Last updated on February 16th, 2026 at 12:01 am
Pocket Run Pool – Puzzle Game Review
Pocket Run Pool is a Puzzle/Entertainment/Sports game from STFJ LLC, first launched in 23rd May 2018.
It’s rated 9+ and currently has 1,122+ ratings on the App Store.
What Makes Pocket Run Pool Stand Out
The return of arcade pool from the creator of Really Bad Chess and Flipflop Solitaire.
Pocket-Run Pool combines 8-ball pool with the thrill of a chasing the perfect highscore.
In Pocket-Run, your goal is to sink all the balls, but where and when you sink them is what matters most!
With each pocketed ball, you're awarded points based on the pocket you sunk. So sink carefully, but watch out, with each miss or scratch you lose a life — run out before you finish the table and it's game over.
Compete against yourself, the world, or the bank in a variety of thrilling game modes!
Can you make the perfect pocket-run?
Arcade pool is back!
——WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING
5/5 – Touch Arcade
"Help me, I can't stop playing!"
5/5 – 148Apps
"Most certainly the best pool game I've played on a phone"
"Like the best arcade games, this creates a “just one more turn” mentality" – The Verge
"a perfect little mobile game" – iMore.com
——WHATS IN THE “BOX”?
- Play Pocket-Run Pool's Standard, High Stakes, and Insta-Tournament modes for free!
- Asynchronously Go for gold against players from around the world in Insta-Tournament mode
- Manage your risk against all manner of game conditions (like the devious Cuewall) in High Stakes mode
- Unlock Break of The Week, alternate backgrounds, and remove Insta-Tournament buy-ins with a single In-App-Purchase of just $3.99
- Track stats for all four modes
- Win alternate pool cues and color schemes in High Stakes mode
——A WORD FROM THE DEVELOPER
I've always loved pool, and when I got my first iPhone years ago, the world of digital pool games opened up to me.
There are certainly a lot of options out there, but finding a simple and enjoyable single-player pool game was harder than I expected. I found one that I enjoyed, but after playing it extensively I found it too easy to beat the computer every time. Suddenly the problem with pool hit me — when you play against a computer in a physics simulation, you're literally playing against a god… By which I mean, either the computer is going easy on you (for a reason), or it's playing a perfect game and taking all your money.
It dawned on me that if I wanted a good single player pool game, I'd have to make a new kind of pool — a variant that doesn't need a computer opponent, that's built around the notion of scoring and improving, of taking risks, and of presenting unique and interesting challenges.
Pocket-Run Pool is the game I came up with, I hope you enjoy it!
-zach
This Puzzle game offers engaging gameplay and regular updates for mobile players.
Player Feedback
As a newer release, Pocket Run Pool is building its player community. Early feedback suggests .
Recent Updates & Development
Latest Update: 22nd September 2020
Recent improvements include:
Ad network updates. Fixed clipboard issue.
Download & Availability
Pocket Run Pool is available through the official App Store for iOS devices.
Get Pocket Run Pool on App Store
Requirements: Requires iPhone 5s / iPad Air / iPad Air (Cellular) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina, Cellular) / iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus / iPad Air 2 / iPad Air 2 (Cellular) / iPad Mini 3 or later.
Compatible with iPhone and iPad devices.
Player Experience Highlights
Community Insight:
Can u guys please fix the best bank leaderboards? No one can get over 2.1 billion even though in the game we have more than that. Thanks.
Screen name: zoomhut Hello, Is there a way to combine our old stats with our new stats if we have just recently re-downloaded the app again after a year not playing? Our stats have reset since Ive started playing again. Love the game! Thx, Zoomhut.
So much fun and very relaxing. We love the very smart cue system too. Feels more natural for playing pool on iOS.
Please enable iCloud syncing! Logging in to Game Center isnt enough for our past medals and ongoing streak to transfer to our new phone. We like this game a lotso much that Ive paid for itbut there are moments when its SO SLOW! We understand that the shoot isnt over until all the balls have stopped moving, but Im going crazy with how often the whole game just pauses after all the balls have rolled to a stop while we wait to be allowed to set up the next shot. (This is especially infuriating during time-limited high-stakes games. If Im constantly waiting 5-10s after all the balls have stopped to take the next shot, our chances of clearing the table in 2:45let alone 2:00!are slim.).
This isnt a fussy game with a lot of fine control. This is complex enough to be challenging but easy enough to play on a small mobile phone. We can complete a full game in under 5 minutes – enough time for a distraction from whatever line Im waiting on. We had an issue where we bought the game on our phone but didnt have the paid option on our tablet. The game is so good and the price so fair that we ultimately attempted to purchase it again on our tablet when it reminded us that the game was already paid for and let us have the full game for free.
One of the best pool games Ive played in a while , we like how it flows , we really like the messages it gives before an ad 10/10 definitely recommend.
Omg already. If we left it to answer a text, we get yet another even if we just opened it. Stop already.deleted it.
We love pool games, so we randomly gave this a shot. Im glad we did. We enjoy playing against ourselves to beat our own high scores. We can pick it up and play a game or two whenever Im ready and we dont have to wait on an opponent or deal with crummy matching AI that some other pool games use.
Downloaded it without hesitation lol.
Hi, The app is great its a pretty cool new concept for a traditional game, and we love it. We would like to see one change to the game. The game should shuffle the multipliers when nothing is pocketed like it does when you pocket an 8 ball. We found myslef cheating a few times when we couldnt get a ball to the x10 multiplier, we would miss on purpose to get a better shot. Hope this message helps and hope to see more from you. Best regards, Marko.
Can anyone suggest how to unlock Pocket Run? Our screen locked up. Thnx.
We normally dont write reviewsjk. This game is a great little game, especially if you are looking to kill some time. Ads seem minimal compared to most apps and you arent bombarded with requests to buy the full game. We do recommend buying the ad free version though to support the developers of this and other apps in general. Great game and keep up the good work.
Love this game. We love to play pool anyways, but this game is a great simulation. Its a nice way to practice your strategy game for the real deal. Hope they add a replay feature.
Drop the run and call this pocket pool. Other than that fun game.
Played this game for years. It is fantastic but when we TRANSFERED IT to a new IPad,the game does not play the same. No arrows to set up cue stick. No cue stick appears for you to shoot. If you changed the game, change it back. It is a stupid game now the way it is now. Change it back.
Have had the game maybe a week and the sound stopped working. Deleted then reinstalled. Has anyone else had this problem? Could the developer chime in.
Overall this game is fantastic. We find ourselves playing it in school and when we have 5 minutes of downtime now and then. However, there are quite a few issues with the ads. The ads play every 3 games but we frequently find the ads to be more often than the three game rule. We will absolutely buy the ad free version at some point but it currently is a little messed up. We would like to see this fixed at some point but otherwise its the perfect time burner.
Great game and enjoying it on our iPhone. We wish we could play it on our iPad mini but it hasnt been updated to play on this screen size. The edges are cutoff.
Great and fun to play but you should be able to turn off the guide, put spin on the ball by choosing where on the ball to hit, and other options to toggle what itd be like to take those shots in real life if that is what you want. Or a hard mode that removes all those options idk. Potential to grow the game.
We love this game. We wish it could played on apple arcade. Because we hate ads.
We wont lie: we had our doubts about Pocket-Run Pool at first…it looked too simplistic. But then we broke and ran out a standard game after a few tries without missing for some 600 points and everything changed. Its the simplicity that makes the game work. Touch and drag to aim, touch the arrows to bring up the cue, then touch and drag again to shoot. You dont have to worry about things like putting English on the cue ball…but you still need a decent head for angles to play this game well. The easy-on-the-eyes presentation gives it a just one more game addictiveness that made paying $4 for the full version a no-brainer for us. We would like to see a more traditional rule set 9 ball would be nice added into this, but this is a minor quibble. Youll have fun with this indie gem.
This is a fun game on the iPhone, a great way to pass time. But on the iPad the screen is oversized and all of the controls are pushed outside the bounds of the screen. It shouldnt be listed as an iPad app until these sizing issues are resolved.
Didnt know balls could just stop on a dime once they get close to the pocket.? And this must be a NIKE cue ball because that thing is live.
The pros – Easy to pick up. The physics seem pretty good but not great. The cons – no replay (redo) If your sense of what should have been the trajectory does not match the games, there should be a way to test it out again. Also, needs a full rack of balls. Uses less than 15 – why? After using it for a while Im finding it frustrating and the scoring limiting. Would like a way to score for continuous runs rather than simply trying to get a ball in the 10x pocket.
Good game but developers clearly put the fix in on this one. Having said that still hold the 800 perfect score.
We love this game, but the size of the screen is too big for the display, so you are zoomed in by about 20 percent. IOS 15.6. Fix that and back to five stars.
Game premise is good but has a few issues. First, the physics engine is way off. Cue ball rolls way farther than it should on most bank shots. Secondly, the game lies about how often you will see ads. Says things like next ad in 3 games only to show ads on the next game consistently. An interesting game concept requiring more refinement.
This can be a really fun and zen game. The physics are nice, the UI is pretty good, and the hi-stakes mode can be challenging. But there are times when pocketed balls dont register, buttons dont function, or the roll to select a challenge repeatedly lands on the same challenge, when you feel your patience get pushed to its limit.
We love the idea and how you can have such a variety of ways to get a high score but the physics seem almost random at times. Especially the power of the shot – its either a love tap that doesnt do anything or as if Zeus himself hit it as hard as he can. Maybe its on purpose to make the game more difficult but it drove us crazy the entire time.
Game is really fun but we cant see content on any of the edges of the game on our ipad mini.
Except it almost never is. We swear this would be a better game if the ads were tuned down, and we cant just go onto Apple Arcade because this isnt on there yet (as with Sage Solitaire, Zach Gage pls).
This game is addictively fun, and has a couple different modes to choose from. Yes, there are ads, but there is also an ad-free version you can buy. The developer has to make money somehow after all. But the most frustrating part of the game for us is the performance. Even on an iPhone 12 Pro with no background processes there can be random slow downs in the middle of the game, which can impact lining up shots and shooting power. Another slightly annoying issue is that the action for shooting is a swipe up, and if you arent careful with where you start swiping you can accidentally trigger a Home Screen swipe on the newer phones.
It can be wacky control and for some reason the controls sometimes invert? -1 star. It keeps saying ad in 3 games and the very next game we get an ad.
We enjoyed this app for a while as we kept challenging ourselves to improve our score. It has a cool concept with how the scoring works, but there are limitations in other areas. There is no way to control the English on the ball. We do not find the physics accurate as the cue ball seems to fly around in strange trajectories in relation to how we hit it, in our opinion. The table seems quite small and out of ratio with the size of the balls too. We also find the power control quite awkward when striking with the cue stick. Seems the sensitivity of a hit is lacking, so its too all or nothing…a bit frustrating. We do appreciate the different take on a pool game, the overall new concept, but would love to see better player control options.
Needs more control over the ball, back spin and so on Risk reward balance is bad Some challenges are too easy and some Ive never even come close to accomplish. Not that its too difficult, its just luck.
Hasnt been updated in over two years.
Its basic. Gets boring quickly. High Stakes has a weird and only can lose money aka pay the developer more to keep paying feel to it since none of the wager rules make any sense and has a minimum wager of a 1/5 of the starting pot? The other playing types are meh. Not really worth the $ unless you really dislike ads.
The balls just die for no reason. Unrealistic angles and shots. Seems like there is a hidden accuracybecause you will just miss shots for no reason. It is fun to play but the physics of the balls have just killed playing the game.
Its an okay game but we wish there was a way to maybe choose a mode where you were not limited to three cue balls, especially if youve paid to remove ads. Also, before we removed ads there was a new background every week if you watched an ad but once we paid to remove ads it seems Im stuck with the background we had when we paid. That seems dumb and, although its a small thing, it hubs us. Especially because we kind of hate the background we have.
We understand the need for ads, but there are simply too many and at the worst times. 30 second ads that pop up mid-game kill whatever momentum you had. There are better ways to do it.
We hate when our pool balls dont slide, instead they drag across the felt like a hairy sack of potatoes. No spin on the cue ball either. We appreciate there being no ads tho! If your kids like pool just bring em to a sweat pool hall instead. Sincerely yours, -George Jefferson Poolaf lll.
Fun game but almost every other match is consistently interrupted when the app freezes after a shot. We regret paying for the upgrade to remove ads.
We don't mind ads, but the ads ignore the fact that we turned the app volume off and they are loud. Get better ads and we'll pay for this app, but we don't believe in supporting crappy ads.
We used to enjoy this game, but now the controls are off the screen, and thus unplayable.
This is a 30-SECOND AD good game. Its simple, but 30-SECOND AD difficult to 30-SECOND AD master. The multipliers 30-SECOND AD are inter-30-SECOND AD-esting.
WHY WONT APPLE DROP THIS DOG THAT IS OLDER THAN COVID AND WONT FOLLOW RULES ?? NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR APPLE. An aged game with no updates because they wont agree to the rules. That alone is reason enough. Dont encourage grifters.
Literally next game: another ad.
Youd think that after 4 years in development, itd be worth the wait. But despite its tremendous track record, the game still has bugs and clips you hate so much, your fist just goes through your wall. Billiards requires precise aim, a clear mind, and an ample amount of skill. However, this app solely relies on luck and your wallet. There is no spins which already makes the game several times more difficult. Releasing your finger will, more often than not, completely offset your original aim. The hit boxes for the holes are still not rounded and balls could clip right through edges or bounce despite not hitting anything at all. The table has no markers which makes calculating trajectory nearly impossible. Most of all, there is no power indicator. Your shots will always be inconsistent because there is not consistency in the first place. You have to flick the screen to shoot. Thats just a roundabout way to say, we are scamming you out of your time. Just play 8ball pool or game pigeon. Both of which have a much larger and user friendly community.
When opening game for first time it forces you to practice aiming but never leaves this state. It appears to be a bug or design flaw.
Trash. Not a fan of the challenging 3 misses and youre out. On top of that forces you to watch ADS. Its crucial for them to develop games for us, no youre just money hungry. Uninstalled with the quickness.
User feedback from Apple App Store
App Details
- Version: 2.0.9
- Size: 168.79 MB
- iOS: 9.0 or later
- Languages: EN, FR, DE, IT, JA, KO, ZH, ES
- Content Advisory: Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence
- Developer: STFJ LLC
Last updated: 22nd September 2020 | Genre: Puzzle, Entertainment | Developer: STFJ LLC