The Ancient Egyptians first used Bocce’s less evolved ancestor to snag babes, win bragging rights, and get ripped. Once the Ancient Greeks caught on, it was only a matter of time before the early Romans made it their own. The subculture behind Bocce Ball has always been one of letting loose and having a blast—facets that are easy to see when comparing Ancient Greece’s attitude of gaming to that of the laid back Romans: While Grecian gamers were ever-so-solemnly striving for the physical perfection needed to win gold in the Olympics, the Romans were kicking back over pallinos, and a couple of beers, forever establishing who the cool crowd was in the world of the ancients. With fans no less distinguished than Emperor Augustus himself, the game needed a fresh image and name, but it took centuries before the Italians and French gave it the rules and tools you use today.  To cut out the Roman pompousness Bocce had developed, the two nations turned Bocce into the rowdy, spur-of-the-moment game it was always meant to be.

Today, you don’t need a six pack and a glistening pair of quads to take to the beach or Bocce court, although that might help you to entice a few sizzling hotties into joining your game. All you need is the gear and one to three friends. Find some open landscape and, allakhazam! You have a court. When vacations and weekends leave you landlocked, Bocce settles into your own tempo, taking you to the park or urging you to arrange a ball-tossing tailgate party. The trouble is that there aren’t always enough friends around to make a scrum, especially on those weekdays when you’ve (magically) recovered immediately after calling in sick. We know how you feel about Bocce Ball, so we’ve come up with a bright idea that’ll keep your balls rolling constantly.

Beach Bocce Ball Mini is like Bocce, except—you guessed it—with less gear primed for a shorter game. We kit you out with four Beach Bocce balls, which are perfect for two players or for muggy days when you have to party twice as hard in half the time to beat the rain. When you and your buddy feud about who gets to ask out that babe on the next beach towel first, Bocce Ball Mini will settle the bet.

Now that we have you in the picture, let’s move onto the gear. Four Technicolor balls with a three inch diameter (to prevent the village idiot from losing any), one target ball, one measuring string and a carry bag are your essentials. As usual, balls are injection molded from hardy synthetic polymers, which makes them resistant to cracks, corrosion, and shock.

The game’s simplicity is its greatest strength. Players pit their wits against each other by tossing the jack from a prescribed zone. Thereafter, the Bocce ball is bowled (or tossed) to land as closely as possible to the jack. Both players take turns, with the scoring being done according to whose ball is nearest to the jack.

Beach Bocce Ball Mini turns the hippest game of the ancient world into a compact pastime that will have you and your friends cavorting on the beach or lawn within five minutes. A two out of three game match stuffs tons of awesomeness into every 45 minute bout, leaving you with plenty of chill time to work on your tan and barbecue. If you’re the type who has more of a blast with strategy than skill, Beach Bocce Mini lets you get in touch with your competitive side by giving you the chance to throw, roll, and knock your way to victory.