Game Room Dilemma - Pool Table or Air Hockey

[csnow]

I currently have a game room with several game cabinets and a pool table.  I wanted to replace the pool table with a commercial air hockey table.  I have a buyer for the pool table but I am having reservations.  What say you?  Pool or hockey?

[yotsuya]

I currently have a game room with several game cabinets and a pool table.  I wanted to replace the pool table with a commercial air hockey table.  I have a buyer for the pool table but I am having reservations.  What say you?  Pool or hockey?

Which do you like better?

[csnow]

I like air hockey a lot more but I have never had my own table.  I am just not sure if the replay value will be there.  I also like to entertain so I want to consider what others like playing.  Pool has the ability to be played solo but air hockey can be played by a four year old so it appeals to a wider audience.  I wouldnt think these would be a hard decision but it has turned out to be.

[yotsuya]

Personally, I'd go air hockey, but I like it better than pool. And I'd rather have a US/USSR Chexx table than both of those. 

[Louis Tully]

.

[AzureKnight]

Personally, I'd go air hockey, but I like it better than pool. And I'd rather have a US/USSR Chexx table than both of those. 

Made in my hometown and the reason I can find MDO in stock at lumber yards here.  I love bubble hockey.

As for the OP:  How much use does the pool table get now?  How often do you use it alone?  If it gets a lot of solo play, I would say keep it. 

The air hockey table will probably see a lot of action from guests at first as it is new, but then when that period wears off, will it still?  Does the pool table still see heavy use, are your friends and family pool players outside of your house?

I have a pool table, it gets used at family parties.  I've had it for 4 years now (it came with the house).  Usage has declined with every year as the novelty has worn off.  If your friends and family use it a lot maybe it is worth keeping.

In the end though...which do YOU like better?  Do you have family (kids/spouse/etc) that will use one or the other regularly?  Those are the real deciding questions to me.

If I had that choice I would swap it out as I like air hockey more than pool and since you don't need as much clearance around one I could fit one of those bubble hockey units also 

Or...table football/soccer, I'd go with one of those...

[HanoiBoi]

Stick to the plan, sell the pool table and get the air hockey.  If you later feel it was the wrong decision, sell the air hockey and rebuy a pool table.

Or ping pong.

With air hockey, you generally need less space than pool or pong.  Maybe you could stick another toy in there too.  Shuffleboard?  Full size or newer rebound type or shorter, video shuffleboards.

[horizon]

I would vote billiards, but Super Chexx is the real winner here.  Make it so.

[CCM]

Definitely pool table!

[Generic Eric]

Ping pong or that shuffle puck game.

But based on your 2 options, I'd say pool.  It's just as fun with 2 as 1.  You can't say that about air hockey.

[Vigo]

Had a commercial air hockey table a while ago. I like the game, but I honestly didn't play it so much. The big upside of air hockey to a billiard table is that you can put it against the wall and don't need that invisible bubble of empty space surrounding the table. Otherwise Air Hockey tables are just as big and heavy as a pool table. The big perk is that they are not such a money drain since you only need a couple paddles and a couple pucks. I'd still opt for pool. I think it is a classy game and most people are willing to pick it up and play.

Right now in my life I will opt for a a couple smaller games above either a pool or air hockey table. Chexx bubble hockey was mentioned, I would also love a high quality fussball table. Maybe shuffleboard or bumper pool. 

[csnow]

Thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate all the feedback.  I have decided to keep the pool table.  This is a shared room with a home theater, and the more I thought about flying pucks from dueling rednecks the pool table became a safer option. 

[Nephasth]

Darts.

[AzureKnight]

This...totally this....

[Vigo]

This...totally this....

I think that is a penalty for too many players on the field.

[Malenko]

it took me 6 months to GIVE AWAY a Foosball table. You wanna talk about something that sounds good in theory but sucks to own...... its Foosball.

[csnow]

Darts.

I am adding a Valley Cougar unit to my room

[Nephasth]

Darts.

I am adding a Valley Cougar unit to my room

High five! I just gave away a Valley Cougar in a contest in the leagues I run in my town.

[yotsuya]

High five! I just gave away a Valley Cougar...

[horizon]

I was kind of surprised to see there isnt a DIY Chexx game floating around anywhere.

Good call with the billiards table dude.

[pbj]

I've yet to play on a pool table in someone's house that had enough room to comfortably play.  Pool does NOT work in that 10x10 extra bedroom.

If you've got a sucker lined up to take a used one off your hands and you don't even have to deliver, dump that thing ASAP.

[BorgDog]

glad to hear you kept the pool table.  before I sold my big house my pool table was my main stress reliever, well that and the bar that was in the room with it.  throw some Thorogood on the stereo, get my buddy Jack, fire up the commercial popcorn popper and knock some balls around.  Had foosball and ping pong as well, but pool was the only one you could do alone for some drinkin alone time.. of course that was before I found MAME and VP, which would have gone darn nice in the rec room.

[csnow]

I've yet to play on a pool table in someone's house that had enough room to comfortably play.  Pool does NOT work in that 10x10 extra bedroom.

If you've got a sucker lined up to take a used one off your hands and you don't even have to deliver, dump that thing ASAP.

My game room is over 800sq feet.  There is no obstruction when playing.

[Vigo]

Hell, then get both. 

[csnow]

I would but the front part of the room is a home theater, which gets more use with the movies, game consoles, etc than the rest of the room.  The back part is where I put my table and game machines. 

[Generic Eric]

High five! I just gave away a Valley Cougar...

Around here a Valley Cougar is a 40 year old brunette driving her ex's Suburban.

Hell, then get both. 

This is a very first world problem.  A poll would have been more suitable.  Anyway, enjoy your games