual human characters, but it’s still odd. Anyway, backing all of this is a relaxed, jazzy soundtrack that works well for the game. There is one other presentation element worth noting, but I’ll get to that in a bit.

Pool Blitz plays quite well, and gives players some decent controls and a good idea of where their ball will go. In fact, it may be a bit too good, as once you get a feel for how to properly use the game’s camera, you’ll easily be sinking some difficult shots that you might not make in other Pool games.

The game has players gradually working up ranks through various locations, with each game requiring the player to put down coins as a bet – win and you double them, lose and they’re gone. You start with a pretty decent amount, and I don’t think players will likely run out of these unless they’re careless and lose higher-end matches without keeping an eye on how much you have left.

I suppose there I should take a moment to talk about the microtransactions. This game has a fair amount of them – 2-3 different types of currencies, lootboxes, purchaseable lootbox slots, lootbox wait mechanics, a season pass… yeah, not great. Not everything you’re getting is purely cosmetic either – you can purchase experience boosters to progress through the game faster, and while most of the collectables are cosmetic, pool cues are actually tied to stats. Thankfully, you can force all pool cues to share the same base stats when setting up a game, so you needn’t engage with pay-to-win mechanics if you don’t like.

There is one last major element here worth talking about, and that’s Blitz mode. This is a Pool variant that has two players playing on side-by-side tables simultaneously, with neither waiting for the other, you only have to wait until all the balls on your table stop moving before you can shoot again. This means that it’s not just a test of skill and accuracy, but also speed. To make things more interesting, the game tosses the balls you clear onto your opponent’s table and vice versa, and there are even special magic attacks you can use by sinking specific balls when they show up. Add to this an announcer in this mode only who seems to think he’s calling out fatalities in a Mortal Kombat game (a hilarious addition) and you have a crazed variant of pool that’s a true delight in its own right.

When it comes to complaints, you’ve already seen my thoughts on the microtransactions, and as happens with many games stuffed full of microtransactions, the game’s menus are unnecessarily confusing as a result. Also, I have to mention my disappointment that this game doesn’t support local multiplayer, nor does it support gyroscopic motion controls or touchscreen controls for those who may have wanted them, the latter being a bit surprising as this game was originally released on mobile devices after all.

Still, while it definitely has a few problems, mainly due to all the microtransaction junk, it’s hard for me to get too upset here. Pool Blitz is a surprisingly excellent game of Pool for a free-to-play game, and the free price tag does help to justify some of that junk. It’s not anywhere near as good as Pure Pool, but it’s an excellent compromise for players who’d rather not spend money on a game of Pool, and the Blitz mode not only gives this game something truly unique to set it apart, it’s an absolute blast to play. If you’re even mildly interested in Pool, I definitely think you should check this game out.

tl;dr – Pool Blitz is a free-to-play Pool game that offers surprising quality given the free price tag. The monetization here is pretty gross, but if you can tolerate that, I think you’ll find this to be a solid game of Pool, and the game’s signature Blitz mode is a fast-paced and frenetic delight that’s worth checking out in its own right. This game is absolutely one you’ll want to try if you’re even mildly interested in Pool.

Grade: B+

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2024 Game Awards:

Winner:

Best New Free-To-Play Game – This is a solid game of Pool with multiple fun game modes and a lot of personality, and it isn’t terribly bogged down by its monetization. In an age where free-to-play games increasingly seem to forget that the game has to actually be fun and not try to squeeze every last penny out of players through ugly monetization, this seems to be a rare breed.

Runner-Up: Best Driving/Racing/Sports Game, Most Overlooked, The “Wow, this game was way better than I expected!” Award

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