For all their capacity to amaze, there are some things that videogames, in their current form, simply cannot do: synthesise the taste of a succulent joint of pork, for example, or take care of irksome household cleaning (much as 1980s Tomorrow’s World liked to convince us otherwise). Sadly for Sega though, another more important addition to that list comes through the simulation of realistic snooker safety play; a phenomenon more the fault of traditional control pad design than any group of programmers.

Faced with an analogue stick too sensitive to successfully simulate the smooth motion of a well-delivered cue, Blade finds itself with little alternative than to create a digital option, offering information about the relative angles of object and cue ball. Therefore, before every shot players can view arrows showing the directions of the two, as well as a rough circle showing the white’s finishing spot. Trouble is, to save players faffing about with arbitrary levels of shot power, the system only appears once you’re applying enough oomph to actually reach the ball you’re trying to hit. Sounds helpful enough, but there are plenty of implications that arise as a result.

For a start, we’re sure any snooker fan out there is pretty aware of situations during matches in which reds are placed so dangerously that neither player wants to do anything more complex than simply roll up to the bunch, to play safe. Frustrating stuff, but relatively rare all the same. Armed with Blade Interactive’s aiming mechanism though, not only is it possible to achieve this feat with ease, but leaving an awkward shot behind any ball, regardless of table position, also becomes a viable shot option. Of course your opponent – be they CPU controlled or at the pad – can simply return the favour ad nauseam, so a certain degree of self-restraint is required to keep the whole thing from descending into chaos, as both players chase a single ball around the table.

Another technical fault prevents meltdown, though. If you are given concrete evidence of whether or not you’re going to touch the object ball, a whole range of absurd regular safety shots rear their heads, an example being baulk line attempts to plant the merest clip on a red lodged against the top cushion. In one match deadlocked at 50 points each, our CPU opponent completed a kiss on a red, doubling across the table after jawing the ball to land back in baulk, while using the spider. At least AI opponents are afforded the same pinpoint accuracy offered to players, right?

Although pretty extensively expanded upon, that’s about it as far as problems go, with several of the series’ rough corners receiving a gentle sanding down. To begin with, instead of facing a cold choice between a setting of on or off, atmosphere-establishing shots, such as those showing the players’ slightly uncanny faces or the ref re-spotting a ball, can be skipped with a speedy button press. The snooker commentary, provided by Messrs. Virgo, Davis and Parrott features a bizarre Ghost Recon-style picture-in-picture cut-away, popping up every so often to reveal their virtual selves within a makebelieve broom cupboard somewhere. Though it still suffers from occasional buffoonery (notable examples include JV saying we were “in for an uphill struggle” at break-off, ball in hand), one or two actually intended laughs result. When at the table, targeting begins to make a little more sense, in so far as it offers novices just the right amount of assistance without being able to lay a five pence piece on where the balls will come to rest. A suitably tense atmosphere develops from this point on, as focus shifts to developing reds through cannons, screw-backs and the like: the area of the real-life game of snooker dividing glorious success and pitiable failure.

Most parlour sports titles often include a number of related pursuits as a second-thought change of pace (Jimmy White-endorsed darts feature most prominently in the mind). Here, it’s a different ball game (ho ho), as pool receives its own separate and equally packed tour, taking in realworld events such as the US Open and Mosconi Cup. Said events are staged in purpose-built venues, packed with coloured lights, whooping fans and other ungentlemanly distractions. A separate, American commentary team adds authenticity, though the female half of this sounds like she’s trying to spice up the world paint-drying championships. Tournaments cover nine and eight-ball pool, though billiards and bar billiards are also available aside from the main event. Finally, Kudos is also due for the ease with which Blade has mapped the physical controls to the pad. Though the fundamental flaw at its core will continue to loom large, you’ll still find your irritation caused not by the length of frames, but the pesky shortness of the days you’re trying to fit them into.

Dave Shaw