Thanks to the combination of cue sports and the developer's name Future Games of London, I've had Chas and Dave's 'Snooker Loopy' in my head for much of the time that I've been writing this review.
Don't let that fact mislead you. This is actually a pool game, and the trendy bar in which the action takes place has about as much in common with the smoky pubs in which Chas and Dave are traditionally heard as a milking shed does.
There are plenty of games on which to show off your cue skills on the Android Market, but a glance at the stylish 3D graphics of Pool Bar HD should tell you that it's above the riff raff.
Cue applauseThe table is rendered in 3D, and all the balls roll, reflect, and collide realistically. In a stylistic flourish designed to mimic television coverage of pool (and, let's be honest, all competent pool and snooker games) the camera switches to 'pocket cam' after you've taken your shot to show you every perfect pot and narrow miss.
The controls are tight. You move the cue around by swiping your finger across the top of the screen, and when you're lined up you swipe vertically to take your shot. You can add spin, and nip into 'free view' mode if want more control.
It plays very nicely. The small screen makes it tricky to judge minute differences in cue angle, but this is compensated for in an Easy mode that draws a line to show where the ball will go.
Black balledAnd that's pretty much everything the game has to offer there. There are 8 ball (UK and US) and 9 ball modes, and you can play different numbers of frames, but that's it. There are no tournaments, no online play, and even the achievements that pop up from time to time ('Cannon!', 'Plant!', etc.) don't contribute towards an overall percentage.
This all results in a game that's fun to dip into but unlikely to command much of your time and attention. All the same, it's cheap, good-looking, and solid where it counts.