Air hockey is one of my favorite things to do. I swear it helped make me who I am today. (No snide remarks, please.) In all seriousness, it really did provide a way for me to become more sociable. I made quite a few friends over the air hockey table. When I was a child I wasn't all that competitive or especially athletic for that matter. I wasn't a dork, and I always had at least a few friends, but I was never one of the popular kids, either.



Things stayed the same through high school and into college. It wasn't until after I turned 21 and started hitting the bars, that things began to change. I'd played air hockey before I turned 21, but I didn't get into it until I started frequenting a bar that had a table in the back. While most college bars feature darts, pool, and foosball, this place had an air hockey table. I was never all that good at pool, plus it requires a lot of space. It's pretty easy to fit an air hockey table into almost any bar. My favorite bar had a table and I quickly became almost consumed by it.

Air hockey is a simple game. You're just trying to get the puck into your opponent's goal, which is a slot at the end of the table. The game gets its name because the playing surface is perforated and air is forced through the holes causing the puck to glide effortless. The object you use to push and block the puck is called a mallet. Usually they're made of plastic but there are ones made of wood and metal. Air hockey is a fast-paced, fun game that anyone can play.

The game really helped me open up because, as I said, I wasn't all that good at pool, and darts wasn't really my game, either. But get me at an air hockey table, and I'm unbeatable! There's nothing like enjoying a couple beers and battling it out with someone. Because I enjoyed it so much I was willing to play anybody, and if there were no opponents at hand I'd just go up to someone at the bar and ask them if they wanted to play. Yep, some of these people were women. I was never good at just going up to girls I don't know and talking to them, but the game gave me a way to start the conversation. A girl would much rather hear, "Would you like to play some air hockey?" instead of, "Hey baby, come here often?"

I made lots of friends over the games and met a bunch of girls. I left that college bar behind some years ago but I never lost that love for the game. I recently purchased my own table, and I can't express how happy I am with it. If you're thinking about getting one, just figure out what you want to spend and go from there. Tables are available for every budget. It's a great wholesome game that anyone can play.