Side Pocket 2: Legend of Hustler
- Platform:
- Release: Mar 1995
- Developer: Data East
- Publisher: Data East
- Composer: Masaaki Iwasaki, Taihei Sato, Seiji Momoi, Shogo Sakai
- Genres: sports
- Other platforms:
October 29, 2025
Junior better come back with me
The second entry in the Side Pocket series felt entertaining and very chill, I’d almost consider it a cozy game.
The story mode puts us in the shoes of Minnesota Fats, a legendary American pool player trying to regain his reputation. It won’t be easy: his great rival, the cheater Big G, has returned and his protégé Junior has betrayed him. Can we help him?
The game is quite complete, as besides this mode it also includes tournaments and a fun Trick Game, where we’ll need to get creative to complete the many challenges.
What I liked the most
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The game’s relaxed atmosphere. There’s no rush at all, letting you plan your shots calmly.
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The music quickly sets the game’s mood and features a nice variety of tracks.
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Being able to choose where to hit the cue ball allows for different effects, you can even make the ball jump.
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The two-player mode is much appreciated. If you don’t have access to a real pool table, it’s a great way to enjoy a match with friends.
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Getting to enjoy and explore pool styles beyond Eight-ball. Both in VS mode and tournaments you can play Nine-ball, Rotation, One-pocket, 14.1 continuous, among others.
What didn’t win me over
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The AI opponents often lose by pocketing the black ball. For example, in one of my first matches, the first three opponents each sunk two black balls.
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I would’ve loved a short explanation of how to play each game type. It feels like a missed opportunity for the Training mode.
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There’s no option to quit a match once you’ve started to return to the main menu and try another mode. You actually have to restart the console to do so.
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The “tug of war” system to defeat opponents in story mode. Instead of a best-of-three setup like in tournaments, the story mode can go on endlessly and get repetitive.
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The AI consistency is hit or miss. Sometimes they fail the easiest shots, and suddenly they pull off impossible trick shots. It gives the impression they’re cheating, though maybe that’s the point, reflecting the classic pool hustler vibe.
