This mixed reality pool billiards feels amazingly real - until you lean against the table
You can now play billiards in Mixed Reality on Meta Quest 3 with Miracle Pool. I swung the cue for you.
Mixed reality may still be in its infancy, but it is already delivering amazingly realistic applications. One of them is the new Miracle Pool for Meta Quest 3, Quest 2 and Quest Pro. I set up a virtual pool table in my office and shot some balls.
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My new pool table is here
As soon as I open the app, my brand-new pool table arrives in a huge plywood box. Before I can unpack it, I have to place it in the desired location in my physical environment.
Once the right angle is found, the box falls off and the table stands in the room. Now I have the choice to play it in its original size or in a slightly modified, smaller version. I choose the smaller version because even a virtual pool table needs space and takes up almost all the free space in my office.
During the tutorial, however, I quickly realized that the size is not as problematic as I first thought. The table has a handle on each side. If I hold it there, I can move it around the room at any time and also adjust its height. So you can play Miracle Pool even in the smallest of spaces.
So realistic, I can’t believe it
In the tutorial, I learn how to move the table and use the cue correctly. It works just like real pool. To play a ball, I place my left hand on the virtual table and aim with the cue in my right hand.
When I place the cue, my virtual hand snaps into place and the controller vibrates briefly. The cue is now in place and the basic direction of the shot is set. Now I can aim with my right hand.
Once I have found the right angle for my shot, I press the trigger to "lock in" the shot. Now I can pull and push without worrying about accidentally changing direction.
The physics of the game are almost frighteningly realistic. When I pull up and hit a ball, it feels like I'm moving a real cue against a real ball. The shot angles and the movement of the balls are also amazingly realistic — I make the same mistakes as in real pool.
Miracle Pool has an arcade mode for beginners. The app displays the expected trajectory of the ball depending on how you aim the cue. This allows you to slowly learn how to hold the cue and which shot angle leads to success.
Multiple game modes and rewards
In addition to the classic 8-ball, Miracle Pool also offers 9-ball and 10-ball. You can also play snooker. In single-player mode, you play against a series of AI avatars and earn new skins for the table, balls, and cue. There are also unusual variants such as a broomstick or a Jedi lightsaber for Star Wars fans.
There are mini-games where you have to complete certain tasks in a certain amount of time, and a challenge that changes every day. The latter is particularly tricky as you only get one try at a time. If you fail, you have to wait until the next day to try again.
For multiplayer games, there is an online mode where you can compete directly against friends or randomly drawn players. What I'm still missing is a local multiplayer mode where you can share the VR headset.
My verdict on Miracle Pool
Miracle Pool is a fantastic example of how real mixed reality applications can feel today. From the very first shot, I felt like I was playing real pool. Besides the realism and the numerous game modes, it is the well-thought-out details — like the adjustable table size and positioning or the arcade mode with aiming aid — that make Miracle Pool one of the best mixed reality apps for Meta Quest 3. Just make sure you don't lean against the table out of sheer immersion!
Miracle Pool has been available in the Meta Horizon Store since June 20th and costs $15.
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