Steve Davis Snooker

How can anyone possibly cram all the cool dry wit and sophistication of snooker legend Steve Davis into a mobile game? The answer of course is that you simply can't, hence the creators have tried to cram their game full of options to test out your skills instead. Aside from the actual matches, there's the opportunity to try your hand at Steve’s fiendish trick shots (which he’ll happily talk you through in his own mild-mannered way), as well as a ‘free’ table that lets you place the balls anywhere in order to fit in some much-needed practice.

When you feel you’re ready you can take on the computer or one of your Steve Davis-loving friends and play a best-of-three-frames match. The computer player difficulty settings range from Amateur to Professional and, if that isn’t hard enough, there’s the modestly titled “Steve Davis” level - just in case you’d forgotten that he’s the best - but unless your second name's O'Sullivan or Hendry you should prepare yourself for a thumping if you try your hand at this.

A really important part of any snooker game is being able to leave the cue ball exactly where you want for the next shot so that you’re able to build up a break. This is one area where Steve Davis Snooker shines, providing a great deal of control over the ball and you can strike it with every conceivable kind of spin without suffering the misfortune of it flying off the table and angering the rough-looking bloke in the corner. This gives you the freedom to play snooker in all it’s tactical glory or as a happy-go-lucky ‘smack it and see’ roustabout.

Indeed there’s really only one major problem with Steve Davis Snooker and you’ll encounter it long before you even attempt to put spin on the cue ball or plan the next shot. It’s when you come to the fairly essential technique of aiming the cue. Holding down the buttons too long means the cursor goes too far in the direction your moving but if it’s not held down for long enough, it hardly moves at all. Trying to find a middle ground and move the cursor where you want proves tricky, and even after much practice it’s about as easy as patting your head and rubbing your tummy whilst licking your elbow at the same time.

When it comes to the overall presentation, the game’s as polished as a recently re-positioned pink. The snooker table may be small but the balls are all clearly visible and the colours are easy to make out against the green baize. When you make a shot the balls behave as you’d expect, bouncing merrily around the table until they drop into a pocket or come to a stop. This may sound like basic stuff, but it really has to feel realistic if it’s going to appeal to fans of the game and casual players alike. The sounds don’t amount to much - a beep when you strike the ball, a beep when the ball hit’s the cushion, and a beep when the ball goes in the pocket – and the game, as whole, comes off as so very practical without being too exciting, much like the great man himself.