Buy International Snooker

for me having played the real game and having tried many other so called snooker/pool games have found this version simply brilliant. Yes there are the odd blip, like not being able to move around the table when white is in the 'D' following a foul. so here is my negative list;

Multiplayer very difficult to find players - I would recommend setting up a dedicated data base that shows when people are active that way we could dip in and out. Develop an a web snooker league through steam. I have started a group so if you play snooker please join.

The 3 miss rule, this seems wrong my understanding is player can hit an object ball but chooses not to then miss is called.

not being able to travel around table to see all angles

a change of referree and maybe a comentary?

so not a lot wrong really the points above are basic and could be rectified especially in any new upgrade. I hope that Bighead games do launch the new addition for PC

So for me i love it, great allround play, realistic so anyone not happy remember we are not the Rocket!!!!

This is the best sonooker i've played in a long while , It's a shame there is no local online option like you would get on ipad and I also think the multi player is bit lame ..Never mind if you're not into online then this snooker is sure great fun to play, very realistic. Not bad for the price.

I do enjoy a game of pixel based snooker and pool and have played many different games over the years, from classics such as Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker and Archer Maclean's Pool to World Championship Snooker and Virtual Pool 3. Over the past few years I've found my enjoyment from online game iSnooker, but the high price and lack of improvements in that game have meant I've given up on it forever. So, having given International Snooker a couple of long sessions, where does it stand on the scale? Unfortunately, a far, far way from the top.

The interface for thisg ame is just poor beyond words. You can only cycle through frames, for example, by clicking on the field through all the options and if you go past the option yuo want, you have to click all the way through again to get to where you want. An option to just cycle up AND down would have been an obvious choice here. The menus are like this for everything and quickly become frustrating. Furthermore, most game modes are locked from the beginning and can only be unlocked by winning tournaments, so if you're keen to play pool more than snooker, you're going to have to play a lot of snooker for the privilege.

The gameplay itself does not fare much better. The camera options are limited to overhead and table level, which is pretty standard, but during a shot you have no control and the AI picks the most awkward angles to show the shots from. Pots that would be impossible in real life - and would indeed not even be attempted by the top pros - can be pulled off with ease here whilst the AI play is erratic at best. Black off the spot? Not if a thin cut pink to the green pocket that offers worse position for the next red is there for the taking. Of course that doesn't matter, as an equally outrageous red will then be pulled off the AI, who will then miss a simple black off the spot in what is a real Jekyll and Hyde display. Perhaps the pink up to baulk was the right shot after all?

The whole thing just feels like a huge step backwards from the games that have come before it. This is tedious, processional snooker at its most basic and uninspiring, and a game I simply can't find any reason to recommend to anyone.

If you are after a snooker sim, this is the game for you.. Smooth shots, smooth ball movement and very nice environment. Absolutely great in those respects.. However, lazy devs, have completely and utterly failed to produce a two player game that has any kind of reliable multi player. If you want to play vs AI then your laughing, if you want to play against another human? best of luck with that. I have played maybe 5 vs games online in the 30 plus hours of game play on steam and they mean nothing anyhow so people just concede on you mid break.. such a shame, lazy attitude towards multiplayer on a two player game by the dev team means that i cant recommend this title with a clear conscience.

"Quite possibly the most realistic Snooker game to come to any gaming platform"

Well... if I were a betting man I'd wager against that. It most certainly isn't the most fun snooker/pool/billiards game I've ever played.

Snooker games, by default, are always a little bit slow and can be a little boring at times but there are many ways to speed things up considerably and/or create a little more immersion than just looking at a cue and a bunch of balls for the entirety of the game.

Some of those things could be (none of these are implemented in this game but have been in other, earlier games in the same genre):

Immersion
- Showing the players during, but at least before they start the match. They get introduced, wave at the crowd, receive a bit of applause and so forth.
- Showing the players after winning a frame or match: are they affected by that respotted black game?
- Getting a maximum break in a tournament. In real life, you'll see players crying, getting congratulations from everybody including the opponent, receiving paychecks and what not. In this game, you'll get a message once the frame finishes: "You made a maximum break. Brag about it on Facebook". That's it.
- The thrill of winning a tournament. Surely, a bit more than looking at a rotating cup is not too much to ask?

But, since most of its predecessors did not have any immersion like that either, maybe this game will make up for it in the fluid gameplay? Because with fluid, exiting gameplay you'd still have a solid billiards game. Unfortunately, no:

- When playing against the AI, your opponent will have some sort of "I'm going to make a 26 break now" mindset. So what he'll do is make 7 shots in a row, some of them near impossible because his shot selection can be awful at times. Then he'll miss a really simple shot, probably because he reached the quota he was looking for. Not something you'd expect from "the most realistic Snooker game" if you ask me.
- The game should find the ball I most likely will try to pot next. Instead, it will default to some awkwardly placed ball on the cushion, forcing you to do way too much manually.
- Which brings me to the next point: it's too hard to aim. The mouse is too sensitive, and there's no "fine tune aim" button.
- Instead, to fine tune you'll need to adjust the camera. And adjusting the camera will need a click on the camera icon. Why are no shortcut keys implemented? Why not make use of the middle of right mouse button? That is just plain lazy. It's like they never even played their own game.

So because of various reasons, taking a shot will take way too long. Resulting in a very tedious exercise, a single frame will take you a long time. Then take into account that to win a single tournament, you'll need to win a best of 3 games, then two best of 5 games, then a best of 7 game, and last but not least a best of 9 game. Now, after several hours of tedious play you get to claim your reward: the visual of a spinning cup. Rock! Just 11 more tournaments of exactly the same to go! However, I am almost certain most people will not even reach the point of winning a single tournament.

There are some good things about the game, like the stuff you can buy with upgrade points (different chalk to get more spin on the ball, different cues to be able to hit harder etc) but to get to these rewards you'll need to grind endlessly.

Since this is the only Snooker game on Steam, I'll probably end up playing it some more but I cannot recommend it to anyone.
Instead, look for Pool Nation. It's just pool but literally everything has been done better in that game.

If you are a fan of snooker games then you will probably like this version. The interface is simple and easy to navigate. Controling the cue ball is very good with the various spin options ie top spin back spin and side spin all having a positive effect on positioning so you feel like you're playing snooker having to plan your next shot in advance. The AI can sometimes be inconsistant with your opponent missing easy shots one minuet then the next potting from one end of the table to the other. Their are various unlockables to be had by earning points for competing in tournaments ie different cue's, auto chalk, 8 ball and 9 ball pool. The graphics look decent and the sound effects feel authentic you can hear coughing sounds coming from the audience. Overall i would give this game 7.5 out of ten.

- AI is idiot, it always tries the worst chances and miss the easiest ones.
- If AI wants to win he can go straigt 100 or more points with worst shoots could be choosen.
- Worst thing is not AI it is the mouse control!!! sometimes you have to spend 5 minute to find the right aim with mouse.
- There is a big physics problem in this game especially when the balls hit the sides they become much more faster.
- You have to score big if you want to win a tournament otherwise AI never makes mistakes even it chooses the worst and impossiable balls to shoot.


Buy it only you are a fan of Billards and Snooker.

This game is like marmite, you either love it or hate it.
For me love it, i am a pool and snooker fan.
Pros:
Addictive, not bad graphics, easy to play, cheap for a game.
Cons:
Audience are annoying sometimes (excessive coughing), aiming can be a bit tricky at times, AI can be stupid.
But for £9.99 well worth every penny, even for a pass time game, youl come back for more.

hints:
you can use your left and right on your keyboard to aim.
You can buy auto chalking from the shop.
Snooker an AI and alot of times they`l miss.

Thumbs up from me (:

Not bad but does feel like a direct port from a mobile / tablet game as the fine tuning can be very sensitive at times, no pad support (like pool nation for instants), huge mobile device like buttons and it doesn't even utilise the right mouse-click.

I've also won too frames from the lower AI being incapable of getting out of the most simply of snookers that 'it' itself got itself into and won 2 frames as a result of the 3 miss rule.

Aside from that for a fiver (or £2.50 as I paid) it's fine but certainly no more.

After reading some of the reviews for this title, some of them seem a little unfair.

If you are after a nice little game of snooker and don't care if it has fancy graphics or well known players - its great.

I agree it is a little easy, it's quite simple to make breaks that IRL would be almost impossible. But if you enjoy snooker as a spectator this is a great game.

Although it lacks the humour and feel of old time (Archer Maclean) classics like Jimmy White and Pool, it's still a solid representation of the game of snooker.

Personally, I don't feel that the physics are wrong, the cushions and pockets feel (to me) like they should and are a close approximation of a real "fast" table.

I like that you can drop in and out of tournaments and that you can speed up the play of AI opponents.

I'm not that fond of the woman they got to do the voice overs inbetween frames, but it serves a purpose I suppose.

All in all it's an excellent and very playable snooker game and I'm glad I purchased it.

If you are after a snooker game then this a good game with a fair price and great graphics. But there a few things to note. First off you are probably going to want to leave the aiming guides turned on. This isn't cheating, it just compensates for the lack of depth perception that is inherent in virtual pool games, at least until there is a version that uses the oculus. If you stick to playing in first person it gives a fairly realistic feel and balance to the game. If you turn them off then you end up playing nearly every shot from the overhead camera view which makes if feel like an 8-bit arcade game. Also lining up the shots in the overhead view without the guides is so frustrating that you'll find yourself moving your head to strange angles and spending a few minutes on every shot to try and find the right line, only to miss by an inch or two anyway. Changing to the overhead view at all could be considered cheating but it is the only way to get a overview of the layout since you can't walk around the table while playing, something that I found lacking. There are also shots where the pool cue completely obstructs the view while in first person, which is odd since a little tranparency would have been an easy fix here. Changing to the overhead view is a must in this case.

To play you set the desired spin, cue angle and power level before clicking on a button to fire the shot. A mouse driven cue and power action is sorely missed here. Coupled with the guides it takes nearly all of the interactive feel of the game away. However, since spin, power and cue ball placement are so important in the game of snooker it still has its merits as a tactical game or training aid.

As mentioned in other reviews, the AI is inconsitent because they will play poorly for half a game and then trot out a break of 50 or more at the end. I also feel guilty when snookering the opponent since in many cases they will miss, at least in the early stages of a tournament, and it is so easy to force them to replay the shot and win the frame by default after the third miss. They simply don't change the shot they attempted the first time.

I'd recommend the game to anyone with a passion for snooker but I'd be raving about the game if these points were addressed. As it stands I'll just have to repeat that it is a good game with a fair price and great graphics.

The following review is taken from Whiskey Reviews (http://wskosc.blogspot.co.uk).

Info:
Platform: PC
Release Date: 11 January 2013
Developer: Big Head Games
Publisher: KISS ltd
Where to get it: Steam
Price: Around £9.99

Snooker is one of those great British passtimes that's perhaps not as well appreciated as its more fun-loving cousin Pool. Snooker is a game of thinking two moves ahead, calculating angles and ball travel and executing the perfect shot to ensure you stay in the lead over your equally cunning opponent. It's kind of like if chess had big red balls and a stick.

International Snooker is all of those things and none of those things. It's like someone handed the task of creating a Snooker simulator to a bunch of aliens that don't understand what makes the sport great, or what makes a game good for that matter. I can't bring myself to hate the game, for every glaring flaw in every single aspect of the game I still can't get angry at it. It feels more like a dog with no legs that's bitten you, you should get angry but look at its adorable eyes, it's trying so hard despite everything wrong.
Actually no, ♥♥♥♥ that. Today we're going to rip into International Snooker for the piece of ♥♥♥♥ that it is.


Right from the moment you boot up the game you're greeted by ugly menu screens and an options menu that doesn't respond to anything but the left click. Pausing the game with the escape key requires you to click one of the menu options to do anything rather than the standard of hitting escape to continue.
The options are sparse and I'm not even sure anything other than the resolution options did anything but playing in anything less than maximum resolution resulted in the dull grey boxes looking like Leatherface's razor blades and about as appealing.
Getting into a match doesn't make the UI any better either. There's no analogue controls other than turning your aim left and right and everything is accomplished through clicking buttons and moving sliders around. There's a slider for shot power, a circular slider for where to hit the ball, another slider for cue angle and a button that you have to press every couple of shots to manually chalk your cue. It sounds fine in theory but the dull little lifeless swish sound you have to endure without any animation whatsoever every time you click it makes you acutely aware that a second of your life has just ticked away and you'll never get it back.
The lack of analogue interaction has sucked all the soul out of playing. Clicking the big white circle that's supposed to represent the cue ball is just cold and impersonal in an age of analogue controllers and mice. Setting the power with a slider rather than actually making a shooting motion with the mouse or an analogue stick to set the power organically feels like you've got some kind of perfect shot cheat mode activated, especially if you have the shot guide turned on to show what directions the balls will go.

It's not just the UI that's bad, there are so many other problems with the presentation.
Pretty much everyone can picture the up-close texture of baize, the way it kind of has little lines in and manages to look both fluffy and smooth at the same time. Imagine the wonderful texture of it against your hand as you support the cue for a critical shot. Hold that image in your mind's eye, then chuck it out and imagine the look of soggy corrugated cardboard, the kind of cheap ♥♥♥♥♥♥ cardboard that's practically see-through. International Snooker's tables look like they've been topped with a thin coating of Soylent Green.
Equally offensive is the announcer. A soft female voice of indeterminate Scottish or Irish descent that sounds like they've overdosed on valium and are reading out numbers while waiting for death. You know you're onto a winner with your announcer when the players can hear their equal parts desperation for a paycheck and boredom at reading a script of numbers. Listening to the announcer read our your score after every shot is like staring into the abyss of soul crushing depression, or living in Glasgow.
On a lighter tone the audience at least seems to have a bit of sass. Despite looking like a bunch of papier mache abominations they show a surprising amount of personality; remaining stoically silent while I scored 60 points shot after shot until at last a single member of the crowd had the audacity to clap. If the world of International Snooker were a real place I'm sure the clapee had been dragged off and quietly suffocated with Jim Davidson's ball sack. This would be fine and well if the developers hadn't gone out of their way to make sure the player feels like a ♥♥♥♥ by having the audience go wild when the AI pots a single red ball from an inch away.

I've already talked a lot about the graphics and sound so I'll keep this brief. This is a game where the carpets have a more detailed texture than the cue and a sandblasted ♥♥♥ cheek could produce a more convincing reflection than the balls. The texture of which is just a flat, matte colour that makes it look like the balls are sliding around rather than rolling.
Not chalking your cue every couple of shots results in an outright offensive sound effect that's like the suspension of a Robin Reliant giving way to the most depressing dogging session in recorded history in addition to your shot being less accurate and powerful. There's audio that indicates the chalk is wearing off but just like the rest it's so depressing and uninteresting that it tends to get lost in the big sucking pit of crappiness.

Overall International Snooker is a functional simulation of the game but not a good one. It's graphically passable but it's the kind of game you give to someone when you want to drive them into a spiral of depression, alcoholism, self destructive tendencies and finally a crippling, fatal drug addiction culminating in getting shanked in a Pool hall by Shady Joe because they tried to hustle him for money to feed their coke habit.
It's like an anti-snooker PSA in game form. It destroys any love for the sport you may have while eroding your will to live with every frame.

Score: 2 out of 10 Samaritans volunteers have been called by International Snooker players.

Madmike1968

Love this game! AI players get annoying playing difficult shots when snookered. But its fun when you dont use aim bar. The game will be better if they brought dlc packs like: killer, rotation and straight pool.

I got my ♥♥♥ handed by a Mike Wang , gg.

DO NOT BUY THIS GAME if you expect to play it multiplayer - it is impossible to play a single frame without having it disconnect and this issue has never been solved.

I do not recommend this game at all

Got a key a little while ago from a bundle i bought over a year ago. I thought i would give it a go as i used to quite like snooker.
Glad i did as it's a very fun and polished little game. It is very easy to pick up and play for someone like me that knows the rules of snooker and have played it a bit but am also a pretty rubbish player:)
There are lots of tournaments to enter and credits to be won. You can then spend them on upgrades, different cues, auto-chalk and the like. The AI is pretty good, doesn't cheat and does make mistakes. Obviously it gets better the further you get in a tourny but the difficutly is nicely curved.
The graphics are good as are the sound effects. A special mention goes to the crowd. They ohh and ahhh when you miss and pot a difficult shot you'll be met with a cheer. You'll even hear them cry 'go on my son' and cough. And too much noise will be met with a shhh from the ref.

If you like snooker even a bit you will enjoy this game. It's addictive and fun. I recommend picking it up on sale at least. Oh and it has pool too.

If you are a fan of Snooker, you will appreciate this title, as the physics are fairly true to form. Since this is only a simulation, the game has to be a little forgiving in certain areas...namely that the rounded pockets seem to allow balls to "bank in" more than in real life. It's great that you can unlock other forms of pool simply by completing in-game challenges, rather than having to pay for them. There are no Steam achievements, but the in-game trophies are fun to earn. The best part of this game is the online community; you can learn a lot from your multiplayer partners.


Heroes of Gamers Haven: Forum


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo_OSQc62WU

A Quite good game for Snooker fans, it does have some control issues that don't effect the game as a whole in playability but can make moving your cue more tedious than it has to be.

Video Review Below:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=269704499

"Quite possibly the most realistic Snooker game to come to any gaming platform "- I strongly disagree with this statement, in fact it is most misleading and untrue statement you could possibly make about a snooker game. I have played many and this one is the worst of the lot.

It is too easy, the pockets are too large, the cushions and bay are unrealistic, too fast, too bouncy...not to mention spin control is totally off and you dont even get a real player animation. In my opinion the trading standards people would rule this game "not fit for purpose" which i most definately would agree with. DO NOT PURCHASE THIS GAME.

Ok 1st off i am only recommending this game because its the only true full snooker game on steam. Right now to the actual game well 1st off ( IT IS NOT THE MOST REALISTIC SNOOKER GAME TO COME TO ANY PLATFORM ) why you ask well if you have played any snooker game say WSC for instance then this is pritty much the same. Has for the phyisics well they are ok but the balls seam to glide rather than roll the graphics are much the same has any other game. The AI is gonna make you frustrated it will pot balls from any position and i mean any if you have played real snooker and are decent enough player you will understand there are no players in game just a cue no ref just the voice wich sounds like a robot. That said there is still some fun to be had but i cant help feel even in 2014 we are still getting what looks like graphics from the middle of the 2000's