Author: Games for Fun Crew

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Air Hockey Darts Fun Music Ping Pong Pool Shuffleboard

Man Cave Must Haves

Everyone needs that space in their home where they can unwind after a long day at work. Whether this space is used to watch your favorite sports teams, or to have your closest friends over for some pool; your man cave gives you an escape from reality. Through your style and interests, you can create a room that is meant solely for leisure.  

When your buddies come over, you’re gonna want to make sure you have all the essentials to keep them entertained.

These are the must haves for every man cave:

Relaxing

You and your guests won’t enjoy the next football game standing up! In this room, the right furniture is just as important as your TV. You’re gonna need some comfortable seating for you and your guests. With a L-shaped couch, everyone will have room to spread out and still be close enough to reach for more chips and dip.  Along with a couch, having a few recliners will help spread out the seating. During an intense game, this will be needed!

You don’t need to limit yourself to just sitting by the TV. If you have enough room, adding some bar stools to your man cave game room is always a good idea. This will be especially helpful when you have a lot of people over. In our showroom, we have plenty of bar stools and chairs to get you started. 

Entertaining

Although we love watching sports games on the TV, sometimes sticking to the classics is necessary. A pool table is a staple item in most entertainment rooms and gives your guests a fun activity to do when there are no games on. In our showroom, we have a diverse selection of pool tables to choose from to match any man cave style. If you can’t make a trip to our store, check out what we have available online! We offer free shipping on all orders and will deliver it right to your door. 

Don’t have enough room to fit a pool table? A foosball table is the perfect alternative. This game is more fast paced, and is easy to set up in any type of room. Unlike pool, you don’t need to be an experienced player to get competitive in this game! 

Refreshing

What is a man cave without drinks? If your room is not near the kitchen, you’re going to need to make refreshments easily accessible. After all, this is the first place your guests will run to upon entering your game room. 

Although having a mini bar is ideal to most, some rooms just don’t have the space for it. If your room is limited on extra space, you are going to need somewhere to store those cold beers. In our showroom, we have products like a kegerator and a Coca Cola refrigerator to keep your drinks cold and ready to go for any game.

After a long day at work, nothing is better than coming home to a room full of your favorite things. Your man cave is the space in your house where you can kick up your feet and relax. This area is exclusively yours and you have the freedom to make it whatever you want.

Get your next must-have piece for your man cave in our showroom! We have a wide variety of products that will seamlessly fit into your favorite space. We are right off the 215 freeway in San Bernardino. Stop by any time Monday through Saturday between 9:00am-5:00pm.

Categories
Pool

Caring For Your Pool Table

Pool tables are a staple piece of furniture that is meant to provide lasting enjoyment for decades. You’ve invested a lot into your pool table, so making sure it sustains its high quality is important.

Although your pool table doesn’t require day-to-day maintenance, it is delicate furniture that can last generations if taken care of properly.

As a pool table owner you should be mindful of these three things:

Cleaning

Unfortunately, lots of pool time will result in a dirty table, but a quick clean after every game will save you years of wear and tear. All of the elements of the game will contribute to this, so don’t neglect cleaning your balls and cues too!

A good rule to follow is never overdue your chalking. When it comes to the felt, chalk can be a silent killer to your felt cover. Even if you brush your table after every game, chalk is guaranteed to linger into the felt.

Like any piece of expensive furniture, you should clean the wood with care. Only use cleaning products that are safe with your type of finish.

Protecting

Don’t ever confuse your beautiful pool table top with any other regular table in the house! The best way to protect your table from spills, stains, and damage is by not letting anything on top except for game supplies.

Whether your table is in the living room or garage, having a Pool Table Cover is crucial to conserving your felt and wood. You’ll want your felt looking as bright as the day you bought it, so covering is key. This will prevent possible sun damage that can occur over time.

Preventing

While some regular wear and tear is unavoidable over time, there are some things you can do to ensure you are keeping your table in the best shape.

As fun as it is to sit on the edge of your table, it is definitely not recommended! Your pool table is strong enough to hold your leaning weight, but constantly sitting on it can eventually cause some damage. Keeping a strong base to your table is crucial for stability, so make sure you purchase a table with solid legs, like our Lodgepole Table. This table features Fir logs with a natural finish that have been cut and carved to create a unique design that will provide support and style.

Maintaining your pool table is simple, as long as you take the right steps to care for it. With all these things in mind, you will be able to keep your pool table looking brand new for years to come.

Categories
Fun Shuffleboard

A Beginner’s Guide To Shuffleboard

Shuffleboard The classic game of Shuffleboard has been around since the 1400’s. Beginning in the U.K., it has gained popularity all around the world. You’ve probably seen a table or two inside a bar or in a killer game room before.Whether you have a large group playing, or just one-on-one, Shuffleboard requires more skill than luck.  As the game heats up, this pastime will surely bring out your competitive side! While there are multiple ways to play this simple game, the most common is between two players. The object of the game is to score more points than your opponent using four metal pucks. Learn the rules, layouts, & how to play shuffleboard below.

How To Start

The layout of a Shuffleboard table is quite simple. The long wooden plank has three scoring zones on each end, and it is surrounded by an area where misfired pucks can fall out of the scoring zones. The table is covered with sand or powder to allow for the pucks to glide across smoothly. While most people use a coin toss, determining who shoots first will depend on each group of players. Each team will have different colored pucks. Along with pucks, you can find everything you need for shuffleboard in our store or online! Check out our shuffleboard accessories here.

How to Play Shuffleboard

In a two-player game, each player will have four pucks to shoot. There are a few things each player must keep in mind in order to play the game correctly. Before starting, whoever is playing must stand behind their end of the table to slide their pucks. Players must slide or “shuffle†their pucks to the other side while keeping their pucks on the table. The first player begins by shooting one of his colored pucks and the second player follows. Each player rotates shooting until all eight pucks have been used.

How To Win

In the game of Shuffleboard, aim is everything. To get the most points, the puck must land on the farthest end of the table while remaining on the surface. At the end of the game, the score is determined by counting only the pucks that are closest to the end of the table. If the puck is not entirely inside the score zone, the points do not count. Shuffleboard is an easy game to play and so simple that you can make up your own rules! This is especially true when you have the table in your home!  Your table. Your rules. It’s that simple.Interested in having this classic game in your home? A great one to start off with is our Fundamental Shuffleboard Table. This table combines timeless design with precision engineering, creating family fun to last generations. If you want to see our tables for yourself, come to our showroom!

Categories
Darts

There’s more than one way to throw a Dart

more than one way to throw a Dart
If you’ve only played darts recreationally, you might not know about the vast amount of games that you can play with a dart board. You may be “just trying to hit the bullseye” every time. Or maybe “just trying to even make it on the board and not the wall” every time. If you want to have more fun with your dartboard, maybe try a few of these games.

 

Around the World

The title gives away the point of the game but this game is great to play because it is so easy to understand. You start at the number one and can hit anywhere within that area. Once you hit that area, you move on to number two and so on. Straightforward concept but it does take some good aim. If you want to make it more challenging, you can utilize the double and triple rings where you only move forward if you hit one of these rings. Or the option of hitting the triple ring on number one then moves you forward to number 4. If you hit the triple ring on number 4, then you proceed to number 7 and so on.

 

Cricket

Another favorite game is Cricket. The idea behind cricket is to close out specific numbers by hitting them three times with either three singles, or a single and a double or a triple. The numbers in play are 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15 and the inner and outer Bulls. Once you have closed off a number that your opponent has not yet hit, you can start to score points by hitting it. The numbers can be closed in any succession.

 

Aim to Win

Both of these games require that you have some pretty good aim! If you need to improve your aim it’s always good to find a sight line. Many people will use their fingers or the dart itself to create a sight line. Secondly, you will want to lead with your elbow. Overall, to get better at darts, you need to practice. If you’re going to improve your game at home, make sure to get your gear from us. We always have what you need to get your game on.
Categories
Darts

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

hit me with your best shot

You’ve seen dart boards everywhere. In your favorite bar, in your best friend’s basement or the garage hang out that you had growing up. Almost everyone has picked up a dart and hoped that they would hit that bullseye. More likely than not your dart landed on the wall next to the dart board, but enough on that. Darts have a rich history. As best as we can tell, the practice of throwing “arrows” to hit specific targets started through archery. The miniaturized version of archery could be found in pubs all across Europe. But after World War 1 its popularity expanded. Leagues began to be formed and the American, Australian and New Zealand soldiers who had learned the game while overseas brought it home.

Fun Fact from the Professional Darts Players Association:

“The legality of darts (whether it was a game of chance (illegal) or skill (legal) was challenged in a Leeds court in 1908 when a publican, Jim Garside, was prosecuted for allowing darts to be played in his pub, the Adelphi Inn. Fortunately, Jim took along with him his best player William ‘Big Foot’ who by demonstrating the game so impressed the magistrates that the decision went in darts’ favour.” (source)

The appeal of darts is felt worldwide. Today, there are substantial yearly tournaments held to show the skill and mastership of its players. But with every good game, its premise is simple enough that anyone can play. Whether you are trying to see who can get a bullseye to the more sophisticated games of 301,501 or cricket; darts is a game that can be enjoyed by everyone. If you are looking for your own dartboard or darts, please check out what we can offer you in our store or on our online store. Feel the pleasure of becoming skilled at one of the oldest known games today!

Categories
Pool

How to improve your game 

How to improve your game

Pool is an easy game to understand. Watch someone playing, and after a few minutes, you’ve got the hang of it. Being good at pool is whole other issue. So here are a few tips to improve your game.
 

Keep your eyes on the prize

When you practice, don’t go back and forth looking at the cue ball and the ball you want to strike. Instead, line up your shot and step into your stance, once you are there only look at the ball you are aiming for. If you go back and forth you are losing focus and not gaining it. Looking back and forth can cause you to miss your shots if you are focusing on the cue ball. Once you have mastered the skill of aiming only by looking at the ball you want to strike,  you can look at your cue ball in a game. But look once or twice, don’t go back and forth too much.
 

A Good Stance goes a long way 

A good stance consists of positioning yourself close but not too close to the table. Leaning into a shot gives you greater control. Your feet should be about two feet apart and you should feel anchored there. Enough of an anchor that you could withstand a good shove. You should also keep your head down with the cue directly below your chin.
 

Follow through 

When you make your shot make sure that you follow the hit all the way through. If you stop once you hit the ball, that jerking motion can cause your cue to pull up and you can lose your power and aim. You should also stay down after the shot. This allows you to see better the angles of where your ball is going and any other balls it strikes.
 

Have fun 
One of the biggest mistakes is when you get in your head. Causing yourself to feel stressed puts tension in your muscles and you are more likely to mess up easy shots. Also, sometimes your game is just off. It’s not the end of the world, and this is meant to be a game. So relax and have some fun!
Categories
Fun

Arcade All Day

arcade all day
For the majority of us, when we think of an Arcade, we are reminded of a building chock full of video games, dim lighting with some cigarette smoke lingering around you.
You had scrounged every last quarter you could find to get as much playing time as possible, and you worked so hard to get a better high score or get to that next level. The American Arcade was in its heyday from the 1970’s – to mid-80’s. But it has some pretty exciting origins.

 

The earliest arcades were created in the early 1900’s with the invention of skeeball and later pinball.

However, in the 1940’s these arcades suffered a big hit. The Mayor of New York City made pinball machines illegal. He saw them as a gateway to gambling and called the people who owned them a “slimy crews of tinhorns, well dressed and living in luxury on penny thievery.” Granted the earliest pinball machines did have a lot in common with a slot machine. This sentiment was backed by other areas across the country and would be in effect in New York City until 1976. They viewed arcades as the place where young hooligans could meet up and cause trouble. When this ban lifted and with the creation of games like Pong from Atari, the arcade saw a resurgence. Suddenly new video games were being created, and new arcades were going up all across the country. Popularity peaked with the invention of PacMan. That small yellow disc who avoided ghosts and looked for those cherry treats caught the heart of the country. People from any generation are still familiar with that game. However, this craze didn’t last long, and the same downfall that befell the pinball arcade came to the video arcade. Parents and legislatures started to cry out that arcades were a place for young delinquents to initiate and cause trouble. Before long, these outcries and the rise of the home video game system saw the vast majority of arcades closing down.

If you loved arcades and want to recreate that magic for yourself, you can look at our arcades games. We have some updated arcade classics that will keep you having fun for hours! Check them out in our arcade shop!

Categories
Fun

How To Host A Game Tournament

how to host a game tournament
There is something to be said about when a group of friends gets together to have fun.
Things become funnier when a group of people is laughing together as they feed off each other. There are the shared experiences of “remember when…” that usually leaves one person groaning, but the rest of the group is howling. We love these types of get-togethers, but especially when they are paired with some competitive fun. This seems especially right this month while we are in the midst of March Madness. So we thought why not combine our two favorite things. This blog will go over how to host your very own game tournament.

 

First things first, decide what kind of tournament you want to host.
Are you a fan of Ping Pong? Is Pool more your thing? Are you a Foos Fool? In all reality, it helps if you already own the game that you want to build your tournament around. If you don’t, check out our inventory.

 

Once that is decided you need to check with your friends and find a date that works for everyone and send out the invitations.
After you know who is coming, then you can set up your brackets. These are the teams that are going to be competing and going head to head with each other. As one team wins, they move on in the bracket, playing winners from another game. It’s also essential that all your players know the rules of the game. Send out the rules ahead of time as well as any special instructions for your particular tournament.  Are certain moves not permissible? Are there double points for any specific shots? All of these details can help your friends be ready to compete. And finally, what’s the prize? What ultimate glory are these teams fighting for? Have fun and be creative coming up with something that your group of friends will enjoy.

 

Which brings up the most important part of a game tournament: HAVE FUN!
Categories
Fun

Happy Employees Make Happy Workplaces

Happy Employees Make Happy Workplaces
It seems to be the understanding that if you are going to work, then you are going in for a day of drudgery.

Sit at a desk, punch in the numbers and continue through a mind-numbing 8 hour period. This is a significant problem. One that companies have begun to realize they need to address. 5 Dynamics, an organization designed to help with employee engagement shares “A 2017 Deloitte report has shown that nearly 80 percent of executives rated employee engagement either very important or important, but only 22 percent were “excellent” at building a positive employee experience. Even more troubling, 59 percent of respondents indicated that their companies were either not ready or only somewhat ready to address the employee experience challenge.”

 

This got us thinking.

If statistics show that happy employees are around 20% more efficient in their work environments, it’s time to add some fun to the workplace. We think one of the best ways to do that is to create a game room for work. A place where employees can take a break from the rigors of work. The simple fact of getting up from a desk and standing for a while has substantial health benefits. In some circles, they are calling sitting the new smoking because of the impact it has on your health.

 

There are multiple benefits from taking a quick break and playing games.

Most obvious, It can help with creativity and problem-solving. When you play games, different parts of your brain are engaged, and it can help you think about your problems in a new way. It helps with stress. You can disengage fully from a work situation that could be stressing you out. It also helps build relationships in the workplace which leads to better collaboration on projects.

If you want to look into a way to help motivate and make your employees happier see how Games for Fun can help you out today!

Categories
Fun

History of Foosball

History of Foosball

If you’re an American and have played Foosball before you might think that it’s a weird name; because you’re playing soccer and as far as you know, there are no foos in soccer. And you would be correct. Foos is not an English word. Foosball comes from the German word  Fußball which means football. If you are from any other part of the world, you recognize the game of soccer by the name football. Why does America have to be so different? Why do we use Fahrenheit and the Imperial system? Great question for another blog.

Foosball started in Europe around the 1880’s.
But no one is exactly sure who invented this game or why it was invented. There is speculation that it was to help one man’s grandchildren stave off boredom during the winter. There is also the theory that a wounded soldier came up with the idea on his hospital bed. Regardless of its start, it was patented by an Englishman named Harold Searles Thornton in 1923. The game that he patented looks very much like the game that we play today.

 

Foosball made its way across the pond around the 1960’s by Lawrence Patterson.

He discovered the game while being stationed in Germany and brought his favorite game home. He started running some tournaments, and the game found traction. But it blew up with E. Lee Peppard who created his brand of tables and tournaments based on his tables. He traveled around the country with tournament prizes ranging from $1,500 all the way up to $100,000. This lasted until the late 70’s when a rising new form of entertainment, the video game, overthrew foosball as king of recreation.

 

Foosball is still considered to be one of the most accessible and fun games to play.
It’s easy rules, and compact design allowed it to be understood and played by anyone who would want to have some fun. If you are looking into a foosball table, you may want to check out our online store. You can also visit our warehouse to see any of our products first hand. Happy Foosballing!