Shuffleboard is fun, but you do get a bit bored of it once you have overplayed it.
Finding new games is always thrilling, and it’s fun finding new ways to beat your friends and family and maintain your champion status (or to improve your skills if you often lose).
Finding a game like shuffleboard on a table can be challenging, but we have found various games that you can play indoors and outdoors that will keep you equally entertained.
Some games you can play on a shuffleboard table, and others may require some extra equipment.
Games Similar To Shuffleboard
There are a number of games that are fairly similar to shuffleboard, and it is not challenging to find a game like shuffleboard on a table.
Some games can be played solo, in one team, or in various teams.
Their scoring zones, foul line, rules, and rounds may differ.
Take a look at the following:
1. Billiards
You’ll need outstanding hand-eye coordination, excellent dexterity, and a lot of patience to succeed at billiards, just like you do at shuffleboard.
Billiards sometimes referred to as pool, can be played in pairs or solo and has a wide variety of games to choose from, each with its own set of rules.
To win, players must either pot all 7 of their spotted or striped balls while also finishing only with the black eight ball before their opponent(s).
It is commonly played in pubs and is loads of fun, but before you start, learn how to rack pool balls.
It is primarily played by two people at a time, but you could play in two teams.
2. Air Hockey
Air Hockey is a true bar classic that is occasionally found in arcades.
It is played similarly to shuffleboard in that timing is essential, but it also features the quick-paced action of conventional hockey.
There isn’t enough room for more people, so you can only play against a single opponent or in teams of two.
However, games end so quickly that other players will not have to hang around for very long.
The objective of the game is to score seven points as quickly as possible and to block the opposing pucks.
To achieve this, shoot the puck at your opponent’s goal – the tiny slit on the other end of the table.
Teammates stand beside you, and your opponents are at the opposite end of the table.
3. Skeeball
Skeeball and shuffleboard are played similarly.
Therefore in order to succeed, players must possess the same set of skills.
Skeeball is played fairly similarly to ten-pin bowling.
However, it is just scaled down and a bit harder to play.
But the skills are for sure transferable.
Teams compete head-to-head and take turns throwing three balls into the skeeball arena to get as many points as they can.
After each player has rolled three times, the team with the highest overall total wins.
4. Klask
The object of this condensed form of air hockey, which resembles a combination between air hockey and shuffleboard, is to get your puck into the opponent’s goal.
Klask needs players to strike the puck precisely in order to have the best chance of winning, much like all the other games on this list.
The game is won by the first player to score six goals.
Players move their pieces across the game board using magnets to hit the puck into the opponent’s goal and score points.
You also need to bump opposing pucks to intercept the other team so that they don’t land in the scoring boxes.
5. Bocce Ball
Bocce ball is a summertime game that is occasionally played in a bar garden and is similar to shuffleboard in that it requires precision throwing.
Teams of players alternately throw their team’s bocce balls in the direction of the pallino in the center by the scoring area, which awards points based on how near each ball is to it at the completion of the round.
Naturally, the team with the highest overall score when the game ends is the winner.
It’s also the game on the list that is simplest to play at home.
It’s fun, social, and a little bit competitive – but all the best games are.
6. Pinball
Pinball, despite being largely a single-player game, is a fantastic alternative to shuffleboard because it places an emphasis on accuracy and time.
However, pinball includes two buttons on the side that operate the pincers on the bottom part of the machine rather than pushing the puck.
Players must push the button precisely when the ball lands on one of the two pincers to launch it into the playing field and into the scoring area.
Points are given based on where the ball lands until it passes through the pincers and gives the player their ultimate score.
The group with the highest total score wins.
Variations Of Shuffleboard
There are some variations of common shuffleboard games.
For example, there is a version played in Canada that is played under specific rules from the Canadian Shuffleboard Congress.
Shuffleboard rules always differ, and the following are some variations:
- Shove ha’penny
- Bank board/Bumper Shuffleboard ( this is similar to billiards and air hockey)
- Sjoelen
Final Thoughts
There are a number of games that are similar to table shuffleboard, and all of them allow your competitive side to come out – they can be intense and fast-paced.
Most of the games on this list contain very similar skill sets, so you should have no trouble learning how to play, as you’ll likely pick up each game fairly quickly.
Once you have given some of these games a go, you’ll have some awesome alternatives to shuffleboard to keep you and your buddies entertained for your next few game days (or nights).