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The game room is a key part of many homes. If you want to spend more quality time with your family, have more entertaining parties, and always have something fun to do, dedicating part of your home as a game room is an excellent decision.
Likewise, many offices also offer game rooms as a way to provide fun breaks from work and boost employee morale. The game room in an office can be a great place for getting to know co-workers and relieving the stress that comes with the job.
So now that you have a game room or have at least decided you need to create one, the next decision involves what game room games should be included.
In this article, we’ll look at the best gameroom games you’ll want to consider. You can’t go wrong with any of them.
A ping pong table is easily one of the best games for a game room. It’s a fun game for 2 or 4 players, and you can even play by yourself with a folding table or a table tennis robot. Whether it’s a fun family game or a spirited game between friends, ping pong is always an excellent choice for kids and adults.
Ping pong tables can get quite expensive, but you obviously don’t need a professional-level table for your game room. There are plenty of affordable options that will be more than sufficient for the typical needs of a home or office.
See our reviews of the best ping pong tables.
Darts is another popular choice, and a game with many possibilities. There are countless variations and types of games that can be played with a dartboard. You can play by yourself, with just one other person, or play a game with many teams and many players. Darts is a great game for parties when you want to find something that lots of people can play together.
Another nice thing about dartboards is that they don’t need to take up a lot of space. You’ll need some open room in front of the dartboard for a clear throwing lane, but when you’re not playing, it won’t take up any space in the room. You can even get a cabinet that will hide the dartboard when it’s not being used. It’s also possible to play darts in a relatively small room.
Dartboards are also quite affordable. You’ll have to decide whether you want a traditional bristle dartboard or an electronic dartboard. Electronic dartboards typically use soft-tipped darts, which can be nice for home use because they are less likely to damage the walls.
See our reviews of the best dartboards.
A pool table is one of the most popular indoor table games, and one that’s sure to lead to many friends spending more time at your house. The downside to a pool table is that it takes up a good bit of space, maybe the majority of your room, and it can also be quite expensive. Of course, you can get them for affordable prices if you don’t want a top-quality table. You can also get a mini table if you want to save some room (and some money).
See our reviews of the best pool tables.
Air hockey is one of my favorite table games for home. Not many home game rooms have an air hockey table, so yours is sure to see more visitors if you add an air hockey table.
Air hockey tables can be big and cumbersome, but there are some smaller and more economical options available as well. You could even get a tabletop version rather than a standalone table.
See our reviews of the best air hockey tables.
When it comes to game room games for home, shuffleboard is sometimes overlooked. There are a few different variations of shuffleboard. It can be played on the ground with large disks or pucks, or a different variation can be played on a table. As far as game room ideas are concerned, the table variation is a great option. The other version is great for your outdoor space.
Shuffleboard tables are quite long, but they’re narrow, so they are a realistic option for a lot of game rooms. The game looks pretty simple, but once you play it, it’s a lot of fun.
See our reviews of the best shuffleboard tables.
A foosball table is always a popular option as well. You’ll need a decent amount of space in your room for foosball, because you won’t want to slam into walls or innocent bystanders when you’re spinning and maneuvering the players.
Foosball is especially fun with 4 or 6 players. It’s not my favorite 2-player game as it’s kind of hard to manage an entire side by yourself, but if you often have 4 or more people to play, it is a great choice.
See our reviews of the best foosball tables.
Adding a pinball machine can make your game room a lot of fun. This is a great game table choice if you spend a lot of time in the room by yourself. There aren’t many games that are as fun playing by yourself as pinball.
You can buy a new pinball machine, or check Craigslist and you may be able to find a vintage/used one in your area.
An arcade-style basketball game can be a lot of fun for kids and adults alike, and some of them are surprisingly affordable. This a great 2-player game, and with more players, you can always play tournament style. When I was a kid I would have loved to have one of these in my house, and even now as an adult, it’s on my list of things to add to the game room.
Many homes today have a video game console of some type. Video games and arcade games aren’t just for kids and gamers anymore, with many adults still enjoying the games. I grew up playing a lot of sports and racing games, and they’re still my favorites.
To use video game consoles, you’ll obviously need a TV or computer in your game room. Surround sound is also a welcomed addition that can make the gaming even more fun. Whether it’s a family favorite like Mario Kart or a classic arcade game or retro game like Donkey Kong, there’s plenty of fun to be had.
While there are plenty of great games you can buy for your gameroom, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a fun place in your home. You can go with budget-friendly options for basics like ping pong tables and dartboards. In most cases the budget options will be more than adequate just for having fun at home.
What is the best game for my game room?
It really depends on your preferences, as well as the preferences of others in your family, and friends. If you’re looking a game that’s great for entertaining groups, you can’t go wrong with darts since it can be played by small or large groups. For two-player action, ping pong, pool, and air hockey are popular choices. Simply go with the one that you like the most.
How big does my game room need to be?
It doesn’t have to be big at all. Even a small space like a bedroom can serve as a great game room. You won’t be able to fit a full-size pool table or foosball table, but there are mini versions of most games. Plus you can use games that don’t take up as much space like video games and board games.
What type of game room furniture and decor do I need?
The best choice is a comfortable place to sit. It could be a couch, individual chairs, or both. Many games don’t involve sitting, but the game room is also a social room. If you have space for seating, it’s a good idea.
If you enjoy playing games like darts, pool, ping pong, foosball, and air hockey, any of these game room games will be a welcome addition to your home or office. By providing hours of entertainment for friends and family, each has earned the right to be mentioned among the best gameroom games.
We hope you enjoy this indoor table games list and that it helps you to up the fun factor of your own home or office. And if you’re looking for more ideas, a board game or card game that your family enjoys is always an excellent choice.
I live in Pennsylvania with my wife and four children. Time with family is very important to me, so I started Gameroom Vault to help others find fun ways to spend time with their families at home.