Pure Pool Pro Review – Xbox

Chalk your cue, it’s finally the turn of Xbox Series X/S players when Pure Pool Pro lands on both consoles on 23rd July 2026. The teams at Rockwater and Ripstone Ltd have spent time optimising the game to be the best it can be on both Xbox Series X/S. Understandably, it’s been frustrating for them not to have a simultaneous launch, and players have had to have a little patience. Those who played the original Pure Pool around 12 years ago may have fond memories of it being one of the most polished pool games around. Fast forward to 2026, and we have a natural transition to today’s visuals with a feast of content.

Climbing the Ranks, One Cue at a Time

Career mode is probably the ideal place to start if you’re looking to get to grips with the game after the short tutorial. You’ll start by playing amateur-level opponents before taking on some more challenging ones. Each match has optional objectives, and progression is achieved through a star-based system. It could be potting balls off the break, sinking long shots, avoiding fouls, amongst other challenges. In between tackling players, there will be challenge modes such as speed potting, perfect potting and so on to achieve further stars. Working through career mode will also unlock cosmetics that can be used to customise everything from your profile to what you see on the table.

There is tons of content on offer within the career mode, with both 8-ball and 9-ball having their own paths. AI players are also very intelligent, and I genuinely went in thinking it would be easy, but there are some really challenging matches. It’s when you break into the focused and pro tiers that you’re really tested without the amateur visual guides of where the ball will end up.

Challenges That Don’t Miss Their Cue

Pure Pool Pro packs in a very generous offering of various challenge modes, which are very addictive. These modes twist the core mechanics into competitive bursts of gameplay that will have you trying and trying again for hours on end. Seeing real player scores on the leaderboard after each attempt is what makes this section of the game incredibly moreish.

• Speed Potting – Here you’ll be attempting to clear the table as fast as humanly possible
• Checkpoint – You start with a timer; potting a ball adds seven seconds, and potting the white loses five seconds. Do the best you can to keep the run going and pot as many balls as possible
• Perfect Potter – Here you can’t miss a shot and will have to try and keep potting to achieve the best number of balls potted possible
• Royal Rumble – A chaotic and fast-paced mode where balls constantly respawn
• Daily Challenge – Balls are scattered at random, no visual aids, try and pot as many as you can

There is a lot to sink your teeth into here, and you can honestly lose hours just playing these modes as I did. You can attempt them as many times as you like, improve your technique and try to climb those global leaderboards and be amongst the very best in the world.

Rack ’Em Up Against the World

In my review for Playstation 5, I was a little critical and said there were some shortfalls. I’m pleased to say that in this build, all my concerns were addressed. Online leaderboards and ranked play are now available, meaning that if you want to play against real-world players, you can do so and play for those bragging rights. It gives players a base for replayability and longevity, and I find myself playing for hours on end. I’m not sure how they could improve this area more, but I’d love to see scope for online tournaments and perhaps a stream of cosmetics that can be achieved through online play.

My only real concern here now is server population. There were some periods of time when I found it difficult to find online matches. On occasion, I’d keep matching with the same player, one being the number one on the leaderboards, who dominated me in every game. That said, during peak gaming hours, I’d find matches quite swiftly, and the rematch option can keep you playing for long sessions if both players enjoy playing together.

Graphics Sharper Than a Freshly‑Chalked Cue

Visually Pure Pool Pro is an expected step up from its predecessor, delivering a whole new level of presentation in the modern-day era. With silky-smooth 60 fps 4 K visuals on Xbox Series X, it runs absolutely flawlessly. I didn’t manage to test gameplay on Xbox Series S, but since most of the delay was spent working on that version, I’d imagine it runs fantastically there too.

Alongside these impressive resolutions, there is sheer quality in bringing the illusion of being within a pool hall/arena to the big screen. Tables are rendered with beautiful clarity, and the gloss and shine across the pool balls bring realism to each match. It’s all achieved through the magnificent lighting effects that make this the most realistic pool simulation to date.

Sound That’s Always Right on Cue

Pure Pool Pro’s audio design creates a similar atmosphere to what the first title achieved. Everything feels authentic and not overwhelming, and whilst the choice of venues is limited to start with, it doesn’t matter once you’re potting away. The clash of balls, to gently kissing them together, is both heard and felt. I especially enjoyed the more subtle details, such as the ball being potted and rolling through the mechanism of the table, hearing each clunk as it makes its way down to the collection chamber. The soundtrack is strong, and whilst the original Pure Pool music was good, it got repetitive quickly. Here, there appear to be more tracks which are all mellow, relaxing and suit the casual atmosphere.

Final Thoughts

Pure Pool Pro is a technical masterpiece in this genre. The moment you load up the game, you’ll see the strengths of the experience from the get-go. Exceptional presentation right across the board, deep focus on the mechanics of ball and cue movement makes for the most realistic pool simulation on the market today. The teams have taken on board lots of feedback so far and have been making fixes and tweaks consistently. Since I wrote my review for the Playstation 5 version, the game has seen the introduction of ranked mode with online leaderboards, allowing players to stay constantly competitive if they wish.

If you’re into Pool or even Snooker, then I can highly recommend Pure Pool Pro, especially with a Snooker DLC very much in the works. You can pick up a copy on Xbox Series X/S HERE for £20.99 | $24.99 | €24.99, with a 20% launch discount in place for the first two weeks. The score has improved slightly versus my Playstation 5 review due to the addition of ranked modes and online leaderboards.