Thread: Hustle Kings

The most cash you are probably to watchwith the edge of a pool table is not a wad notes but a stack of 50pence coins placed there by somebody who means to hog the table forthe whole night. Although the cash denominations in Hustle Kingsareunfamiliar to your average pub-going Brit, the core appeal of ahard-fought match versus your peers is captured exactly in thisimposingly rich download-only Vita release title.




Including one of the stiffest tutorialsin the genre assists acquire the title off to a good break. Though Ihave been playing pool with and off for years now, this is the firsttime I have watched a game go out of its way to not just teach youabout the different spin types and the actual reason for applyingchalk to the cue, but as well how to do jump shots and curve the ballabout obstacles.

Later 20 minutes of fairly intense trainingit is off to pick a game mode from the surprisingly large selectionwith offer. You have your standard Exhibition and Tournament ways forone-off play, Trick-shots for the more savvy hustlers, and a Careerway that enforces specific rules and settings for every match.

Theserules can vary between the three main pool types with offer, and thealternatives extend to how much guidance you are afforded about wherethe balls will end up and the control method you will be able toemploy. The three types of controls are graded by trickiness and varyin execution, but every use the touchscreen to pot the cue.

Atthe casual end of the spectrum, your just concern is how much powerto apply. Standard introduces accuracy to the mix, asking you tosweep rear up in as straight a line as possible. Expert brings awayevery assist and needs you to gauge power and accuracy by lookalone.

Although the touchscreen controls are not perfectlysimilar to holding an actual cue, there is however an odd sense ofsatisfaction in slamming a ball perfectly into the far pocket, thanksin no small part to the excellent sound effects that accompany everysmack.


The ball physics are, like you shouldwant, realistic enough to never look as the game has cheated you outof victory, although the speed of play intends that frames can - ifyou are actually good - be above in under a minute.