Then & Now: Rebound

THEN: First introduced by Ideal in 1971, Rebound is a table-top shuffleboard for 2 to 4 players, ages 10 and up. Each player or team is equipped with four red or blue pucks. Using a combination of luck and finesse, players take turns shooting their pucks down the alley. Once launched, each puck bounces off two rubber bands and comes to rest in either a scoring zone (10, 20, 50, or 100 points) or the dreaded Pit (0 points).

Bank shots, angle shots, and trick shots can be used to score points. Players can also use their pucks to knock their opponents’ pucks out of a scoring zone. After all eight pucks are played, each player adds up their points and records them on the scorekeeping slides built into the game board. The first player or team to 500 points is declared the winner.

NOW: The latest version of Rebound from Mattel provides similar table-top, angled banking action, but in a slightly smaller form factor. In addition to a new blue/yellow colour scheme, the plastic game board is shipped in two pieces that clip together. The playing surface isn’t flush, adding a new strategic wrinkle to game play.

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