Machine Guides

Game History

The modern foosball arcade machine has a rich history that spans multiple continents and evolved significantly over the decades. While foosball-like table games can be traced back to Europe in the late 19th century, the game as we know it today began to take shape in the early 20th century. The first official patent for a foosball table was registered in the United States in 1901, though it's generally agreed that foosball originated in western Europe, likely in the late 1800s after organized soccer entered the sports scene in the 1860s.

The modern foosball arcade machine's journey to America began in the 1950s when Lawrence Patterson, an American military personnel stationed in Germany, became enamored with the game. Upon returning to the U.S., he saw an opportunity to market foosball to the American public. In 1962, Patterson got his first Bavarian-made table into the U.S. and immediately trademarked the name "Foosball" in America and Canada, giving the name "Foosball Match" to his table. He originally marketed his machines through the "coin" industry, where they would be used mainly as arcade games.

The first American-made foosball table was created in 1970 by Bob Hayes and Bob Furr in Dallas, Texas. Together, they designed and created the Tornado brand, with their "Texas-style" tables having their own unique history that contributes to the evolution of the sport. Their initial goal was to be the first ever manufacturers of the game in the United States as opposed to importing them from Germany.

The 1970s marked the golden age of foosball arcade machines in America. By this time, foosball tables had become a common sight in bars, arcades, and social halls across the country. Patterson's coin-operated tables became wildly popular in the U.S. in the 1980s due to the popularity of arcades at the time. However, the crash of American foosball was even more rapid than its rise. Pac-Man and other early arcade games were instrumental in the demise of the foosball phenomenon, with sales dropping from an estimated 1,000 tables a month around the end of the '70s to just 100, and in 1981, the ITSC filed for bankruptcy.

Despite this setback, foosball continued to evolve. In the southern US, players remained loyal to the Texas-style table, and manufacturers like Tornado Corp continued to innovate. Today, modern foosball arcade machines feature advanced materials and engineering, with significant changes from the early simple wooden boxes with hand-carved players. The game has also developed a competitive scene, with organizations establishing standardized rules and hosting tournaments, helping maintain foosball's relevance in the modern arcade landscape alongside more technologically advanced games.

How to Play

Objectives

The main goal of foosball is to score points by maneuvering the ball into your opponent's goal while defending your own goal. You compete against another player in a tabletop simulation of soccer. The first player to reach the predetermined number of points wins the game.

Controls

• Player Rods: Use the metal rods that control the miniature players on the playing field
• Rotation: Spin the rods to move your players horizontally across the field
• Shooting Motion: Kick the ball by having your players make contact with it as you rotate the rods

Gameplay

• Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin the match.

• Player Positioning: Take your position at your side of the table with control of four rows of players.

• Face-Off: The ball is dropped through a hole in the center of the table to begin play.

• Ball Control: Use your players to trap, pass, and shoot the ball toward your opponent's goal.

• Score Tracking: Earn points each time you successfully get the ball into your opponent's goal.

• Game Rules: Follow standard foosball rules, including not spinning the rods excessively and keeping hands on the handles during play.

• Match Completion: The game ends when one player reaches the winning score (typically 5 or 7 points).

• Winner Determination: The player who reaches the target score first is declared the winner of the match.