The Goal:

Call it a frat-house objet d'art: A pair of Italian firms have given the humble foosball table a high-end makeover -- complete with a new $16,800 price tag. The crystal table is a "design piece" worthy of a spot in even the poshest living room, says Gregg Brodarick, cofounder of manufacturer B.lab Italia. The game's figures, rods and handles are made of chrome-finished aluminum, and the transparent crystal table not only looks cool, says the company, but also allows competitors (and spectators) to get an unobstructed view of the action. Italian artisans handcraft all the parts, and production takes six weeks. "People regard it as a showpiece," Brodarick says. "But it's perfectly playable."

The Reality:

The table's luxury materials are lovely to look at, but pros say they don't necessarily equate to a better game. A textured playing field and lightweight game pieces improve player control, says Larry Davis, former president of the U.S. Table Soccer Federation, adding that players might have difficulty with some maneuvers on a crystal field. (B.lab Italia says it provides textured balls to help slow things down and improve accuracy.) And while foosball aficionados could pick up a table for $1,000 or so, the company says it's targeting successful men looking to reminisce -- tastefully! -- about their glory days at the college bar. "It's definitely a big-boy toy," says Brodarick.

Photograph by Michele Gastl for SmartMoney