Jimmy White's 2: Cueball
| Jimmy White's 2: Cueball | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Awesome Developments |
| Publisher(s) | Virgin Interactive |
| Designer(s) | Archer MacLean |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, Dreamcast |
| Release |
PlayStation
Dreamcast
Windows
|
| Genre(s) | Sports simulation – snooker & pool |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Jimmy White's 2: Cueball is a sports simulation video game published by Virgin Interactive as a sequel to Jimmy White's 'Whirlwind' Snooker, and released in 1999 for the PC, Sony PlayStation and Sega Dreamcast. The development team was led by Archer MacLean, the designer of the original game. Cueball is a highly realistic snooker and pool (pocket billiards) simulator.
Improvements over the original
A number of features from Whirlwind Snooker were improved upon for Cueball, most notably the graphics. The game makes use of a 3D accelerator card which enables the player to peruse not only the table, but the entire snooker or pool room. The shadows and reflections of the balls are rendered in much more detail, as are the cushions and pockets. The computer player (now represented by a pair of disembodied hands in white gloves) can be viewed from any angle while taking a shot; these hands also visibly replace the coloured balls once potted.
Other features
Numerous items within the snooker and pool rooms are interactive, some of which (such as the dartboard and draughts table) are mini-games. An arcade machine situated in the pool room even features a fully playable version of Dropzone, one of MacLean's earliest games. The pool room is a bar / diner featuring a fully functioning jukebox and fruit machine.
The game, like its predecessor, features humour elements. Should the computer player lay a particularly nasty snooker, an evil laugh is heard. Taking too long over a shot will send the computer player into a fit of sarcastic coughing. A soundbite of Homer Simpson exclaiming "d'oh" is also heard when a player goes in-off another ball.