Side Pocket
Side Pocket is a pocket billiards simulation released as an arcade video game by Data East in 1986. It was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy, while an enhanced remake was later released on the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and Game Gear. The game spawned two sequels, as well as arcade spin-off series titled Pocket Gal.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA, read 5 September 2026.
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- Released
- 1986
- Developer
- Data East
- Platforms
- 1 systems
- Critics
- Not scored
- Steam Deck
- Unknown
- Download
- Not stated
The record
| First released | 1 June 1986 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Data East |
| Publisher | G-Mode |
| Platforms | Game Boy |
| Genres | Sports |
Source. Catalogue facts from Wikidata Q2034580, seeded 30 August 2026.
How long is Side Pocket? How long to beat it
Total play time for Side Pocket is about 4.1 hours to do everything, and around 0.4 hours to reach the end of the main story. These are player-submitted times from HowLongToBeat, not our own, shown with the number of players behind each.
| How you play | Hours | Players logged |
|---|---|---|
| Just the main story: straight through the critical path | 0.4h | 11 |
| Main + the extras: story plus the side content most people do | 1.7h | 1 |
| Completionist: everything: 100% the game | 4.1h | 4 |
Source: HowLongToBeat community submissions, read 2026-10-19.
Where Side Pocket sits on the grid
The grid places every game in the catalogue on measured axes rather than on an opinion. This is where Side Pocket lands on each map it has the data for, with the share of the catalogue it beats on each axis.
- Year
- 38ahead of 2% of the catalogue
- Reach
- 9ahead of 64% of the catalogue
Percentiles are against the games that carry a reading on that axis, not the whole catalogue: counting a game with no figure as a zero would flatter everything that has one. How the grid works.
What readers say about Side Pocket
Reviews written by people who have played it. These are separate from the GamingPickz Score and are never averaged into it: that score comes from thousands of Steam reviews with a sample-size correction, and a handful of unverified ratings would distort it rather than improve it.
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Where Side Pocket appears
The ranked lists and finder pages Side Pocket qualifies for, from its own genre and platform to what it takes to run.
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Common questions about Side Pocket
What platforms is Side Pocket on?
Side Pocket is available on Game Boy. It first released in 1986.
Who made Side Pocket?
Side Pocket was developed by Data East and published by G-Mode.
How long does it take to beat Side Pocket?
about 0.4 hours for the main story, 1.7 hours with the main extras, 4.1 hours to complete everything, from HowLongToBeat's player-submitted times. These are community medians, so your own run may be shorter or longer.