I personally spent almost all my weekend challenging other players to pool games. This is why this article became a bit late than I expected. My dad loves to play Billiard which is drastically different than pool. I never got into the actual game because I tore the “Carpet” on my dad’s table when I was young. Naturally I was banned from coming near the table. I will be honest with you, before playing one of these pool games for Android, I didn’t even know the rules of pool. Thankfully the game itself is very easy to understand and extremely fun to play. I still like RPG games for Android more than others but these 8 Ball Pool vs 9 Ball Pool vs Pool Mania comparisons were a refreshing change.
Our Ratings:
8 Ball Pool: 4 out of 5 Stars 9 Ball Pool: 4 out of 5 Stars Pool Mania: 4 Out of 5 Stars
Google Play Ratings:
8 Ball Pool: 4.4 out of 5 Stars
9 Ball Pool: 4 out of 5 Stars
Pool Mania: 4.3 Out of 5 Stars
The Good
All of the Android pool games come with great controls. This means your experience will not be hindered by flunkey controls. The games all run smooth on almost any device. I recommend that you use a tablet for the optimal experience but smartphones will work perfectly fine. The apps are free to play and there is not a lot of pressure to purchase goodies with real life money.
The Bad
While each and every game in the 8 Ball Pool vs 9 Ball Pool vs Pool Mania comparison comes with some unique features, all are essentially free to play games. The first game, 8 Ball Pool doesn’t have any single-player options. The second game for some reason drains the battery a tiny bit faster and the last game doesn’t have any multiplayer of sorts.
The Bottom Line
All of the pool games for Android in this comparison offer something unique for the players. If you are looking for something specific, one of the games will provide you that very experience. Want to play competitive games? You can do that with the 8 Ball Pool. Want to play versus friends and bots? The 9 Ball Pool has you covered and what if you need a no pressure single player experience? Pool Mania has your back.
Getting Started – 8 Ball Pool Wins
The free pool games for Android in this comparison all come with great tutorials. But getting into the game with ease is what 8 Ball Pool provides. Don’t get me wrong, all three games allow you to get into the action fast but the tutorial on the 8 Ball Pool is optional as well as very precise. The worst offender of a long and needless tutorial is Pool Mania. It forces you to play through the whole thing in order to complete the tutorial. You can however quite at any time but I always need a closer look from the app’s side before moving on.
Graphics and Interface –8 Ball Pool Wins
This is a tough call to make and it came down to personal preference. Both 8 and 9 ball pool games come with good graphics. The interface is surprisingly almost the same on all the games though. 8 Ball Pool wins because its interface is a lot more seamless and is snappy. The graphics are a draw between the 9 ball and 8 Ball apps. Check them all out and see if anything clicks with you or not. Pool Mania comes in third thanks to its omnipresent ads on the left side of the screen. They are simply distracting.
Controls – Pool Mania Wins
The controls on all of the apps are great. You can move the stick around with your finger and when you are ready to take the shot you can drag the stick according to the power you need. There is also a cue ball on the screen which lets you set the place where you exactly want to hit the cue ball. This allows you to play some really amazing shots. Most of the guys I played with online never used this essential feature. There is something amazingly satisfying about making the cue ball go back after putting a ball in the net. Pool Mania wins simply because it comes with an accurate aiming bar at the bottom of the screen. Tap on the left to slightly move your stick to the left and same with the right. This little feature allows you to make accurate and well calculated shots.
Online – 8 Ball Pool Wins
If you are looking for online competitive play, then get the 8 Ball Pool hands down. The internet connectivity is amazing and never once I was forced to abandon a game due to shoddy internet. The matchmaking is precise and fair. You are matched with people of the same level as you, so you won’t get utterly thrashed by a veteran. The overall gameplay is great and each move comes with a timer.
The best part is that both players will need to place some cash on the table to play. This means even of the other player rage quits, you will get all the cash in the pool (pun intended). This anti-rage quitting mechanic works well because I never once saw someone leave a match. The social aspect of 8 Ball Pool is also great, you can send short messages to other players too.
Solo Relaxing – Pool Mania Wins
Pool Mania comes with levels. That’s right; there are levels in the game which you need to clear. You can take your time devising a play and execute it at your own leisure. There are a ton of levels with gradually increasing difficulty for you to play. This means there is no competitive play here. The 9 Ball Pool also comes close with its play with Bots feature. That game pits you against an Artificial Intelligence (AI) bot which is surprisingly great at the game.
Conclusion:
I cannot just give you a pool game which completely wins the comparison. Sure the 8 Ball Pool comes on top if you consider the overall aspects. But what if you don’t want the pressure of competitive online play? Then that game is utterly useless for you. So I recommend that you try out all three games with an open mind and decide for yourself which one is the best for you. If you value single player puzzle like challenges, I have highlighted a game for that. If you want to play with your buddies online, the 9 Ball Pool has those features as well. Now rub some chalk on your index finger and go play some pool!
