Is there anything as relaxing as a game of pick-up pool on a Friday night after work? Do you secretly slip into the arcade at the neighborhood bowling alley in hopes that they have an air hockey table? Our memories of family table tennis tournaments during the holidays flashing by as you read these very words? Then you desperately need a game table for home.
In Florida, without the benefit of a home basement, we have to squeeze our game tables into the family room, garage or patio. But that doesn’t cut down on the fun once they’re set up and ready for action. Here are the game tables to turn your home into the neighborhood’s funniest playhouse.
Old School Classic
True story: I once lost a game of foosball to a one-armed man in a Key West bar. We had only a one-dollar bet on the game, but it was not my finest hour (and – between you and me – I blame the island’s infamous humidity for possibly warping the playing field.) In any case, since that one-sided (and one-armed) upset, it has been my life’s ambition to train for a possible rematch. This foosball table is just calling my name.
Specifications:
- 48-inch game set with built-in cupholders.
- Comfortable grips for better ball control; smooth, low-friction surface.
- Made with sturdy composite wood and chrome-finished steel rods.
- Molded plastic figurines.
Price: $139.99
Buy: Competition Sized Foosball Table
Ping Pong Perfection
I was never a big fan of table tennis until I saw Tom Hanks seemingly master the sport in 1994′s Forrest Gump. Now I’m convinced that his prowess in the sport is the real reason he won the Oscar. Here’s my other argument for this table: If I ever grow tired of playing ping pong, it can be easily converted into the perfect spot for doing crafts, playing poker or even staging an elaborate buffet for next year’s Academy Awards. Dare to dream.
Specifications:
- Perfect for crafts, playing poker, board games or any other casino table game.
- Comes 100% preassembled.
- 2 separate halves feature legs that easily fold underneath like a card table.
Price: $124.99 – $187.11
Buy: Table Tennis Set
Straight from the Boardwalk
Call it an “Arcade Ball Table” if you wish, but to us it’s simply Skee-Ball. It’s a game that dominated the arcades and boardwalks of our youth. It’s played by rolling a ball up an inclined surface and over a “ball-hop” hump (resembling a ski jump) that jumps the ball into bullseye rings. At the arcade, if you played it well, you’d collect an armful of tickets that can be exchanged for such valuable prizes as … a pencil eraser?!? Well, it’s the fun that counts.
Specifications:
- Made with a rich, oak melamine surface, LED side lighting, digital sound effects and sleek, modern targets.
- Playing surface is 63-in L x 21.25-in W; Table dimensions: 99-in L x 25-3/4-in W x 53-in H.
- Accessories include six 2.5-in semi-soft playing balls.
Price: $681.05
Buy: Hathaway Boardwalk 8-ft Arcade Ball Table
Have a Ball
Do I love the game of basketball? Not really. Do I play Pop-A-Shot at every sports bar until my shooting arm hangs along my side like a limp noodle? You bet! Too bad this version doesn’t spit out little paper tickets to be later exchanged for fun-but-worthless prizes. (The memories are priceless at least!)
Specifications:
- Includes 16 different games and six audio options.
- Requires 4 AA batteries (not included).
- Made from sturdy 1.5-inch steel tubes with a powder coating to eliminate rusting * Adjust the height from 82 inches to 94 inches.
Price: $299.99
Buy: Pop-A-Shot
Get the Ball Rolling
This tri-fold table can be switched up in mere seconds to feature either a billiards, air hockey or table tennis game. It includes pool cues, billiard balls, hockey pucks and every other gadget you need to play the games.
Specifications:
- Featured game modes are billiards, air hockey, and table tennis.
- Tri-fold tabletop technology; just unlock the latches and flip it over.
- Includes pool cues and billiard balls, hockey pucks and pushers, and table tennis paddles and net.
- 110V air hockey motor.
Price: $1,421.99
Buy: Fat Cat Original 3-in-1, 7-Foot Pockey Game Table
