World Snooker Championship 2008 (3D)

It says something about our passion for sport when even snooker players – who previously were at the bottom of the league when it came to glitz and glamour – are able to take on the role of style icons. The late Paul Hunter was described by many as the 'David Beckham of the snooker world', helping the sport gain mainstream attention and bringing legions of new fans to it in the process.

Hunter's trump card was that, as well as looking good, he could also play – it's unlikely that many of those new fans would have clung onto their new sport otherwise. Blade Interactive's second attempt at bringing snooker to mobiles has much of the same aims, bringing a touch of elegance and polish to a sport that runs the risk of being a very solemn affair. There's no doubting WSC 2008's commitment to class – what is in question is whether its take on the sport translates to an engaging package for the player.

By and large, it doesn't, even though the developer has taken steps to right the wrongs of its first outing last year.

Namely, its physics. Balls behave as they should, and it's very rare that you'll be left puzzled after taking a shot. In this sense, WSC 2008 is as close to the workings of real snooker as any game has managed in recent history. Blade has ensured that its package isn't solely about squaring off on the table, either – there are one or two extras ensuring WSC 2008 is certainly feature-rich.

In total, 32 licensed players have made the line-up and, as well as having a standard Tournament mode, Blade has also included a nifty little 'Tricks Shot' option. Said trick fiesta features your usual assortment of set-ups, such as potting a ball without actually touching it, or potting balls in succession with just one shot, and there's also a Challenge section, which places you in tricky situations mid-match and charges you with getting out of it.

It's not unfair to suggest that the latter two modes offer much more spice than the game's standard Tournament option, which is devoid of any kind of flavour and is weighed down by its commitment to honouring its chosen sport instead of celebrating it.

Initially choosing just where and how you want to strike the cue ball is hampered by the fact that the 3D camera is stuck to the ball itself. Though you are able to pan up and down using the soft key, often the balls can be so far down the table that success is a matter of luck over judgement – much like the first instalment in the franchise.

Even with the game's line-guide flashing away, anything other than a very short and close shot is very difficult to judge in the 3D mode, meaning that you'll spend a lot of your time in the overhead view.

It's a frustrating fault given that, overall, WSC 2008 is graphically loaded, its 3D visuals taking the average mobile game to new heights. However, these niggles become less noticeable in the 'Tricks' section, where players are given as many attempts as they need to get the shot on target. It's actually a useful schooling system, helping to aid progress in the main game.

What holds Blade's effort back is its lack of a soul. There's no rapport with any of the game's 32 players, who are wasted beyond being anything more than mere names. Though the developer no doubt wanted to stay true to the sport, an arcade style approach would have probably resulted in a better end product.

It would be unfair to suggest that Blade hasn't taken steps forward with the franchise based on comparisons between WSC 2008 and the previous year's release, but from our point of view we'd humbly suggest the developer should probably focus on combining the game's immaculate presentation with a less stringent take on the sport next time out. Until that time, gamers will be better off checking out Player One's Ronnie O'Sullivan franchise.

World Snooker Championship 2008 (3D)

Keeping to the letter of the law is admirable, but when it comes to snooker on the mobile, an arcade style approach would have ultimately done WSC 2008 more favours
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Keith Andrew
Keith Andrew
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font. He's also Pocket Gamer's resident football gaming expert and, thanks to his work on PG.biz, monitors the market share of all mobile OSes on a daily basis.