There's a Free Pool Game on PS5 Now, And It Ain't Bad

Update: Pool Blitz developer Cherry Pop Games reached out to us to confirm that the game did release a day early in Europe, hence some of its features weren't functioning properly. All should be resolved as of 16th May, 2023.

An unexpected release on the PS5 today, Pool Blitz is a pretty good eight and nine ball sim – and it’s free-to-play. Of course, the latter is going to prove a turn-off for many, as this latest from long-time billiards developer Cherry Pop Games is structured a lot like a mobile game. That means you can expect loot boxes and a heavy emphasis on online play, with unlockable cues providing statistical boosts.

Structurally this is so close to smartphone favourite Tennis Clash that it practically borders on plagiarism. There’s a soft gacha system, whereby loot boxes contain cards which contribute to unlockable items, including the aforementioned cues. Collect enough of them, and you can use said items in matches – but there’s even a cooldown attached to these, so you may need to rotate through your collection.

You use in-game currency to enter tournaments, and you can win back your stake alongside trophies, which then unlock more difficult events. In the initial stages, the game will make it seem like you’re playing real-life opponents, but actually you’ll be up against fairly easy bots, just to give you that dopamine hit of a few straightforward wins.

The gameplay is really good, though: it’s incredibly snappy and the ball physics are excellent. The game lives up to its “blitz” title, as you can get through a match in a couple of minutes, and it obviously becomes very moreish to have another go. Loot boxes are attached to timers, but you can spend gems to open them instantly – it’s that kind of game!

The cues get really imaginative, some decorated like assault rifles, while others have floral flourishes. There’s a Season Pass and other live service gubbins, although none of this is accessible on the PS Store yet, and honestly the game feels a little broken – despite the day one patch. We get the feeling this maybe wasn’t supposed to go live yet, as none of the microtransaction currency is currently available either.

If you can get beyond the title’s unresponsive interface and heavy implementation of mobile gaming mechanics, though, we reckon this could be an addictive little addition to the PS5’s library. It strikes us as the type of title you could hop on for two or three minutes, and end up losing four or five hours to. And yes, if you do get that addicted, you’re probably going to end up parting with a few of your precious pennies, too!