Pool Tour Masters is one of the latest Windows 10 releases from Game Troopers and offers you the chance at online billiard matches, as well as offline pass/play games.
The Windows 10 Mobile title has several gaming arenas to play from and a store full of custom pool cues to buy with your winnings. Pool Tour Masters supports Facebook login where you can challenge your friends to a friendly game of eight-ball.
The free game has colorful and clean graphics, mechanics simple and Pool Tour Masters is a simple way to challenge your aim and touch with a pool cue. Overall, Pool Tour Masters is a fun game to pass a little down time with, but the pace of play could use a little boost.
The primary menu for Pool Tour Masters feels a little cluttered and offers a host of options ranging from access to settings, selecting your gaming mode and visiting the store to find a new pool cue. Pool Tour Masters' settings include a few options to log into the gaming server, as well as sound and help options. Logging into the game allows you to build a gaming profile and can be accomplished through your Facebook account, GStudio account, or if you prefer, you can play Pool Tour Masters as a guest.
At first launch, Pool Tour Masters walks you through a very brief tutorial on how to play the game. Gameplay is from an overhead view of the billiard table and mechanics are simple. Tap and slide your cue around to line up your shot with a white line appearing to help visualize your aim. You can adjust the English for the shot by tapping the cue ball that sits in the upper right corner of the game screen. When everything is lined up right, slide your finger across a power meter rests at the bottom of the screen and release your touch when you reach the desired power for your shot.
Pool Tour Masters offers three gaming modes. Play and Win is an online game where you play against other gamers. Tournament mode is a multi-stage game where you face multiple online opponents. Offline mode is a single or two player game that is done in pass and play style.
Each mode requires an entry fee and offers a variety of venues that range in fees and winnings. For example, the Jakarta Volcano room has an entry fee of 5,000 coins and a prize of 9,500 coins. The German Masters tournament has an entry fee of 50,000 coins and a grand prize of 550,000 coins. The offline games also require coins to play (50 for single player, 100 for two-player). I'm not sure I like this feature, but compared to other entry fees it's a drop in the bucket.
Coins are awarded as you win games and tournaments, as well as you earn achievements. Free coins are available periodically (viewing an advertisement is required) and a Lucky Box mode allows you to spin a wheel of chance to win free coins.
Gameplay is not very different than your typical game of billiards. The overhead view provides a clean view of the table and your stats run along the top of the display. Stats includes player information, balls left on the table, a game timer and a menu button (options to forfeit the game, change your cue and mute the sound).
Gameplay is turn-based and each turn is timed. If the green timer bar runs out before you take your shot, you lose the turn. While the game of billiards with Pool Tour Masters is enjoyable, the pace of play can be painfully slow. Each player has about twenty seconds to line up and take a shot.
I've played matches where there is no activity by my opponent until the last few seconds, as well those who are indecisive and look are every possible shot. While twenty seconds is plenty of time to take a shot, some styles of play can drag things out, sucking the life out of any entertainment value. You do have the option to send pre-defined messages to your opponent that include phrases such as "Good Shot", "Good Luck" and "Hurry Up". Sometimes the latter does the trick, but patience is often the key to enjoying Pool Tour Masters.
Overall, I liked Pool Tour Masters and found it to be a good addition to GameTroopers portfolio. It is a simple approach to an entertaining and challenging game. The online component to the free Windows 10 Mobile game provides a level of variety to Pool Tour Masters. Just keep in mind that, like any other online game, Pool Tour Masters entertainment value can be influenced by the attention span of your opponent.
