The most fun you will have with a ball and a net – ever!
If you’ve never heard of Spikeball then you’re probably not on your own. But now that I’ve just told you about it, you’ll wish someone had shown you this totally awesome game when you were 5! Once you’ve played it you’ll wonder why you ever spent time pursuing any other sport, or any other hobby for that matter. It’s a game of accuracy, cunning, quick reactions and anticipation. And once you really start to get good, a degree of athleticism sure helps you on your way too.
Spikeball: The stats
| Number of players: | 2 vs 2 |
| Type of game: | Competitive |
| Play style: | Fast-paced |
| Skills needed: | Hand-eye coordination, quick reactions, cunning |
| Surface needed: | Sand or grass |
| Most similar game: | Beach volleyball |
Design features of Spikeball
Components
The Spikeball kit comes dismantled and includes 5 sections of frame, 5 frame legs and 1 net. It also comes with 2 spare balls and it all fits easily inside the carry bag.Click together frame
The kit sets up really quickly by simply clicking together the frame sections and the frame legs. You then stretch the net over the frame and loop it onto the small hooks on the underside of the frame sections, making sure it is evenly taut.
Carry bag
The whole set comes in a very convenient drawstring carry bag that even features an internal velcro pocket for valuables or storing the ball in. Plus there’s plenty of space in the bag for other things like a frisbee, bottle of water and an extra layer.
Spikeball review
Enough about the how great the setup looks and how easy it is to carry and put together. That’s really not why we’re talking about Spikeball! (Although it is great, and very easy to put together!)
Let’s get down to how freaking awesome this game is, and how it will slowly start to take over your life the better you get at playing it!
The format of the game is very similar to beach volleyball:
You play 2 vs 2
- You can hit the ball twice between your team before hitting it to the net on your third team hit
- You don’t ever catch the ball, but hit it with any part of your body (but mainly your hands)
- If your team makes the ball go out of play (to the ground, to the rim, or double bounces on the net), the other team gets a point
I prefer playing it on the beach as I can dive around a bit more without worrying about hurting myself. But it’s still great to play on grass and you can move your feet a little faster to reach the longer balls more easily:
Some points are won with pure power shots that just can’t be returned as the ball is simply moving too fast, or has gone too far away from the net to reach and get back into play.
Other points are won by finding the gaps between players and directing the ball right past your opponent.
Smart players win points by moving their opponents around to create these gaps, and then taking advantage of them as mentioned above.
And lazy/dextrous/cunning players win points by winding up for a big spike, drawing the opponents away from the net in anticipation for the return, but delivering a small drop shot instead. If done well, the ball gently bounces off the net and onto the floor for a score, leaving the opposition grappling their way back towards the net on their hands and knees in desperation. Priceless!
Ah it’s just so good, and highly addictive! And that’s only the beginnings of tactical play.
What I love the most about Spikeball
I love that you can play it as casually or seriously as you like. Get the olds involved and none of you really even need to move your feet if you don’t want to. Kids love it too, and if you take out the competition it’s pretty fun just hitting the ball to the net for whoevers there to receive it on the other side. Hell you can even play with a beer in your hand if there’s enough other ‘players’ to pick up the pieces when you mess up!
On the flip side, you can play pretty seriously when you’ve got some competitive folk willing to throw themselves around for the glory of the Spike.
What I don’t love so much about Spikeball
Urmmm. There’s really not much to dislike about it. The functionality of the setup is perfect. And the game is pretty darn great too!
Verdict
If spending time at the beach playing games is your thing, Spikeball is for you. If you are even slightly competitive, Spikeball is for you. If you don’t mind throwing yourself around on the beach, Spikeball is for you. And if you like games where thinking quickly is as important as acting quickly, Spikeball is most certainly for you.
As you may have guessed, I absolutely love playing Spikeball, and everyone I’ve played it with also can’t get enough of it (from 8 year olds to 70 year olds!). Give it a go, you won’t regret it.
Find the latest price on:
Amazon
For more information on the rules of the game check out the Spikeball website.
And if you like the idea of whiling away the hours playing games at the beach then take a read of our other favourite ways to do just that in our Best Beach Games article.
Disclaimer: Cool of the Wild received this product free in return for an honest review. We only recommend gear that we love from companies we trust and we are under no obligation to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are that of the reviewer and we are in no way influenced by the brand or company.
