swing it! ! (Swingball)

Member Name: rawwrjem

Product:	Swingball
Date:	10/04/09 (124 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun, active and good value for money.

Disadvantages: can be dangerous.

Summer time came again and we decided to go out and buy a new swingball because mine had broken the previous year. I remembered when I was small I had a Swingball, the orignal one that you had to bang into the ground but I found the new one that goes into the tub of water and thought this sounded much more practical.

Swingball is a long metal pipe with a coil at the top connected to a piece of string with a tennis ball attached to the end. The metal pipe stands in a plastic base which you fill with sand or water to keep it balanced, we've always used water so it is easier to empty, like an outdoor umbrella base. You put the loop of the string line in the middle of the coil, one of you serves hitting the ball in one direction and then the other will hit it back. You have to be hitting the ball in opposite directions for there to be a winner. If you're hitting the ball to the left, then you win when the ball reaches the bottom and when it reaches the top the person hitting it to the right has won.

The game can be quite dangerous. If you hit the ball hard there is a chance it will wack the other person of the head and knock them flying so you have to be careful and adapt the way you play depending on your opponent. If you're playing a kid, you don't wack it round. The game is aged from 6 years which I think is appropriate because anyone younger like my little brother will try but hasn't got the hand or eye co-ordination to do it properly.

If you empty the base it doubles up as a storage box for the pole and can be stored in the shed ready for the next time you want to play. Although the game is quite small, you do have to have sufficient space in the garden or people are going to end up getting hurt. The ball swings in a very wide circle so you have to bear this in mind if you've only got a small garden.

We used to challenge each other and sometimes even play for money. We'd play games of three and sometimes say winner stays on and wins something which can be good to involve all the family.

At £19.99 from ASDA, it's good value for money because not only is it fun but it gets everybody together and active.
Overall it is a good game and definately worth the money in the warm months!

Summary: A good game overall that is fun for all.