Trick Shot

Name: Trick Shot
Programmer(s): Howard de St. Germain, Don Hoffman and David Morock
Publisher: IDSI
Year: 1983

Description:

Trick Shot is a really solid pool simulation that came out in 1982 from IDSI (Innovative Design Software). It was made by Howard de St. Germain, Don Hoffman, and David Morock as a follow-up to their earlier Pool 1.5 game, and honestly, they did a great job improving on the formula.

The game supports 1 to 4 players, which is awesome for when you want to challenge your friends. You get a top-down view of the pool table that looks pretty realistic for 1982, and the physics actually feel like real pool. The developers clearly put a lot of work into making the ball movement and collisions feel authentic.

What's really cool about Trick Shot is that it has four different game modes: snooker, billiard, open table, and 3-ball. But the best part is the new Trick Shot mode, where you can set up the balls however you want on the table and try to pull off crazy shots. This was pretty innovative for the time and lets you get really creative with your setups.

The controls are pretty smart too. You use paddle controllers to aim in a full 360 degrees, which gives you way more precision than most games back then. You can control your shot strength from 1 to 8, and there are nine different spots on the cue ball you can hit to control spin and English. You can even adjust the table friction and game speed, which is a nice touch.

One of the coolest features is the replay system that lets you watch your last shot again. This is super helpful for learning from your mistakes or just admiring an awesome shot you made.

Trick Shot is definitely one of the better sports simulations from the early 80s. If you're into pool or billiards, this game really captures what makes the sport fun and challenging.