# GameRoomTested

> Game room buying guides: pool tables and cues, dartboards and darts, foosball, air hockey, shuffleboard, arcade cabinets and pinball, with room sizes and specs for families and serious players.

GameRoomTested publishes game room equipment reviews, buying guides and reader discount codes. Every review states who the product suits, the current price from the brand's own store, and any active reader code.

## Key pages
- [Reviews](https://gameroomtested.com/reviews): every product we recommend
- [Buying guides](https://gameroomtested.com/guides): how to choose
- [Deals and codes](https://gameroomtested.com/deals): every active reader code
- [Glossary](https://gameroomtested.com/glossary): game room equipment terms defined
- [How we test](https://gameroomtested.com/testing-methodology)

## Topics
- [Billiards](https://gameroomtested.com/category/billiards): Pool tables, cues, shafts, tips, balls, chalk and cue cases.
- [Darts](https://gameroomtested.com/category/darts): Bristle and electronic dartboards, steel-tip and soft-tip darts, flights, shafts and cabinets.
- [Table games](https://gameroomtested.com/category/table-games): Foosball, air hockey, shuffleboard, bubble hockey and multi-game tables.
- [Arcade & room](https://gameroomtested.com/category/arcade): Arcade cabinets, pinball machines, lighting, cue racks and game room layout.
- [Furniture & care](https://gameroomtested.com/category/furniture-care): Pool table lights, cue racks, game room seating, wall protection, recovering and leveling.

## Buying guides
- [Maple vs Carbon-Fiber Pool Cue Shafts: What to Compare](https://gameroomtested.com/guides/billiard-shaft-materials-compared): Maple, engineered wood and carbon-fiber shafts differ in construction and feel, but the material label alone does not predict how a specific shaft will play. Compare the maker's stated deflection design, tip diameter, taper, joint and care instructions for the exact model. A replacement shaft must also match the cue butt's joint and dimensions.
- [Bristle vs Electronic Dartboards: Steel Tip or Soft Tip?](https://gameroomtested.com/guides/bristle-vs-electronic-dartboards): Bristle boards are used with steel-tip darts, while electronic boards register soft-tip darts and can score automatically. The Darts Regulation Authority rules for its events specify bristle boards; home and local league formats can differ. Choose the board that matches the darts, scoring style, space and rules you will actually use.
- [Dartboard Height and Throw Line Distance for Steel and Soft Tip](https://gameroomtested.com/guides/dartboard-height-and-throw-distance): Hang the board so the center of the bullseye is 5 feet 8 inches from the floor. For steel-tip darts, the throw line (oche) is 7 feet 9.25 inches from the face of the board, measured along the floor; for soft-tip, it is commonly 8 feet. Check with a diagonal of 9 feet 7.375 inches from bullseye to oche for steel tip. Protect the wall and light the board evenly.
- [Dedicated vs Multi-Game Tables: Space and Playability](https://gameroomtested.com/guides/dedicated-vs-multi-game-tables): A dedicated table keeps one game ready to play, while a multi-game table combines several formats in one cabinet or uses exchangeable tops. The combination saves floor space only when its full footprint, stored panels and player clearances fit the room. Compare the exact games, surface sizes, changeover steps, stability and service parts rather than judging the count of advertised games.
- [Foosball Table Buying Guide: Rods, Levelers and Build](https://gameroomtested.com/guides/foosball-table-buying-checklist): Start with the table's outside dimensions and rod clearance, then compare its playing surface, bearings, rods, player layout, levelers, ball return and service support. Features are model-specific: Warrior lists counterbalanced men and integrated levelers on its professional tables, while Tornado lists heavy-gauge rods and commercial-grade levelers on the Elite II. Compare the exact model manual and parts list before buying.
- [Foosball vs Air Hockey Tables: Space, Build and Who They Suit](https://gameroomtested.com/guides/foosball-vs-air-hockey-table): Foosball tables need little power, little maintenance and space mainly at the rod ends; good tables have heavy cabinets, steel rods and counterbalanced players. Air hockey tables need power for the blower, more end clearance and a flat playing surface; full-size home tables are about 7 to 8 feet long. Weight is a good sign of quality for both, since light tables slide and flex in play.
- [How to Lay Out a Game Room: Space, Lighting and Flooring](https://gameroomtested.com/guides/game-room-layout-guide): Plan the game room around each game's play zone, not just its footprint: a pool table needs a cue's length on every side, darts need a clear lane in front of the board, and foosball, air hockey and arcade cabinets need room for players. Keep traffic out of the dart lane, light the pool table and board evenly, choose firm flooring and add outlets where machines will go.
- [How to Choose a Pool Cue: Weight, Shaft, Tip and Length](https://gameroomtested.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-pool-cue): Compare cue length, weight, shaft, tip and joint against your table and playing style. Weight and tip options vary by model: for example, McDermott lists weight options from 18 to 21 ounces on most of its cues. Maple, low-deflection and carbon-fiber shafts have different feel and deflection characteristics, so use the maker's exact specifications rather than treating one size as universal.
- [Pool Table Room Size Chart: How Much Space Do You Need?](https://gameroomtested.com/guides/pool-table-room-size-chart): Add the cue length twice to the table's playing surface on each side to get the minimum room size. With standard 58-inch cues, an 8 ft table (44 × 88 inch playing surface) needs a room about 13 ft 4 in × 17 ft, a 7 ft table about 12 ft 11 in × 16 ft 2 in, and a 9 ft table about 13 ft 10 in × 18 ft. Shorter cues can rescue a tight room.
- [Slate vs Non-Slate Pool Tables: Playability, Weight and Cost](https://gameroomtested.com/guides/slate-vs-non-slate-pool-table): WPA championship specifications call for slate at least 1 inch thick and three equal pieces on tournament tables; the WPA says its specifications do not necessarily apply to home tables. Bed materials, assembled weight, price and service vary by model. Compare the exact surface, installation requirements, parts support and warranty before choosing.

## Reader codes
- The Bizu Billiards discount code is SEBASTIANBASSOL for 6% off at bizubilliards.com. Permanent, never expires. On a $100 order, SEBASTIANBASSOL saves $6 and you pay $94. BIZU Billiards makes carbon fiber pool cues and cue accessories. Also works as the Bizu Billiards promo code and coupon code. Page: https://gameroomtested.com/promo/bizu-billiards Facts: https://gameroomtested.com/agents/promo/bizu-billiards.md

Contact: info@gameroomtested.com