I am beyond awful at board games. I dread being invited over to a mate's place, only to see them whip out a box of fiddly little game pieces and a maddeningly long list of rules that they insist I'll "get the hang of in no time." No, let's not just start playing and see how it goes, thank you very much.
I'd much rather try my hand at FunPop, an electronic game with controllers and marbles that appears similar to air hockey. Up to four players can duke it out with sliding paddles and marbles shot out of cannons, in any of three different game modes. Now that sounds like a good time.
Currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter, FunPop consists of a square game table, atop which you've got a game board, goals like you'll find at each end of a soccer field, and sliding paddles. Each player takes a side and grabs a corresponding controller – not unlike the ones connected to your console.
Once you choose a mode, barriers on all four sides drop and four corner-mounted cannons fire marbles randomly on to the game board. You'll use your controller to slide your paddle along your side of the game board to hit marbles with your paddle, and try to get them past other players' paddles and into their goals. Naturally, you'll also use your paddle to block marbles from landing in your goal.
The three different modes vary in the number and speed of marbles being shot out of the cannons, changing up your play style. The game is suitable for kids and adults, and you can even play by yourself. Each mode will test your reflexes and aim – and thankfully, there aren't a ton of rules to memorize.
The engineers behind FunPop plan to open-source the project, so passionate players can code new game modes.
While the game is set to retail at US$629, the Kickstarter campaign lists early bird offers starting at $349 for a set. Shipping will run you between $55-$80 depending on where you live. The Hong Kong-based team has been working on this for more than a year now, and hopes to begin shipping FunPop kits by May – though, as always, backing crowdfunding campaigns is never without risk.
Source: Kickstarter
