087 · SIDE POCKET

September 27, 2019 · 59 min

Chalk up your favorite cue stick and challenge your friends to the ultimate game of skill... pool! It takes a pretty cool dude to sink the tough shots on this pool table. FOR MORE NESTALGIA as well as show notes and links check out www.NEStalgiacast.com

Show notes

Introductions
Some Recent Mail
- Chris Logel - I can only get to the final battle with Jaws using my rapid fire controller. The final battle is the most frustrating and I have never managed to complete it. #Jaws #NES @EspositoFilm
- Chris Stenshoel - Karate Kid is brutally frustrating. Jaws and Goonies are still fun to play, but that might be because I had them both as a kid.
- Darren on Zanac - I know they’re not exactly sequels but essentially they are. Gun-nac for the NES is far and away my favorite shooter on the nes. And Space Megaforce is my favorite SNES shooter. Both are updated versions of Zanac. I wish they got a shout out on the show.
- Jesse Waldack - it was joked about DK being in Punch Out and relegated to a spectator, but it was never brought up that he IS the final boss in the Wii version of the game.
Development
- Data East
- First on Arcade in 1986, ported a year later just a month after Lunar Pool
First Impressions
- I can’t believe in just one month a new billiard game has completely dethroned the only other billiards game available for the system.
Tales from the Manual
- “English”
- A whole diagram on how to hit a cue ball and how to use a cushion
Objective
- It’s billiards
Gameplay
- Training
  - Practice different kind of shots
  - Even has video replay to show you how to do it
- Controls
  - Let’s compare to Lunar Pool
- Pocket Game
  - The story mode, compete for the World Championship
  - Each course increases the amount of balls and the score required
- 2 Player 9-Ball
  - Players play in rotation, the first player to shoot in the 9 ball wins
  - Where was this mode for 1-player
Sequels and Spinoffs
- Side Pocket for Game Boy
  - featuring a smaller playing field (to compensate with Game Boy's screen), simplified physics and a different screen layout.
  - One unique addition to the Game Boy version is the ability to play single-player nine-ball mode, while in other versions this mode is limited only to two players.
- Side Pocket for Super Nintendo
  - This version features a completely different contents compared to the original, including revamped graphics, new smooth jazz-oriented soundtrack, new sound effects and photo-realistic background sceneries during gameplay. The main game modes remain identical to the original, with several alteration on the Pocket Game mode. This mode now features 5 levels represented as "cities" (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, and Atlantic City) and the player starts with 8 lives. In addition, a new "trick shot" mode is featured, in which the player can try one of the 19 trick shot levels, each with increasing difficulty.
- Pocket Gal
  - arcade adaptation of the NES version of Side Pocket released exclusively for Japan in 1987
- Pocket Gal II
  - English version of Pocket Gal
- Super Pool III (Also Pocket Gal)
  - which removes the stripping
- Pocket Gal Deluxe
  - Released in 1992 it is what the SNES version is based off of
- Side Pocket 2
  - Also known as Minnesota Fats: Pool Legend on the Genesis
  - Side Pocket 2 expands greatly upon the original game by adding various pool games (including eight-ball, straight pool, and one-pocket) and the ability to play against AI-controlled players.
- Side Pocket 3
  - Japan only for Sega Saturn and PSX
  - Unlike the prior installments in the Side Pocket series, Side Pocket 3 renders the pool room environment with 3D polygons. In spite of this, the table can still be viewed in a traditional, top-down fashion.
EGL (Mike, Sean, Joe, Sam)

← TOP GUN MEGA MAN →