Besprechung Felsberger Chüngel englisch

"Chüngel" - The Goalkeeper Trainer

Game in wood for two or four persons

Marketing strategists continually emphasize the importance of brand names. This applies to cars, cleaning products, and also games. And of course, the professionals are right. Nevertheless, in every group of products there are always exceptions. For example, the game "Chüngel" (Rabbit). This traditional game has nothing to do with rabbits, the name merely serves to confuse. Furthermore, as often the case with traditional games, "Chüngel" is not the only name. Depending upon country or region, the game can be known as "Hammer Game", "Speed", "Krocket", "Viking Game" etc. Yet neither this confusion of names nor the very high price have done "Chüngel" any harm. Already at the turn of the century the game cost a lot of money. If you are buying today it will cost you around Sfr. 590.--.

The Original

Traditional games not only have different names there are also the most differing of version. Currently best known on the market is the "Felsberger Chüngel", a round table-sized lightly dome-shaped board in solid wood with twelve goal arches around the outside edge. Sticking up out of the circular lightly sloping play area are numerous metal pins. "Chüngel" is normally played by four players whereby all twelve goals are guarded. To defend one`s own three goals each player has a small wooden hammer. The game begins by dropping a small metal ball in the centre of the play area. The metal pins ensure that the ball is always forced to change course until it eventually reaches one of the goals. These are defended by pushing the small hammer through the goal arch. The game is over when one player has let in ten goals. The best goal keeper, that is the one who let the least goals in, is the winner. An unpredictable ball, and three goals to defend with only one hammer, make for an action-packed game of excitement right from the start.
At first, you may decide too early which goal to defend, the ball suddently changes course, it is too late to change and the hammer gets stuck in the goal. Equally risky is blindly shooting at the ball as it can easily deflect off the foremost pin scoring an own goal! But despite the hectic, the obstacles and the element of chance, experienced players can manage well-aimed shots directly into the goals of the opposition -- but only experienced players. Wherever it is played "Chüngel" steals the show. Everyone wants to have a go and most do not want to stop. It is the ideal thing for parties, camps or other occasions where a loud game is not just considered noisy.

The Plastic Version

This year Parker Games are bringing a similar idea onto the market. It is much cheaper but can hardly be compared with the original as far as material is concerned. As opposed to the high quality "Chüngel", "Quattro Flipper" is made entirely of plastic and the rules have been amended. Instead of defending three goals a player guards one goal with two "flippers", as in traditional pinball games. Simple, with only one ball, but here a new ball appears every second for more than a minute. After just a few seconds all players are "flipping" like crazy. There is little opportunity to aim a shot as the centre of the game is almost always covered. Each unsucessfully defended goal means minus one point and minus five for the black balls, not easy to discern against the black play area. This version promises the exitement of "Chüngel" but offers little other play possibilities. "Quattro Flipper" must be dismantled to be stored. It may save space in the cupboard but requires a few minutes to assemble before each new game. Written by: Stefan Hösli