Poolster

Poolster is a video game in the sports genre developed by JHC SoftWare and published by JHC SoftWare originally released in 1997. It is currently playable on Windows.

Poolster is a shareware single-player billiards simulator. It was released commercially, but is now available as freeware from the developer's website. Both games use the same engine, so the gameplay is almost identical.

The game is played with only three mouse controls. The strength of the shot is controlled by dragging the cue at the bottom of the screen to the left or right. The further to the right the cue ball tip is, the softer the shot. In the lower right corner of the screen there is a cross symbol representing the cue ball. This is used to control the 'side' and 'backspin', controlling where the cue ball hits. To aim the cue ball, align the cross-shaped cursor in the desired direction and press the mouse button.

The shareware provides in-game help text that opens in a new window, sound effects, an undo function and a 'boss' key. The registered version allows saving/loading the game and includes a 'ball placement' feature that allows players to place a ball and practice trick shots. There is no high score function, end-of-game statistics, sight lines or other player aids.

It is possible that we have multiple downloads available when different versions exist.