Dazadi.com Blog

How could the chilly, long-standing hostility between the US and the Soviet Union spark decades of entertainment, friendly competition and good times? Well, it was the Cold War tension between these two superpowers that actually spawned an arcade game which spread in popularity around the world. In an historic Olympic hockey game in 1980, when the US and the Soviets took to the ice, the seeds of what would be known as bubble hockey (or dome hockey, as it is also called) were sown. With the US being considered the underdog in this epic match,  the unexpected win over their Soviet rivals brought a swelling patriotism across America. As the flag flying fueled a renewed enthusiasm for hockey and the good old U S of A, a company known as ICE (Innovative Concepts in Entertainment) saw a window of opportunity.

By 1982 ICE had produced their original Super Chexx dome hockey table, the first table hockey game enclosed within a dome. A high tech upgrade to the traditional manual table hockey game, bubble hockey took table hockey to a whole new level. Bubble hockey provided electronic scoring, sound effects and auto puck return all within the confines of a dome enclosure. Riding the wave of fervor created by the celebrated 1980 Olympic win, the first Super Chexx models gave a nod to history and featured opposing teams in their respective US and Soviet uniforms.

In the 1980’s, with national pride running high and a boom in video games and arcade halls, bubble hockey tables quickly became fixtures at bowling alleys, pool halls, taverns and other gaming centers across the country. In the 1990’s, after the proverbial ice had melted between Americans and Soviets, ICE tapped into another rivalry, the notorious NHL competition between the US and Canada. In these later editions of their bubble hockey tables US players were depicted in red, white and blue, competing against the Canadians sporting their red and white team colors.

Not isolated to the States, popularity of dome hockey is world-wide. Bubble hockey tables have been sold in 52 countries around the globe, and their appeal has spurred the formation of an International Bubble Hockey Federation (IBHF). Tournaments for avid bubble hockey players have been held throughout North America.

Though ICE created the first bubble hockey table, they are not the only company producing dome hockey tables today. Beginning in the 1990’s, manufacturing companies like the Carrom Company and Shelti followed suit by producing their own versions of the tables. Sometimes calling the tables ’stick hockey’, they manufacture hockey tables with and without domes. The Stiga company is well-known for their smaller versions, sized for the tabletop.

These days, many gamers have left the arcade to establish their own personal recreation rooms. For bubble hockey fans, this means they have a variety of table choices that offer the rush of the game right at home.