Many people love the idea of having a game room, but they often don’t know what type of games to have in it. There are lots of different games you can have, but you’ll want to know what the most popular ones are. With that said, here are 13 popular games for a game room.
Pool
Without a doubt, the most popular game for a game room is pool or billiards. There are various ways to play pool, and it can be played alone or with another player. Pool tables are a staple of game rooms and will provide you and your guests with hours of entertainment. Furthermore, good pool tables look great in most rooms. This is why they make for great decor and can complement a game room. Most pool tables are extremely durable, so you can enjoy them for many years to come.
There’s only a handful of downsides of pool tables. For starters, the best ones are bulky and heavy. They are also expensive, but they are well worth the money.
Foosball
Foosball is similar to soccer, as players want to hit the ball into the goalpost of their opponent. A Foosball table consists of figures/players that are controlled via handles. A ball is tossed into the table, and then the game starts. Foosball can be played with two players or a total of four people in a 2 vs 2 game, and the first player who scores 10 goals wins the games.
Like a pool table, a Foosball table requires a bit of room. You also can’t place it near walls because you have to rapidly pull out the handle to move the players. Take a look at this article to see some that may work best for you.
As for styles of Foosball tables, you have many options. A few of the most popular ones are American-style tables and German-style. Others include Italian and Spanish styles. If you’re interested, you can find some of the best brands of foosball tables here so you know you are getting a quality model.
Air Hockey
Air hockey is a two-player game. It’s played on a table, that is designed to resemble a mini-hockey rink. The goal is to hit the puck into the other player’s goal slot. Once the puck goes into the goal, it is retrieved via the pocket located right below the goal slot.
An air hockey table is popular for a game room because it offers a ton of fun and excitement. All you do is hit the puck and block it from entering into your goal slot. Although it’s a two player game, you can play tournaments with a group of players. Best of all, air hockey is fun for people of all ages.
This game is easy to setup, even the more higher-end air hockey tables. Many air hockey tables are a lot smaller than pool tables, and they are lightweight and easy to move around. Let’s not forget to mention there are various types of air hockey tables, with some being designed for kids and others being designed for adults (see these tables intended for adults).
Darts
Darts might be a basic game, but nonetheless it is one of those games that have countless variations. You can play many different kinds of games when you have a dartboard. Darts can be played alone, with another players, with many players or teams can play against other teams. If you throw house parties, then your dartboard will be a huge hit.
Darts don’t require much room either. Simply hang the dartboard up on the wall and take a few feet back and you’re good to go. How far you need to go back all depends on your personal preference.
Also, there are various types of dartboards, such as bristle boards that are more traditional, and then there are electronic dartboards. You can use real darts with hard tips or soft-tip darts.
Dartboards and darts are affordable, too. The game is easy enough to play. All you do is try to land the dart on the targets, and add the points as you progress.
Basketball
Arcade basketball games might be expensive, at least for the very best ones. However, basketball is a game that’s fun to play regardless of who you are. Arcade basketball is played just like real basketball, as all you do is try to get the ball into the net and score as many points as possible or a pre-determined number of points.
There are basketball games that are very basic and have no special features. Then there are games that have features such as being able to be folded up, on wheels, offer dozens of basketball games to play, and there games that have two hoops. You can even choose a basketball arcade game that electronically tracks scores, as well as have nets that can be adjusted.
Pinball
Pinball is a classic game, and the goal is to keep the ball from going down the drain. The ball starts off on the side and you pull a lever to release the ball into the game. From there, you press the two buttons, sometimes more, on the side to try to hit the ball to keep it in play.
Pinball machines are an excellent addition to a game room or they can serve as the main game. In fact, a lot of people have multiple pinball machines in their game rooms. Plus, pinball is one of the most fun games you can play alone.
Different pinball machines have different themes. Nonetheless, the objective is the same. You can choose from new machines, used machines or you can try to find vintage pinball machines.
Ping Pong
Ping-pong is a mini-version of tennis. In fact, most people consider ping-pong as table-tennis. Small wooden rackets are used to hit the ball across the table. One person stands at one end of the table, while another stands at the opposite end. A player scores when the other person misses the ball.
There are large ping pong tables that can accommodate up to four players. However, there are tables that can fold up halfway, that way a person can play alone. Bear in mind that the best ping pong tables are expensive, but they are a ton of fun.
Video Games
Let’s not forget to mention good old video games, which can easily be found online. Classic arcade games can make any game room much livelier. There are arcade games for everyone, such as racing games, chasing games, shooting games, fighting games and the list goes on and on. There are hundreds of different kinds of arcade games to choose from, but don’t worry because arcade style games are more affordable than they’ve ever been.
You will need outlets throughout the game room. However, there are games that operate on batteries, but they can die out quickly if you play often. It’s up to you to decide what kind of arcade games to get.
Chess Or Checkers
Chess and checkers are two classic games, and they are popular for game rooms. Chess is played by checking the king, while checkers is won by capturing all of the opponent’s pieces. Both games are extremely fun and can go on for long periods of time.
A good tip is to buy a checkers and a chess table. That way you and your friends can play either one. If you don’t want to buy both, then opt for one or the other.
Scrabble Wall
As the name suggests, this game consists of a Scrabble board that goes right onto the wall. It is large and multiple players can use it. The game is played exactly like traditional scramble, which means the goal is to score the most points by putting words together on designated squares.
Card Table Or Virtual Card Game
A card table is basic, as it’s a table designed for players to play cards. Some card tables are traditional, which means you need a deck of cards. Then there are virtual card tables that uses “virtual” cards.
There are virtual card games that come in the form of an electronic table or in an arcade-game style. Some variations let you play many types of card games, while some are only designed to play one or two card games.
Shuffle Board
There are a ton of various of shuffleboard, but the game is kind of similar to air hockey. It consists of sliding pieces across a board, but you try to slide your puck on specific numbers on the board. If your puck falls off, then you either lose the game, lose a point or simply have to start again after the other players have gone.
Skee-Ball
This is a classic game that involves rolling a ball up a small ramp. You want to get the ball into pockets that offer the most points. Once you reach a specified number of points, but within a certain period of time, then you win. It’s as simple as that, and why you should have a skee-ball machine as part of your game room.
Those are 13 popular games for a game room. All you have to do now is decide which games you should get. Take time to compare each game and compare the different products before settling on anything. With so many different games, finding the right ones for your game room will be easy.
