This article contains everything you need to know about Arkadium's 8 Ball Pool game. 


Use the list below to navigate specific topics about 8 Ball Pool. 


How to play


Difficulty level. Before starting your pool game, you can choose Easy, Medium, and Hard. The harder it is, the more accurate the opponent's moves will be.



NOTE: This explanation is meant for the single player version of 8 Ball Pool. There is a different game called 8 Ball Pool Together, a version of the game where you can play against online opponents and invite friends.


How to aim. You aim your pool cue and set the power of a shot by holding the mouse button. Your goal is to pocket the colored pool balls of your type while preventing your opponent from doing the same.



As shown here, you shoot the ball by clicking on the left mouse button and clicking back after aiming. The more you pull back, the stronger the shot.



The eight ball. After you pocket all seven of your pool balls, you need to pocket the eight ball (black ball) to win — hence the name 8-ball pool. You must also pocket the black ball exactly into the pocket you choose.


NOTE: be careful! Hitting the black ball into the wrong pocket, or pocketing the black ball before the other seven, results in an instant loss





Menu. You can open the menu by clicking in the 3 line icon in the top left side of the game.


This will open the menu of the game with the available options.


Music will allow you to set the volume of the music in the game.


Sound will allow you to set the volume for all of the different sounds in the game.


Settings will open the settings menu, for which we have more on below.


Help will open the help window, if you would like a refresher on how to play 8 Ball Pool.


Quit will quit the game, if you want to stop or start a new one.


The Settings window looks like this.


It allows you to choose the Table Color by selecting your favoured color in its square, the Pool Cue you use in the game by clicking on the one you like, and you can also click on the tick to Enable Notifications in the game, if you'd like to see the tutorial every time you start.



Daily Challenge


A different way to play. There's a new mode in the 8 Ball Pool called Daily Challenge. Instead of a regular game of pool, this mode poses different challenges for you to pocket balls in different situations. You can test your skills in different ways every day.



Number of tries. You will need a free Arkadium account in order to play the Daily Challenge. You will have one try per challenge. Arkadium Advantage subscribers have three different tries at the challenge.


Clear explanation. Every time you enter Daily Challenge, a screen will show you the challenge's rules. This is a way to get acquainted with the way the challenge is posed and what your objective is.




Multiplayer


8 Ball Pool has a fantastic online multiplayer mode through which you can play against others, either random players online, or invite your friends. However, this mode is not accessed in the original game. It has its own game, called 8 Ball Pool Together.



While this game has the exact same rules as 8 Ball Pool, the multiplayer functions are completely new. We have a full guide detailing it in the Multiplayer Games Article. Please consult it for any further information.



Tips


Additional shot. When you pocket a ball correctly, you are always given a free additional shot. You can chain this effect multiple times. A move that goes against the rules (a foul) will ruin your streak, negate your free shot, and pass the turn to the opponent. 


Fouls. You foul when: 

  • You do not hit any balls or a cushion (the table’s edge) with the cue ball. 
  • The ball you hit does not touch anything else, is not pocketed, and does not hit a cushion. 
  • You hit an opponent’s ball first (or hit black 8 ball while you still have colored balls). Note that before the sides are determined, any player is safe to hit any ball. 
  • You pocket an 8 ball into the wrong pocket (not the one you chose) if that rule is chosen. 
  • On the break shot, no balls are pocketed and fewer than four balls hit the cushions. 
  • You pocket a cue ball. 

 

English spin. You can spin the cue ball by aiming at specific points:

  • The center: a normal hit. 
  • Slightly below the center: STUNS the ball, making it stop dead after the hit. 
  • Above the center: FOLLOW, moving in the same direction after the hit. 
  • Below the center: DRAW, moving backwards after the hit. 
  • Left and right: leans to left or right after the hit. 


Moving the ball. When permitted, one may place the cue ball manually in the desired position. While the cue ball is highlighted with a circle, you can drag it before striking. After your opponent fouls, you will always be able to do so; you can also drag the cue ball in the limited area while breaking the pyramid.



Scoring


Difficulty bonus. There are three levels of the difficulty bonus: 

  • Easy: 0%
  • Medium: +50%
  • Hard: +100%


General scoring. Here is how the scoring works: 

  • Pocketing a ball = (base points + no foul bonus + chain bonus ) * difficulty
    • Base points = 500 * (number of balls pocketed)
    • No foul bonus = 500
    • Chain bonus is 2 or more pocketed balls in a single shot without fouls = 500
  • Pocketing the 8 ball = 5000 * difficulty


Win Counter. A highly requested feature, the win counter allows you to see how many matches you've won or lost against the computer. It has been reintegrated into the game.




Achievements:

  • Lemans shot (pocket 2 or more balls with the opening hit) = 1000 + (number of balls * 500)
  • Double strike (pocket 2 balls in one shot) = 500
  • Triple strike (pocket 3 balls in one shot) = 1500
  • Quad strike (pocket 4 balls in one shot) = 3000
  • Chain (pocket a ball after hitting at least 3 others) = 500
  • One cue (win the entire game without ever letting the opponent shoot) = 5000
  • Perfection (no a single foul) = 1000


NOTE: achievements are not affected by difficulty