Lunar Pool

ルナーボール (Runā Bōru)NES, Other, MSX, Wii1985

  1. JP1985
  2. NA1987
  3. EU1991
  4. RUDendy

Lunar Pool was released in Japan as Lunar Ball (ルナーボール, Runā Bōru) and became Lunar Pool for the NES in North America and Europe. Its last official re-release was on the Wii Virtual Console in North America in 2007.

Lunar Pool is a billiards game developed by Compile. It first came out in Japan as Lunar Ball for the PC-88 in June 1985, followed by MSX and Famicom versions in December of that year. FCI brought the NES version to North America in October 1987 and to Europe in 1991.

The game mixes pool with elements of miniature golf: balls must be sunk into pockets on oddly shaped tables, some of them with obstacles. Table friction can be set anywhere from 0 to 255, with 32 as the default, which simulates different gravity and explains the lunar theme. The Famicom/NES version has 60 levels, and the game ends when all lives are lost or every level is cleared. Sega's SG-1000 game Champion Billiards plays almost the same way, but on conventional tables and with 50 stages.

The game also turns up on screen: characters play it on the NES in the Mexican telenovela María la del Barrio. Its code hides the string 'JEMINI DAZO!!', a nod to programmer Takayuki Hirono.123

Names and releases

RegionTitle on the boxPlatformDatePublisherSrc
NA Lunar Pool NES October 1987 FCI 2
NA Lunar PoolVirtual Console; North America only Wii Oct 22, 2007 — 2
JP Lunar BallPC-88 (NEC PC-8801); 20 stages Other June 1985 Pony Canyon 1
JP ルナーボールRunā BōruFamicom; 60 stages NES Dec 5, 1985 Pony Canyon 2
JP Lunar Ball32 stages MSX December 1985 Pony Canyon 1
EU Lunar Pool NES 1991 FCI 2

Also known as: Lunar Ball JP3ルナーボール JP1Runā Bōru JP2Бильярд на Луне RU4

Box art by region

  • Lunar Pool box art, North America release
    NA Lunar Pool
  • Lunar Pool box art, Europe release
    EU Lunar Pool

Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.

Version differences

  • ContentPC-88MSXFamicom/NES

    Each new version added stages: 20 on PC-88, 32 on MSX and 60 on Famicom/NES.1

  • GameplayMSXFamicom/NES

    The MSX and Famicom versions let players pick the starting stage; the PC-88 original does not.1

  • TitleNES (NA/EU)

    The international title screen removes the Japanese staff credits and Pony Canyon logo to fit longer copyright text, and adds a trademark symbol.3

All differences (6)

Reception

Readers of Famicom Magazine rated the Famicom version 15.82 out of 30, and a 1991 guide described it as a game for enthusiasts.1

In lists

Sources

  1. 1ja.wikipedia.org
  2. 2en.wikipedia.org
  3. 3tcrf.net
  4. 4stopgame.ru

Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13

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