Air hockey tables are a wonderful way to keep your crew engaged for hours at home, whether it’s two players going head-to-head or family game night. The ones you will find in an arcade are the most expensive but they do have a bunch of features which make them worthwhile. The tables have different motors, electronic scoring and sound effects for the full arcade experience. Less classy but more convenient are foldable air hockey tables. And last but definitely not the least there are professional air hockey tables.
In addition to the American market, air hockey has expanded into many other countries, such as Venezuela, Spain, Russia and the Czech Republic, so air hockey is by no means an isolated phenomenon. Along with other table-based sports, such as pool and ping pong, there is a dedicated cult following to air hockey. Because the rink walls face repeated impact when you play, look for ones made from high-density aluminum or nylon.
There are lightweight pucks and handles available for kids to use easily. When it comes to adults you are going to want heavier pucks otherwise when you hit it the force can make it go flying in the air and possibly cause some damage. Some tables are equipped with digital scoring that tracks every goal made staples chalkboard from start to finish. Others come with a manual scoring tool, like an abacus or a whiteboard. Some people prefer keeping score manually, as it allows them to develop their own house rules or disregard accidental goals. If ease of play is your highest priority, though, digital scoring might be the way to go.
Before buying a table to play air hockey, you should confirm that it will fit in the intended space and still leave sufficient clearance space around the table. The only way to do this is by comparing table sizes with your room. In this article, we reviewed all the air hockey table dimensions that are available to provide you with multiple size and style options for your space and gaming needs. We also considered the weight of these tables and the amount of room you should set aside for set up. If you want a really premium table for your game room, look for features like automatic scoreboards or changeable surfaces that transform into other games, such as a ping-pong table. You can also find air hockey tables with sound effects and reactive LED lights that illuminate when you score or hit the edges with a puck.
Given the physical nature of the game, it only makes sense that air hockey tables should be sufficiently spacious to allow both the puck and the players room to maneuver. The majority of air hockey tables measure 7 feet by 3.67 feet, and players need at least an additional 3 feet of room around the table to play comfortably. Steel legs or wood laminate legs are the best and most durable of the types offered.
There was even a world championship held in New York City in 1974 which was announced by popular sports broadcaster of the time, Marv Albert. Any higher and the players would have a hard time reaching to cover their territory. Of course, some common sense needs to be applied as you do not want to big of holes or they might interfere with game play and the smooth movement of the puck. The 8 foot size is the size for all leagues, tournaments and professional play. They do not allow for the smaller full size versions to be used in their officially sanctioned games. Apart from the space the actual table takes up, you also need to take into account how much extra is required for playing.
The frequency at which the table is played will also influence the life of the game. So if you expect heavy use at your location, we strongly suggest a bigger, better built table. One more crucial aspect to the table is the inclusion of legs or lack thereof. Some tables have full-sized legs which make playing more easy when standing up. These are inexpensive and can be easily purchased from any sports store.These can be easily stored under the bed, as these are easily foldable. Apart from the regulation size air hockey table dimensions, you can also find a longer arcade air hockey table as well as miniature models with smaller dimensions for recreational play at home.
Can’t say that it’s better or worse than any of the Gold Standard tables, both play extremely well. Saves on vertical space and cost compared to some of the tables further down the list. A step up from the Tournament Ice with it’s side mounted electronic scoring. This air hockey FAQ contains all of the information you need to know about this indoor table sport.