Every year, a game comes out that you simply have to play to believe. From darts to billiards to ping pong to ladder ball to cornhole, there is always that “next big game” that you just know will be a huge hit. This year, I will proclaim it loudly now...that game is Hookum.

Hookum is touted as the world’s first multiplayer Bimini ring game. Don’t know what Bimini ring is? Don’t worry. One swing of this tantalizing game and you’re hooked. The gameplay is simple: push the top of the game to extend four cantilever arms. Attached to each arm is a length of string with a ring attached to it. Opposite each arm and attached to the central pole are four hooks. The goal is simply to swing your ring in such a manner that it attaches itself to your hook.

Easy, right? Wrong. What may seem simple is tantalizingly difficult. Hookum is one of those games that has the perfect degree of difficulty. Initially, no one will be terrible at it, but no one will be great at it, either.

I recently had friends over for a few cocktails and they asked what that interesting looking thing on my coffee table was. I told them it was Hookum, and after explaining the basics, we played a few rounds. Initially, they were horrible, they didn’t understand that you have to pull back your string and release your ring with the perfect velocity along an arcing path so your hook will catch it. They were tossing right at the hook, or throwing out of desperation. But as they caught on, they quickly caught up.

By the end of the night, every game was a dogfight and as everyone frantically tried to outduel one another, I found myself having to concentrate only on my throw. This had to be my time. This was the one: Tune out the screams. And focus. On. The. Perfect. Release...

Up for a great challenge? Ready...Aim...Release...Hookum. For more information visit: http://www.playhookum.com.