Build a game roomthat gets played.
Buying guides for pool tables and cues, dartboards, foosball, air hockey, shuffleboard and arcade machines, with the room sizes, regulation specs and build quality that separate toys from tables.
Pick your game
Billiards, darts, table games and arcade. Each one starts with the space it needs.
Plan the room
Dartboard setup measurements: 5 ft 8 in bullseye height, 7 ft 9.25 in steel-tip and 8 ft soft-tip throw lines, diagonal check, wall protection and lighting.
- 02
Foosball vs Air Hockey Tables: Space, Build and Who They Suit
Table games
- 03
How to Lay Out a Game Room: Space, Lighting and Flooring
Room planning
- 04
How to Choose a Pool Cue: Weight, Shaft, Tip and Length
Pool cues
- 05
Pool Table Room Size Chart: How Much Space Do You Need?
Room size
- 06
Slate vs Non-Slate Pool Tables: Playability, Weight and Cost
Table construction
Game Room Equipment questions, answered
How high is a dartboard?
The center of the bullseye is 5 feet 8 inches from the floor for both steel and soft tip.
Read: Dartboard Height and Throw Line Distance for Steel and Soft Tip →How much space do I need for a foosball table?
Allow about 3 feet beyond each side for the rods and players, and room at each end.
Read: Foosball vs Air Hockey Tables →What is the best layout for a game room?
Put the largest game, often the pool table, in the center, darts on a wall away from walkways, and smaller tables and cabinets around the edges.
Read: How to Lay Out a Game Room →What weight pool cue should I get?
Start around 19 ounces. Heavier cues feel more solid; lighter cues give quicker acceleration.
Read: How to Choose a Pool Cue →What size room do I need for an 8 foot pool table?
About 13 ft 4 in by 17 ft with standard 58-inch cues. Shorter cues reduce that.
Read: Pool Table Room Size Chart →Is a slate pool table worth it?
For regular play, yes. Slate stays flat and rolls true for decades if installed and leveled properly.
Read: Slate vs Non-Slate Pool Tables →Clear answers for the game room
Every guide lists the floor space and clearances the equipment needs before anything else.
Each guide says who the equipment suits, who should look elsewhere, and what to check before you buy.
Brands cannot buy a review or a spot on a list. Partner codes save you money; they never decide what we recommend.
Prices are dated, codes are updated across the site at once, and pages are revised when a product, standard or rule changes.
The game room equipment index
- 01BilliardsPool tables, cues, shafts, tips, balls, chalk and cue cases.3 pages
- 02DartsBristle and electronic dartboards, steel-tip and soft-tip darts, flights, shafts and cabinets.1 page
- 03Table gamesFoosball, air hockey, shuffleboard, bubble hockey and multi-game tables.1 page
- 04Arcade & roomArcade cabinets, pinball machines, lighting, cue racks and game room layout.1 page
- 05Furniture & carePool table lights, cue racks, game room seating, wall protection, recovering and leveling.0 pages