Play Side Pocket (Japan) Online

Side Pocket on the NES is one of those games that makes you feel like you’re in a dimly lit pool hall, even if you’re just sitting cross-legged on your living room floor. The 8-bit balls have this weirdly satisfying weight to them when you nail a shot, and the spin mechanics actually work—like, you can pull off some sneaky bank shots if you take your time. At first, I kept overshooting everything, but once you get the hang of the power meter, it clicks.

There’s a career mode where you start as a nobody and slowly work your way up by winning matches, which sounds simple until you realize the AI gets weirdly good at messing with your plans. The music’s all jazzy and low-key, perfect for those long sessions where you’re just trying to sink the last striped ball without scratching. It’s not flashy, but there’s something about the way it captures the tension of real pool that keeps me coming back.

Also, the Japanese version has this oddly charming Engrish in the menus—little things like "Let's Play Vigorously!" that give it personality. If you’ve ever wanted to hustle pixels instead of people, this is your game.