Air Hockey Tips: How to Win More Games
To win at air hockey, defend first: keep your mallet on the line between the puck and the middle of your goal, a little way out. Then control the puck before you shoot, and aim for the side of the goal your opponent isn't covering, or bank it off a side rail when they block the middle. Shoot, then get straight back to your defending spot.
1. Defend from the right spot
Most goals in casual air hockey come from a mallet that's out of position, not from an unstoppable shot. Good players spend most of the game in one place: on the line from the middle of their goal to the puck, about a mallet or two out from the goal. From there a straight shot hits your mallet, and you only have to slide a little to meet a bank shot.
- Move with the puck. When it drifts left, slide left; the line moves with it.
- Don't stand on the goal line. Too deep and you have no time to react; too far forward and a bank shot slips behind you.
- Block, don't swing, when a fast shot comes. A still mallet in the right place stops more shots than a wild swipe.
2. Control the puck, then shoot
Hitting every puck the moment it reaches you feels busy but rarely scores. A puck coming back fast off your mallet goes wherever the bounce sends it. Instead, let it slow down on your side, then line up behind it and shoot with a purpose. In official rules you have seven seconds to send it back across, which is plenty of time.
To line up, move your mallet to the far side of the puck from where you want it to go, then swing through the puck towards the target. The puck takes on your mallet's speed and direction, so a straight, quick swing makes a straight, quick shot.
3. Aim for the open side of the goal
Your opponent can't cover the whole goal. Look where their mallet is and shoot past the side it isn't on. A straight shot is the fastest way to the goal, so it's the best choice whenever the path is clear.
4. Use bank shots when the middle is blocked
When your opponent sits right in front of their goal, bounce the puck off a side rail instead. It comes at the goal from an angle and from the side, which is much harder to block than a shot straight down the middle.
Here's the trick to aiming one: imagine the goal reflected on the other side of the rail, like in a mirror. Aim at that mirror goal and the puck bounces off the rail into the real one. (On a real table a rail softens the bounce a little, so aim a touch past the mirror goal's middle.)
Banks are slower than straight shots because the puck travels further, so a good goalie can read them. Mix the two: a few bank shots pull your opponent to the side, and then the straight shot is open.
5. Don't over-commit
After you shoot, the puck may come straight back. The most common way to concede is to follow your shot up the table and leave your goal empty. Shoot, then slide straight back to your defending spot before the puck returns.
Never push the puck from in front of it towards your own goal either. If it gets behind your mallet, go around it first. Many own goals happen when a player tries to scoop a puck that's between them and their goal.
6. Practise against Hop
GameLake's Air Hockey is a good place to practise these habits. Hop plays differently on each level:
| Level | How Hop plays | What beats him |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | Slow, a beat late, and he can't read bank shots | Steady shots to the open side; any bank |
| Medium | Quicker, reads one bounce, aims better | Controlled shots and well-aimed banks |
| Hard | Fast, reads banks, uses them himself | Good defence first, then mixing straight shots and banks |
Switch on Teach me and Hop shows you, as you play, where to stand and which shot to take, straight or off a rail, with a dotted line for the pearl and a sentence saying why. The game slows down a little while he teaches, and coached matches are practice, so they don't count for your record.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best strategy in air hockey?
Defend first and shoot with control. Keep your mallet on the line between the puck and the middle of your goal, let the puck slow down on your side, then shoot to the side of the goal your opponent isn't covering or bank it off a rail.
How do you do a bank shot in air hockey?
Hit the puck at a side rail so it bounces into the goal. To aim, imagine the goal reflected on the far side of the rail and aim at that reflection; the bounce takes the puck into the real goal.
Where should I hold my mallet when defending?
On the line from the middle of your goal to the puck, a little way out from your goal. Move along with the puck so you stay on that line.
How do you hit the puck harder?
Swing through it. The puck takes on your mallet's speed, so a quick, straight movement through the middle of the puck makes a fast shot, while a gentle touch only nudges it.
Why do I keep scoring own goals?
Usually because the puck got behind your mallet and you pushed it from the front. When the puck is between you and your goal, go around it before you hit it.