| Lunar Pool | |
|---|---|
Box cover of Lunar Pool for the NES |
|
| Developer(s) | Compile |
| Publisher(s) | Pony Canyon, Inc. (Japan) FCI (North America) |
| Platform(s) | NES, Virtual Console |
| Release date(s) | NES JP December 5, 1985 NA October 1987 EU 1991 Virtual Console JP December 11, 2007 NA October 22, 2007 EU August 10, 2007 |
| Genre(s) | Cue sports game |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Media/distribution | cartridge |
Lunar Pool (known as Lunar Ball in Japan) is a rough simulation of pool (pocket billiards) combined with aspects of miniature golf, created by Compile for the Nintendo Entertainment System and MSX, in which each stage is a differently shaped pool table. The object is to knock each ball into a pocket using a cue ball. There are sixty levels to choose from, and the friction of the table is adjustable.
The Japanese Lunar Ball version often appears on Famicom clone systems and pirated multi-game cartridges, such as the Power Player Super Joy III. It was released for the Wii on the North American Virtual Console on October 22, 2007.
Lunar Pool is played in boards of different shapes, wherein the player has to shoot the cue ball to knock other colored balls into the pockets. If the player fails to pocket at least one colored ball in three consecutive turns, then the player will lose one life. Also, if the player pockets his own cue ball, he loses a life.
If a player pockets all the colored balls in a level consecutively without failure, the player will get a "Perfect!" remark, and bonus points will be added to the player's score.
Lunar Pool can either be played alone, against another player, or against the computer. If the game is played against another player or the computer, players take turns shooting the cue ball. If one player fails to knock at least one of the colored balls into a pocket, or pockets his own cue ball, then it will be the opponent's turn.