Snooker 19

It's ok and a good way to kill a bit of time. The only real let down is the aiming tool, which has a mind of it's own sometimes.

Snooker 19 is a simulation-focused sports title that sets out to recreate professional snooker with a level of authenticity rarely seen in video game adaptations of cue sports. Developed by Lab42 and published by Ripstone, the game places its emphasis squarely on realism, patience, and technical precision rather than accessibility or arcade-style spectacle. From the first frame, it is clear that Snooker 19 is designed primarily for players who already understand and appreciate the slow-burning tension and tactical depth of real-world snooker, rather than those looking for quick, flashy matches.
The game’s greatest strength lies in its physics-driven approach to shot-making and cue ball control. Every aspect of play, from potting reds at tight angles to laying down delicate safety shots, requires careful planning and deliberate execution. Power, spin, and aim must all be balanced thoughtfully, and mistakes are punished in a way that mirrors real snooker rather than forgiving video game conventions. Long pots feel genuinely rewarding, while positional errors can quickly unravel a promising break. This dedication to realism gives matches a strong sense of authenticity, but it also means the learning curve can be steep, especially for players unfamiliar with the finer points of the sport.
Career mode serves as the backbone of the single-player experience, allowing players to step into the shoes of licensed professionals or work their way up the ranks through Q School. The structure closely follows a real snooker season, complete with ranking events, major tournaments, and the pressure of maintaining form across multiple matches. Progression feels grounded and methodical, emphasizing consistency and mental endurance over spectacle. While the mode successfully captures the professional atmosphere of snooker competition, it can feel somewhat rigid, as there are limited side activities or alternative challenges to break up the core loop of match-to-match play.
Presentation in Snooker 19 is understated but generally effective. Iconic venues such as the Crucible Theatre are recreated with care, and the broadcast-style camera angles reinforce the feeling of watching a televised match. Crowd reactions, ambient sounds, and the crisp audio of cue-on-ball contact all contribute to immersion. Player animations and character models are serviceable rather than exceptional, and while commentary adds context, it can become repetitive during longer sessions. Still, the overall audiovisual package succeeds in conveying the atmosphere of professional snooker without distracting embellishments.
Artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in maintaining the game’s tension, and opponents are capable of constructing impressive breaks and punishing sloppy play. At times, however, the AI can feel inconsistent, swinging between overly cautious safety play and near-flawless precision. Difficulty settings help mitigate this, but matches can occasionally feel less like a contest of strategy and more like a test of patience, especially for players still mastering the controls. Multiplayer options, both local and online, offer a more unpredictable and often more engaging experience, allowing human opponents to bring varied playstyles and decision-making into the mix.
Despite its narrow focus, Snooker 19 succeeds in carving out a clear identity as a serious simulation rather than a mass-market sports game. It lacks the breadth of modes, customization options, and accessibility features found in larger sports franchises, but this feels like a deliberate choice rather than an oversight. The game prioritizes authenticity over convenience, depth over variety, and accuracy over spectacle. For dedicated snooker fans, this results in a rewarding and absorbing experience that captures the unique rhythm and mental discipline of the sport.
In the end, Snooker 19 stands as a niche but meaningful achievement within sports simulations. Its uncompromising approach to realism, official licensing, and faithful recreation of professional play make it the definitive digital snooker experience for enthusiasts. While casual players may find its pace slow and its systems demanding, those willing to invest the time will discover a game that respects the sport it represents and delivers a sense of genuine accomplishment with every carefully constructed break and well-earned frame victory.
Rating: 7/10

Brilliant snooker game with official licenses & players. I've played tons of these games ever since Steve Davis Snooker on the Spectrum and this is by far the best one.
Career mode is excellent and will take quite a while to complete a season which is what I was wanting.
I play on "Hard Mode" with "Amateur Aiming" in "Long" matches so I have a chance of making centuries but any misses are usually costly. I lost the vast majority of my first 15 matches then started getting comfortable with the game and now have a positive winning ratio, currently ranked 29 and I've won 2 tournaments. I've made one 147 and can make centuries providing I don't get out of position so I think I've got the settings right.
The physics are very good and controls allow you a realistic view of the table from plenty of angles.
There are a handful of improvements that could be made such as:
-- More detailed player stats
-- Head-to-head stats
-- HUD to show more info like on TV
-- Allow you to look around table when nominating a colour or choosing to force retakes
-- Ability to look at tournament structure
The animations are fine, the occasional glitch but nothing to be worried about. The venue graphics are basic but not particularly important. I don't enable commentary (it usually sucks) but I believe it's provided by Neil Foulds, the referee's voice is fine, it sometimes needs a second or two to catch up if you're speeding through the AI gameplay.
Customising your player is a quick & fun way to break up the tournaments a touch as you can change clothes & cues, winning tournaments seems to give you more customisation options so no virtual currencies here!
Part of me wishes they would release a new 2026 game but I fear they would find a way to fill it with loot boxes and ruin everything.
I can see myself playing this for several seasons as it's a great time filler, can pick it up and drop it without any fuss (although sometimes it will restart your current match when reloading it, I just play full matches now to avoid this) and it works great with my controller.

This is a nice game to play, but could do with some update improvements but it a good and would recommend it.

Very good aiming system and physics... not a lot of multi player action going on though

The game needs a lot of improvements in terms of graphics and additional tweaks. For example, I can't change the buttons, and I bought the Cold Edition but it didn't add anything to the game. You also need to add instant replay, and in Career Mode, I can't see who the other players are. Also, I can't create my own character and play as it in Career Mode. The game is very boring like this. It was released in 2019 and is lacking in many ways.

Love this game cant believe i just beat Mark Williams in a major tournament on my Msi Claw. What a shame the last snooker game they made was way back in 2019...Still holds up today but would love to see more polished graphics.