Did you enjoy a mis-spent youth becoming a master of the green baize.

No? Well, don't worry, there is still time thanks to the People's Champion Jimmy White.

Jimmy never enjoyed the success in the world of snooker he deserved.

Six times runner-up in Embassy World Championship, he was Ivan Lendl in a dinner jacket and all the more popular because of it. But at least in the virtual arena, he has always been a winner.

Working closely with the legendary Archer Maclean, his Whirlwind Challenge series has swept the table in this genre.

Jimmy White's Cueball World is just as good, coming again from Maclean's awesome developments stable.

In this version, rather than being confined to a smoke-filled snooker hall, you can jet off to a variety of beautiful backdrops, such as Stonehenge, an Aztec ruin or a desert island.

Why would you want to? Because each adds some interest as well as showing off the pin-sharp graphics.

Each arena can be opened up only by completing a challenge and, if it's a game which requires a cue, some balls and a stretch of green baize, Cueball World has it - a full-size snooker table, some entertaining pool variations, including the good old eight-ball variety from your local and a spot of billiards for the more gentlemanly.

There is a host of sub-games, including darts and thumb-wars.

But the key to any sports simulation is its playability and this is where Cueball World pots the black every time.

The controls and camera angles are spot on. They allow you to move around the table easily to pick your shots.

You can choose between pre-set power ratings or use the mouse to push your shot, which is probably the most effective method but harder to master.

If you want to put a bit of spin on your shot, just right-click the mouse.

There's plenty of advice along the way such as cue ball pointers and some predictions as to where your shot will end up - in the corner pocket, in a snooker or in the car park.

As you become more adroit, the physics of the game come to the fore. In no time, you will be performing trick shots, making the cue ball skid, jump and spin with the best of them, as you make your way up the circuit ladder to a showdown with the Whirlwind himself.

Jimmy is on hand to analyse your match performance with his pearls of East End wisdom.

Although Cueball World is not as detailed as a full-blown simulation, it is all the better for it. Instead, it makes for an entertaining diversion which should prove popular with those who have missed their cue or the next big thing on the baize.

Price: £29.99.

Contact: www.vie.co.uk
Feel good factor: 7 out of 10.