Play Side Pocket Online

Side Pocket came out for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987, published by Data East. It was part of a wave of sports games trying to capture the feel of real world activities on the 8-bit hardware, and it stood out for focusing purely on pool when many other titles covered more traditional athletic events.

You control the cue stick, carefully positioning it around the white ball to set up your shot. The main goal in the single player Pocket mode is to clear the table of all numbered balls within a limited number of shots while also reaching a target score. You earn points by sinking balls, with bonuses for consecutive pots or sinking them in numerical order. Sometimes a pocket will flash; if you can sink a ball into that specific pocket, you get a bonus, which might be extra points, additional shots, or a special trick shot challenge. The game has a deliberate pace, demanding you think about angles and power on every turn, and the difficulty comes from managing your limited shots across increasingly complex table layouts. It feels like a thoughtful puzzle disguised as a game of pool.