Side Pocket 3 (1997)

Developer: Data East
Publisher: Marvelous, HAMSTER, ProSoft, Data East
Platforms: PlayStation 3, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, PlayStation Portable
Genres: Sport

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More games like this

How it feels

A calm, focused billiards sim where you line up shots at your own pace without much pressure or spectacle.

casualrelaxinglow-keystraightforwardmethodicalmodestlightheartedskill-based

About

Side Pocket 3 is a Japan-exclusive pocket billiards video game for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Like its predecessor, Side Pocket 2, it features the in-game likeness of a real-life professional pool player. In this case, it's JPBA member, Kyoko Sone. Unlike the prior installments in the Side Pocket series, Side Pocket 3 renders the pool room environment with 3D polygons. In spite of this, the table can still be viewed in a traditional, top-down fashion. Play modes consist of: story mode, training mode, trick game mode, and versus mode. Game variants include: eight ball, nine ball, rotation, 14.1 continuous, bowlliards, cutthroat, three ball, poker, pocket game, mitsudama, and yotsudama.

Screenshots

More games like this

More by Data East

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.