Among the most popular arcade games there are certainly bowling, darts and billiards, always a source of fun among friends when you go to a game room equipped to play this type of games.
But if you want to train even when you're not in the game room you can use games designed to make you relive the fun atmosphere of a game room on your smartphone or tablet.
For this reason I have collected in this guide all the best Bowling, Darts and Billiards games that you can install both if you have an Android device and if you have a latest generation Apple device (ie iPhone and iPad).
All the games that I will point out to you can be downloaded for free and in most cases they also offer the possibility to face opponents in the flesh through online multiplayer mode, so as to immediately put your skills to use.
READ ALSO: Best sports games for Android, iPhone and iPad
Bowling is the most famous room game together with billiards. As in reality, even with the apps you have to hit 10 pins with a ball of different weight and shape trying to strike (knock down all the pins with a single shot) or spare (knock down all the pins with the two shots). Each round is decided by the number of pins dropped and the extra points awarded to those who strike or spare. There are 10 rounds, with the last one providing the chance to make 3 consecutive strikes.
The best apps for playing bowling on Android smartphones and tablets
The best bowling games available for iPhone and iPad :
The darts is a very popular game in the halls and bars set up with the classic colored target, where the competition is really very high if you are good at throwing.
The aim of the game is to remove all predefined points by hitting targets of different values (for each round with 3 arrows).
The center (Bull-eye) is worth 50 points, while the circle surrounding the center is worth 25 points.
The other "segments" have the same value based on the number shown (from 1 to 20).
Around the segments there are two concentric circles (internal and external): hitting the portion of segments in the circles doubles (external circle) or triples (internal circle) the points shown in the specific segment. Compared to the legend that wants the center as a target to make more points, the greatest number of points per round can be done with the triple wedge of 20 (60 points), which for 3 throws means 180 points (against 150 of 3 centers consecutive).
To close the match you must reach 0 (without going bust) by closing the last throw with a center or a double (therefore hitting the outer circle): if you have 50 points remaining you can win by hitting the center, if for example you have 12 points you can win by hitting the outer circle on the segment 6 (do the double).
The best darts games for Android :
The best darts games for iPhone and iPad
If you enter a game room you will surely find one or more pool tables.
The billiards in which the holes are used can be played in two ways (although there are many variations I focus on the most played ones): "ball 15" and "ball 8".
In ball pool 15 you have to pit all the balls in sequential order (from 1 to 15). The points are calculated on the real value of the balls, always following the order.
The "bank" points are valid, ie the points generated by balls that end up in the hole after touching the regulation ball or the balls pocketed by the white ball after having always touched the regulation ball (the one to be pocketed to respect the sequence).
In the "8 ball" billiard the first ball that you hole (or that you pocket the opponent) will decide which balls you will have to pocket: if you have a full ball (from 1 to 7) you will only have to hit the remaining full balls, if you have a striped ball (from 9 to 15) you will only have to hit the remaining striped balls.
Ball 8 (black ball) must be pocketed only after having knocked down all the balls in your series, plus you must declare the hole where you intend to send it (in some variants it is only the central hole opposite to the shooting hole).
Putting the ball 8 before finishing the sequence means losing the game, so be careful of the banks or when you shoot near the ball 8.
After refreshing the rules for playing free billiards on Android smartphones you can try these apps:
Here are the billiards apps for iPhone and iPad
READ ALSO: Billiards games on iPhone, iPad and Android: 8 Ball Pool free
But if you want to train even when you're not in the game room you can use games designed to make you relive the fun atmosphere of a game room on your smartphone or tablet.
For this reason I have collected in this guide all the best Bowling, Darts and Billiards games that you can install both if you have an Android device and if you have a latest generation Apple device (ie iPhone and iPad).
All the games that I will point out to you can be downloaded for free and in most cases they also offer the possibility to face opponents in the flesh through online multiplayer mode, so as to immediately put your skills to use.
READ ALSO: Best sports games for Android, iPhone and iPad
Bowling games
Bowling is the most famous room game together with billiards. As in reality, even with the apps you have to hit 10 pins with a ball of different weight and shape trying to strike (knock down all the pins with a single shot) or spare (knock down all the pins with the two shots). Each round is decided by the number of pins dropped and the extra points awarded to those who strike or spare. There are 10 rounds, with the last one providing the chance to make 3 consecutive strikes.
The best apps for playing bowling on Android smartphones and tablets
- Bowling King : one of the best games available for playing bowling on Android. It allows you to train against artificial intelligence and challenge your friends online in a large number of arenas.
- Bowling Game 3D FREE : if you are looking for something a little more realistic when you throw the ball you can try this game, which makes graphic accuracy its strong point.
- PBA Bowling Challenge : the official game of the PBA, that is, of the Professional Bowlers Association. In this game you can accumulate real experience points and challenge one of the many champions available online, as well as challenge friends and relatives.
The best bowling games available for iPhone and iPad :
- Action Bowling 2 : one of the best games of the genre on iPhone or iPad. You can choose the track and arena to play in, the type and weight of the ball and challenge friends with the local multiplayer.
- Galaxy Bowling HD : game with very realistic graphics optimized to be played on Retina displays. Various types of competition available and a good choice of balls and tracks.
- My Bowling 3D : another app that makes pure realism its strong point. The physics of the balls and the falling of the pins are very faithful, for guaranteed fun.
- PBA Bowling Challenge : the official game of the PBA is also present on the iPhone and iPad and (as already seen in the Android version) allows you to accumulate real experience points and challenge one of the many champions available for the online multiplayer game.
Darts
The darts is a very popular game in the halls and bars set up with the classic colored target, where the competition is really very high if you are good at throwing.
The aim of the game is to remove all predefined points by hitting targets of different values (for each round with 3 arrows).
The center (Bull-eye) is worth 50 points, while the circle surrounding the center is worth 25 points.
The other "segments" have the same value based on the number shown (from 1 to 20).
Around the segments there are two concentric circles (internal and external): hitting the portion of segments in the circles doubles (external circle) or triples (internal circle) the points shown in the specific segment. Compared to the legend that wants the center as a target to make more points, the greatest number of points per round can be done with the triple wedge of 20 (60 points), which for 3 throws means 180 points (against 150 of 3 centers consecutive).
To close the match you must reach 0 (without going bust) by closing the last throw with a center or a double (therefore hitting the outer circle): if you have 50 points remaining you can win by hitting the center, if for example you have 12 points you can win by hitting the outer circle on the segment 6 (do the double).
The best darts games for Android :
- Darts : this app is full of offline and online game modes, to be able to play darts with friends online or practice shooting from your smartphone.
- Pro Darts 2017 : if you are looking for a very realistic game to play darts with, you can try this app, with very fun online multiplayer mode.
- Darts Match 2 : one of the apps with the most colorful graphics, which will allow you to play darts to train in shooting.
The best darts games for iPhone and iPad
- 3D Master Darts : with this game you can play darts on your iPhone or iPad with realistic targets and arrows, with very realistic physics.
- Pro Darts 2017 : the same game already seen for Android is available on Apple devices with the same game modes.
- Darts Free : one of the best games from the point of view of online multiplayer, with many players ready to challenge you.
Billiards games
If you enter a game room you will surely find one or more pool tables.
The billiards in which the holes are used can be played in two ways (although there are many variations I focus on the most played ones): "ball 15" and "ball 8".
In ball pool 15 you have to pit all the balls in sequential order (from 1 to 15). The points are calculated on the real value of the balls, always following the order.
The "bank" points are valid, ie the points generated by balls that end up in the hole after touching the regulation ball or the balls pocketed by the white ball after having always touched the regulation ball (the one to be pocketed to respect the sequence).
In the "8 ball" billiard the first ball that you hole (or that you pocket the opponent) will decide which balls you will have to pocket: if you have a full ball (from 1 to 7) you will only have to hit the remaining full balls, if you have a striped ball (from 9 to 15) you will only have to hit the remaining striped balls.
Ball 8 (black ball) must be pocketed only after having knocked down all the balls in your series, plus you must declare the hole where you intend to send it (in some variants it is only the central hole opposite to the shooting hole).
Putting the ball 8 before finishing the sequence means losing the game, so be careful of the banks or when you shoot near the ball 8.
After refreshing the rules for playing free billiards on Android smartphones you can try these apps:
- 8 Ball Pool : the simplest app to learn how to play ball pool 8.View from the top, banks and physics of the balls very good and lots of fun with online multiplayer.
- 3D Billiards : if you are looking for an even more realistic billiards game you can bet on this app, which offers a good graphic and visual level from the cue or from above as needed.
- Kings of Pool is an online billiards game for the most competitive players with leaderboards and also an AR (augmented reality) element.
- Pooking - Billiards City is one of the few billiards games on the list with a decent single player mode and no in-app purchases.
- Real Pool 3D is a billiards game where you can play against friends with 2D and 3D views.
- Pool Billiards Pro is a very simple, yet popular and fun billiard game with a top-down perspective.
- Pool Mania is a super essential pool game, practically a simple arcade game for those who just want to joke.
- Pool Break 3D is one of the oldest billiards games with many variations.
Here are the billiards apps for iPhone and iPad
- 8 Ball Pool : the same app already seen on Android, with a higher resolution.
- Pro Pool : if you are looking for a billiard game for iPhone with well-finished graphics and the possibility to challenge the champions worldwide, you have found the right app for you.
- Pool Strike : another good app to play pool in the variations described in this guide. Cartoonesian graphics and speed of action are its strengths.
READ ALSO: Billiards games on iPhone, iPad and Android: 8 Ball Pool free
