JET-BALL™: An Action-Packed Air-Powered Joystick Table Game!
Jet-Ball takes arcade games to the next level, combining air jets, joysticks & ping
pong balls for a new competitive table game.
Jet-Ball is a table game that combines speed, coordination and competition. Our unique patented
Aerr-Jets move the ball around the table surface at high speeds using compressed air. Players
use joysticks to select and fire an Aerr-Jet to score on their opponent’s net. The first player to
score 7 goals wins the game!
Currently we have home and arcade versions of Jet-Ball™ and Jet-Ball Jam™. The home and
arcade version of Jet-Ball features one ball, while Jet-Ball Jam is more fast-paced and features
several balls on the field.
On the arcade versions, if you can’t find an opponent, don’t worry - you can test your reflexes by
playing against the computer, something you can’t do with games like air hockey and foosball.
Our Goal:
Our goal is to place Jet-Ball in arcades, entertainment centres, pubs, resorts, colleges, etc.
around the world and in your home. World-wide Jet-Ball tournaments are also in our plans.
Jet-Ball: History
2006 - Ideation:
Jet-Ball started as an idea Terry Ruddell and his sons Lucas & Levi had in 2006 when they
dismantled their old foosball table in their garage as a summer project. They took away the rods
and players on the table, hooked up air lines to holes they drilled into the table surface, added
joysticks, a ping pong ball, compressor and a plastic cover. They added a PLC, some
programming and patents*, and Jet-Ball was born!
2006 - Prototype:
Terry patented the Aerr-Jet technology and invented and patented a pneumatic joystick that is
used to direct air to one of 15 ports when the joystick trigger is pressed. This was needed to
reduce the cost of production for a future toy version of Jet-Ball. He then built and tested a toy
version of Jet-Ball complete with rotatable jets.
It was time to take these prototypes on the road to show companies in the U.S., Canada, the UK
and Europe. People in the industry were amazed! Demonstrations that were suppose to last 10
minutes continued for many hours!
2007 - Jet-Ball - First Commercial Version:
Based on feedback from those in the industry, Terry built an arcade version and originally called
it Aerr-Ball. After taking this to the arcade industry, it received amazing reviews. At a trade show,
he met Jim Yuran who helped him develop the game further. Together they built Jet-Ball and
decided to put the game to the test in arcades in the U.S., Canada, the UK and Europe. The
game out-performed many other popular arcade games.
2008 - Jet-Ball Jam:
A number of arcades asked for a redemption model where the players accumulate points and get
tickets to redeem for prizes. With Jim’s help, Terry developed Jet-Ball Jam, which uses multiple
coloured balls that are each worth a certain number of points when scored.
Today - Home Version:
Now that Terry has perfected Jet-Ball and Jet-Ball Jam, he wants everyone to be able to enjoy it
both in the arcades and in the home. He’s currently working on home and table top versions of
Jet-Ball and Jet-Ball Jam.
Industry Feedback:
"This is by far one of the best arcade games in our facility! I love the fact that the ball never
leaves the table. This is a huge problem with other table games we have!" Arcade Technician,
San Diego.
"This game is amazing! I'm looking forward to attending world-wide Jet-Ball tournaments!"
Foosball Champion, Milwaukee.
"Thank you for creating such a family-friendly game! There are so many violent games out there,
it is nice to see some wholesome games for a change." Parent at an Arcade in San Diego.
Check out Jet-Ball on the
Discovery Channel:
http://watch.discoverychannel.ca/daily-planet/february-2013/daily-planet---february-11th2013/#clip863174
In Memory of Claude Miron:
Terry’s father-in-law, Claude Miron, was instrumental in helping to build and test the arcade
versions of Jet-Ball and Jet-Ball Jam. Claude is shown below working on Jet-Ball in his garage.
He passed away a few years ago, but we know it would be his hope and dream that families
everywhere would be able to enjoy Jet-Ball.
Patents
* The manufacture, use, sale, or import of the products shown on this website are
subject to U.S. Patent No. 7,673,887, Chinese Patent No. CN101605578 (B), and
pending Canadian Patent Application No. 2,566,249 and Indian Patent Application
No. 3468/DELNP/2009.
FAQ
•
What enhancements to Jet-Ball can we expect to see in the future?
Curve balls, rapid fire, video projected players on the game surface that are controlled by your joystick,
sound effects when firing, motorized rotational Aerr-Jets, etc. Feel free to send us your suggestions!
•
How does the computer know where the ball is when you play against the computer?
The computer assumes the ball is in the same general area of the Aerr-Jet that you just fired and it fires
a number of other local jets in sequence so that it not only makes a save but also tries to score on you.
•
What other games are expected in the near future?
Being Canadian, we are already working on Jet-Hockey. We are also working on a Jet-Pinball table to
reduce the cost of the game since only one person would play. Others in the future will likely include JetSkeeball and Jet-Basketball.
•
What kind of test results did Jet-Ball receive in the arcades?
Excellent results! At one location the game was generating almost $1000/week!
•
What are the media displays used for?
These are used for advertising special events or special deals like 50 cent Wing Night, 2 for 1 deals, etc.
•
What other applications could you use this patented air technology for?
Hover boards, disc launchers, puck launchers, etc. Basically anything that could be moved with air by
our patented Aerr-Jet technology.