What is best for my game room? How to choose the right games

The prospect of furnishing a new game room, or perhaps just refurbishing, is an incredibly fun and exciting one. The process of choosing the best games though, is a little bit more of a challenge. It can be a bit like being a kid in a sweet shop - you just want everything, and can’t possibly eat it all.

At The Games Room Company we’re family run, so we know that getting the right atmosphere in a game room is important to make sure you really enjoy it. We’re proud to stock a wide range of different types of games - including pinball, table football, jukeboxes, cinema seating, decorations and a whole lot more.

We’ve been operating for a long time, since 1962, so we know what we’re talking about. Let’s explore what the best options are - and how to choose the right games.

What kind of games room do you want?

It might sound like a bit of a nebulous question, but just ask yourself - “What do I really want?”. It’s easy to browse our showroom or website and see something that looks really cool and super fun - but you should really think about it, as it can often be a sizeable investment. So it’s important to get it right!

Keep the following in mind and you can get a better idea of what you really want more easily:

Close Your Eyes & Dream

If you don’t know where to start, try this little exercise. Close your eyes and imagine yourself walking into the perfect game room. What does it feel like? Are there lots of buzzers and sounds? Is there a classic rock and roll track playing? Or maybe there are a lot of flashing and glowing lights. Decide this and you can whittle down the most fundamental ‘moods’.

If you want buzzers and sounds - perhaps a table football table, snooker table or air hockey table will be suitable.
If you’d like a classic rock and roll vibe - then you could opt for a vintage jukebox for that classic diner feel.

If you want flashing lights - then a pinball table is perfect, bridging the gap between a video game and something more classic.

It’s not easy, but it’s part of the process of creating a great games room. Once you’ve determined the broad type of room you want, you can whittle down the options.

Pinball, Pool & Jukeboxes

Odds are, in your minds eye, you can settle on one of these three types of games room equipment. But what are the pluses and minuses of each?

Pinball

Pinball is so much fun. It’s got a great history, and every kid loves to bash the flipper buttons and score points in the game.

Pinball machines are:

Great if you are… - Looking for that classic feel, love noisy machines, like BIG pieces of kit or you just plain love playing pinball!
Not so great if you are… - After something ultra-modern, need a space where you can keep the noise down or if you want a game that can involve more than 1 or 2 players at a time.

We love pinball. Some of our favourites include ‘The Addams Family’ pinball, which is widely regarded as one of the best pinball machines of all time - it’s also available to buy online now.

Pool

Such a classic! Playing pool, or perhaps snooker if that’s your thing, has a long history amongst game rooms. It’s a truly a classic game, with the first tables dating back to the 16th century.

Pool tables are:

Great if you are… - Not pressed for space, looking or something that is low maintenance and a game that can be played by multiple people - or even teams.
Not so great if you are… - Trying to furnish a smaller game room, need something more ‘high tech’ or want a more modern looking space.

Pool is fun and easy to play, it doesn’t make too much noise either so if you’re looking for a quieter option it’s fantastic. If you’re looking for a functional space, you can get a pool table that converts into a dining table - so you can use the game room space for something else!

Jukeboxes

You can quite easily spend hours in a game room, so it’s probably a good idea to have a bit of music playing. Music helps the atmosphere of a game room too, which really should be a place to unwind and let loose:

Jukeboxes are:

Great if you are… - Looking for a party atmosphere, have a penchant for good sounding music (our vinyl jukeboxes have brilliant sound quality) or you love the retro look.
Not so great if you are… - More of a gamer than a lounger, don’t like noise in your house or would like something smaller as most of our jukeboxes are BIG!

A classic 50’s jukebox or a modern digital jukebox connected to your own digital collection can really make a game room rock! See our full range of jukeboxes here to buy online now.

Each to their own, creating the perfect game room

Your game room is really a reflection of you and your family and friends, so you will want to fill it with the best things possible that are suited to your tastes. It’s never an easy task, but hopefully you’ve got a few ideas. Browse all of our games room equipment here and get started building an awesome and fun room.

What do you think every game room should have? Comment and let us know. If you have any questions or you’d like to get in touch then please contact us. And check out the rest of our blog for more fun stuff.

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