Boom-A-Rang Crazy Air Squash at Circus Circus in Las Vegas

While at the Circus Circus Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas we spotted a Boom-A-Rang Air Squash table in the Amusement Arcades and as big fans of these games had to give it a go.

Despite my previous poor showings in Crazy Air Squash contests - most notably in the 2010 Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships - I actually managed to pick up the win, defeating Emily 7-2.

Most of the Crazy Air Squash tables we've found on our travels have been of the 'Air Squash' variety, indeed the Boom-A-Rang table is one of only two that I've played, the other being at LaserForce Laser Tag in Peterborough. 

Crazy Air Squash in Great Yarmouth

The one and only sporting title I walked away from our weekend away in Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth was the winner of the Crazy Air Squash match at the Pleasure Beach in Great Yarmouth - winning 7-5 against Emily.

This was alot better than my last tournament outing at the Peterborough Boom-A-Rang Air Squash Championships where I lost against Rebecca 'The Fen Tigress' Evison in the Grand Final and my dismal performance in the Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships in September 2010 when I crashed out of the tournament on the wrong end of a 9-nil defeat at the hands of the debuting German Crazy Air Squash Wunderkind Gerhard Zimmermann.

In total we found three Crazy Squash Tables in various amusement arcades in Great Yarmouth - perhaps this is where all the tables that used to be in Hastings were shipped to?

The Peterborough Boom-A-Rang Air Squash Championships

In addition to the main LaserForce Laser Tag, the Laser Games Arena in Peterborough had a fine selection of Arcade Machines - including a fantastic and quite rare Boom-A-Rang 'Crazy Air Squash' Air Hockey Table!


Back in August 2010 we contested The Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships on a similar Air Hockey Table in Hastings - that World Title Competition was also covered by the excellent Montegue Blister's Strange Games Blog.

On this visit to the City, we felt it only right to contest the 'Peterborough Boom-A-Rang Air Squash Championships'!

The first match saw 'Squire' Richard Gottfried (whipping boy of The Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships, and perennial Air Hockey underdog) facing off against Emily '9 Lives' Gottfried. The score - an unexpected 9-2 victory to the 'Squire'!


The Grand Final saw Richard face-off against Rebecca 'The Fen Tigress' Evison. The match started slowly, with both players trading Goals, but it soon became clear that the home-town favourite had the fans on her side, and eventually ran out a 9-5 winner, and become the new Peterborough Boom-A-Rang Air Squash Champion!

Photos from the Grand Final.






Link to a multitude of other Ham & Egger Files Blog Posts about Air Hockey and the like!

'LaserForce' Laser Tag in Peterborough

We were visiting friends in Peterborough today and found out there was a LaserForce Laser Tag Live Action Laser Games Arena in the City.


In the last month we (I!) seem to have become addicted to playing these futuristic warfare games! They're quick and easy to play, and great fun at a good price.

In this edition of the eternal struggle between the RED and GREEN Laser Tag teams, the GREENS were triumphant. Our team, the REDS, scored 33,653 to their 40,455.


I was the RED team's 'Top Gun' with a score of 8703, which was good enough for third place overall. Our friend Rebecca 'The Fen Tigress' Evison was third in our team on 3801, while Emily '9 Lives' Gottfried was fourth in the RED team with 3753.



The LaserForce in Peterborough was set over two levels and had some great theming. There were also eight bases/targets for players to hit, as well as a 'friend or foe' non-player-character in the battlezone known as 'The Navigator'! There is also a LaserForce in Leicester which we'll have to check out next time we're there.


Other Ham & Egger File Blog Posts about Laser Tag Games:

Laser Tag in Birmingham and London

Laser Quest in Bristol - The Minigolfers Challenge

Harry's Buttons in Bristol and a Closed-Down Quasar!

The Laser Games Arena also had a fine selection of Arcade Machines - including a fantastic and quite rare Boom-A-Rang 'Crazy Air Squash' Air Hockey Table!


Back in August 2010 we contested The Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships on a similar Air Hockey Table in Hastings. This time we played the Peterborough Boom A Rang Air Squash Championships - full report to follow...

The Crazy Air Squash in Hastings Amusements is Gone...

...a sad bit of news indeed.

The two Crazy Air Squash Tables have been replaced by two Penalty Shoot-Out Game Machines.

It's also likely that, in Hastings at least, Scott Lancley will be The Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Champion forevermore!

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Air Hockey in Hastings versus Finland's Pasi 'The Bruiser' Aho

Prior to the 2010 Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships I faced Finland's Pasi 'The Bruiser' Aho in a best-of-three International Air Hockey Competition at 'The Buttons' in Hastings, East Sussex.

On Thursday 28th October 2010 I lost 8-5.

On Friday 29th October 2010 I lost 8-4.

Back in September 2010 I played in The Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships where I lost 9-0 to Pasi's German colleague Gerhard Zimmermann.

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My first Air Hockey win since the Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships

On Sunday 24th October I managed to win my first Air Hockey match since the debacle that was my performance in the Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships in Hastings on the 18th September 2010.

In the match at Namco Station in Luton, I defeated Suffolk's Luke Tubby 7 goals to 5.



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The Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships

The Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships took place at 'The Buttons' on Saturday 18th September 2010, with six contenders hoping to be crowned the Global Champion of the 'almost sport' of Crazy Air Squash and take with them the prized silver salver!


The Contenders were:
Scott Lancley (GBR)
Steve Gow (GBR)
Richard Gottfried (GBR)
Emily Gottfried (GBR)
Oliver Florence (GBR)
Gerhard Zimmermann (GER)

Match 1
Oliver Florence beat Emily Gottfried 9-7

Match 2
Gerhard Zimmermann beat Richard Gottfried 9-0

Match 3
Scott Lancley beat Steve Gow 8-5

Final*
Scott Lancley beat Gerhard Zimmermann 5-4

Final*
Scott Lancley beat Oliver Florence (just before kicking-out time) - score unknown!?

* The players with the largest winning margins from the preliminary round matches qualified for the finals

Final Rankings:
1st Scott Lancley
2nd Gerhard Zimmermann
2nd Oliver Florence
4th Steve Gow
5th Emily Gottfried
6th Richard Gottfried


Photos from the event:

Crazy Air Squash Hall of Fame:
2010 - Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Champion - Scott Lancley
2009 - UK Air Hockey & Variants Champion - Scott Lancley
2008 - Crazy Air Squash Champion - Steve Gow

Crazy Air Squash Hall of Shame:
2010 - Richard Gottfried - a 9-nil drubbing (with 9 'own goals') in the Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Championships

Results from the previous Crazy Air Squash contest in Hastings:
The Joy of the Amusement Arcade - Crazy Air Squash in Hastings

The Global Crazy Air Squash Tour will be back in Hastings again for another classic contest - full results, photos and a report will follow!

If you know of any other Crazy Air Squash tables outside of Hastings do let us know?

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The Joy of the Amusement Arcade - Crazy Air Squash in Hastings

Back in October 2008 Minigolfers Richard Gottfried and Steve Gow battled it out in a game of Crazy Air Squash at The Deluxe Amusement Arcade in Hastings, East Sussex, which in turn was a kind-of-rematch from their original Air Hockey battle at Wroxham Barns, Norfolk.

With the previous matches being a draw and one win to Steve, the battle to become the UK (and arguably the world's) number one Air Hockey & Variants Champion drew the attention of two new challengers (and fellow Minigolfers) - Scott Lancley and Kevin Moseley.

In a new format, the four would battle it out at the Family Amusements on Hastings' Sea Front following the first day's play in the BMGA British Championships.

In the first match reigning and defending Crazy Air Squash Champion Steve Gow beat Richard Gottfried 8-4.

In the other first round match Scott Lancley beat Kevin Moseley 5-3 to take him through to the final.

Both matches saw plenty of off 'field' action with the puck being lost at least five times.

In the final, Steve Gow lost his crown to newcomer Scott Lancley in an exciting, high scoring and very close match, with the final score standing at 8-7.

In the 3rd/4th place play-off match Kevin Moseley beat Richard Gottfried 5-4.

Rankings
1. Scott Lancley
2. Steve Gow
3. Kevin Moseley
4. Richard Gottfried

Photos from the event:

Steve Gow and Richard Gottfried ahead of their Crazy Air Squash match.

Heads of Tails - pre-match coin toss to see who hits the puck first.

Scott Lancley and Kevin Moseley battle it out in their first round encounter.


Richard Gottfried and Kevin Moseley following their 3rd/4th place play-off match.

The final score in the final between defending Crazy Air Squash Champion Steve Gow and new challenger Scott Lancley.
Scott Lancley receives the 'prestigious' trophy.


Following the four-player tournament, play took place at the original Crazy Air Squash table in The Deluxe Amusement Arcade as the originators of the sport battled to find out the winner in the ongoing Gow/Gottfried competition.

In a high scoring and 103 second time-limited match it was Gottfried who took the win 9-5. Gow/Gottfried Air Hockey Competition Results to date: Wroxham Barns (Aug 08) - Draw Hastings (Oct 08) - SG Win Hastings (July 09) - RG Win