Do you want to compare air hockey vs ping pong? This post is for you! Both games are among the most played indoor sports. Furthermore, they are excellent forms of exercise and entertainment.
Air hockey is the best option if you’re searching for a game that moves quickly and is plenty of action.
Ping-pong is an excellent option if you want a game that takes more skill and precision and is more strategic.
Let’s dive right into comparing air hockey and ping pong.
What is Air Hockey?
Air hockey is a tabletop activity similar to Pong in which two opposing players use two hand-held discs and a lightweight plastic puck to score goals against each other on a low-friction surface.
The surface of the air hockey table is extremely smooth and slick, further decreasing friction by hanging the puck on a light cushion of air that is ejected from tiny vent holes incorporated into the surface.
The raised edges of the table enable the puck to reflect off of them horizontally.
Due to this, the puck hovers and glides across the table with no loss of speed, simulating the lubricated glide of an ice hockey puck across a well-polished rink.
How to Play Air Hockey
The air hockey rules are relatively simple: the player who scores seven points first wins.
The best player after seven games wins. However, you must know the regulations to play air hockey well. The fundamentals of playing air hockey are as follows:
- Whoever gets the puck first is decided by a coin toss.
- The puck should enter the goal to count as a point. When pucks get caught halfway in, you’ll not get any issues.
- The opposite player serves the puck after scoring a goal.
- Only when the puck is on their side of the baseline may a player make contact with it.
- The center line may not be crossed by mallets when hitting the puck.
- As long as they stay on their side of the centerline, players may stand either behind or next to the game table.
- Anywhere the puck touches the centerline, it is fair game for either player.
- Players are not allowed to “top” the puck, so they cannot elevate their mallet and position it on the puck to secure it.
- No using hands, arms, or other body parts to touch the puck.
- In each round, each player has one 10-second time out.
What is Ping Pong?
Ping pong, commonly referred to as table tennis, is a sport that involves two or four players using small bats to knock a lightweight ball back and forth across a table.
There’s a net that divides the complex table on which the game is played.
A player scores a point when a bat hits a ball and lands on the other side of the goal. In addition to being a competitive sport, ping pong is a popular pastime.
How to Play Ping Pong
In Ping pong, a “match” is a group of games you and a different individual play together. You may play between three and five games because a match typically comprises the best three out of five games.
In open play, you must hit the ball onto your opponent’s side of the table once it has bounced on your side. The point is forfeited if the ball bounces twice, is not hit in the air, or is missed.
The first to play depends on the participants (some choose at random or flip a coin). The ball will be served twice by you and then twice by your opponents.
The serving rules alter in a game if you and your competitor reach 10 points, often known as a “deuce.” Each player will now only serve once, as opposed to twice, moving forward.
If no player has a 2-point lead, you will alternate serving until someone does. At that time, the game is over.
Following the conclusion of each game, the players swap sides of the table, but service always begins on the same side.
Air Hockey vs Ping Pong: Similarities and Differences
Similarities
- Both air hockey and ping pong are tabletop games.
- Both games require two opponents to play.
Differences
- Regarding types of equipment, ping pong needs a net, two paddles, and a ball, whereas air hockey needs a table and two mallets (pushers).
- Ping pong is played using a ball, whereas a puck is used in playing air hockey.
- A ping pong table’s surface is rough and lumpy, while an air hockey table’s surface is smooth and slippery.
Final Word
When comparing air hockey vs ping pong, choosing the best game can be daunting. However, choices vary depending on what you’re looking for in a game.
Since I have to choose, I’ll go with air hockey. The reason being the game needs only a table and two mallets to play.
Also, its table’s surface is slippery and smooth, therefore reducing the chances of scratching yourself.
