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Table-top hockey

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by doubledown68, Nov 28, 2006.

  1. doubledown68

    doubledown68 Active Member

    OK, here's the thing:
    I was in a sporting goods store last week, just ambling around, killing time, because recently the whole "day-off" concept has been foreign to me. And said store had some table games on display, including the table-top (or rod) hockey game that I used to have as a kid. I just looked at it, then decided to check if the puck was in the goal.. because these stores NEVER leave the puck in the goal.

    But I found the puck. And I played with it until the store manager told me not to. I miss table top hockey. Now I've been looking this crap up on ebay, and I can't tell you why. In an ideal world, I'd be able to afford the old-school dome hockey that was coin-operated, that had the U.S. vs. Russia and the button to boo the opponent. I even found one of those on ebay. My dad and I used to have epic battles on that thing at Showbiz (nee Chuck E Cheese). But I can't afford a $2,000 hockey game, and I don't have room for it, even if I did.

    But for some reason, I have determined I will get one at some point in the future, and I have no idea why. Anybody out there have a true table-top game, the kind that's relatively small and portable? Anybody recommend one? Anybody think this is the most random and useless thread ever?

    Ok, can't argue there. But viva la table-top hockey!!
     
  2. Flash

    Flash Guest

    I had the Wayne Gretzky edition for a while. It was even in mint condition. Gave it away to somebody or another ...
     
  3. buckweaver

    buckweaver Active Member

    In my parents house, there is a table-top game that they bought for me at Toys 'R' Us back in the mid-1980s. Teams were red and blue, and moved very fluidly. It still works, although I can't remember the brand name. And I can't find it anywhere online. It looks similar to the <a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=electric+hockey&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-501&x=wrt">second-row, far-left image on this page</a>, only it's blue and without the overhanging scoreboard. Had some furious battles on that thing, and I need to get it back before everything's said and done.
     
  4. Flying Headbutt

    Flying Headbutt Moderator Staff Member

    I had a terribly cheaper game once upon a long time, and loved playing that game. Hell you just brought back memories DD. And I loved playing the original USA vs. USSR one too at Showbiz.

    Back when I was in college Bud Light would take those games to bars and hold 2-on-2 tournaments. Me and my best friend, just 19 or 20 at the time, got there early enough for a playoff game that no one was carding yet and we got to stick around and drink and play. Almost won the bar's tournament that night, I think going to double OT before losing a semifinal game. Had we won, we'd have been invited to show up at another tournament as they gave away some big ass great prize that I forget already.
     
  5. JR

    JR Well-Known Member

    Back in the day, before teams knew anything about licensing, I had a table top game (Munro Games out of Burlington, Ontario made the best ones) that came with players from all the original six teams. All the players had the teams logos. There was a scoreboard with a timer and on the top was a place to put a miniature Stanley Cup.

    I've had about four of those over the years (including the Wayne Gretzky one).

    There's an international table top hockey tournament in Sweden. Apparently they're nuts about it. (Then they don't actually have to go into the corners. :))
     
  6. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Within a month of my getting the game, the metal on the sides would rip from the legs moving violently from another intense game between my brother and I....
     
  7. JR

    JR Well-Known Member

    And this is too funny. The International Table Hockey Federation is in Latvia.

    http://www.ithf.info/stiga/ithf/IIHF_th_tournament.aspx

    Dear, journalist!

    You come to Riga to enjoy top class ice hockey and of course inform about all this readers of your newspaper, magazine or internet portal, watchers of your TV channel or listeners of your radio channel.

    BUT! You do not have to work all the time! You can play also hockey!
    ..........

    Also it is significant that this tournament will be restored in Riga, Latvia. Latvia is not only famous with their noisy and ice hockey loving fans,but Latvia is the first country in the world where table hockey is recognized by country officials as sport. ....

    Sponsors of tournament will provide prizes for the best 18 players. For all players Latvian beer and snacks will be available.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. JR

    JR Well-Known Member

    True story.
    When I was in university, my buddy's brother in law got one for Xmas from his wife. This guy was, to put it mildly, competitive.

    So these two guys have a best out of seven Stanley Cup tournament. First player to ten goals in each game wins.

    My buddy's brother in law lost in game 7 10-9 and got so furious he threw the game out in the backyard and took an axe to it. Funny shit at the time.
     
  9. jgmacg

    jgmacg Guest

    For those interested in buying back their youth, just Google "table top hockey."

    The officially licensed NHL game is here:

    http://www.tablehockey.net/
     
  10. JR

    JR Well-Known Member

    Screwed again.

    It costs $180.00 Cdn to buy one of these and have it shipped up here via Fedex.

    I can't believe there's no Canadian distributor.
     
  11. Beef03

    Beef03 Active Member

    I used to love table top hockey growing up, would have some big battles with my friends growing up, but being the uncoordinated dolt that I am, I got my ass kicked on a regular basis. I'm not a big fan of the fancy 3-D versions, if you're going to play table hockey it should be with the old-school 2D players like these:
    http://youtube.com/results?search_query=knob+hockey&search=Search

    My dad's parents in Illinois had one from the 60's that i remember playing in the early 90's. It was possibly the most comprehensive one I've seen, especially considerin the era. It was a bigger surface than most table top games, had faux glass around the top of the boards, had a working score clock where you could drop the puck through the top and have an actual face off. The players were also period players. It fucking rocked. i think they had the Blackhawks and Canadiens, I think. good memories. I only wish it got passed on to me. I think they tossed it when they moved into their condo. :(
     
  12. Hank_Scorpio

    Hank_Scorpio Active Member

    Not quite the same, but did anyone ever play knock hockey?

    [​IMG]
     
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