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- BGG #31,195
- BGG rating
- 5.1
Bottlecap Vikings
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2015
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- BGG #31,333
- BGG rating
- 4.8
Balloon Pop!
2017
Rules assistance for Balloon Pop!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–10 players
- 10 min
- 13+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Balloon Pop!
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Balloon Pop! is a board game released in 2017 for 1–10 players, 10 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Andy Van Zandt and its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Dice Rolling, and Re-rolling and Locking.
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About the game
In Balloon Pop!, each player has a scoresheet with six columns on it. On a turn, you roll three dice, with each die face showing a balloon color and a shape, then record the results by circling numbers from the bottom of the column, going up. The highest number you circle in a column equals the points that you score. Not happy with your results? Then roll again with any number of dice — but you have to roll an additional die as well, which means you'll circle more results on your scoresheet. You can reroll a second time as well to add a fifth die to your results. This (possibly) gives you better control over the results, while helping you ascend the columns more quickly to higher potential scores. However, at the top of each column is a different colored number that's much lower than the numbers immediately below it. Hit this number, and your balloon's popped because it went too high. What's more, this popping triggers a scoring break that occurs at the end of the round, with everyone scoring based on their current heights in the columns. You want to go high, but don't trigger the break or else your points will plummet right before scoring. After three breaks, players total their scores to see who wins.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Arclight Games
- Tasty Minstrel Games
Questions and answers
Balloon Pop! supports 1–10 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Balloon Pop! is 10 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Balloon Pop! for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Balloon Pop! has a complexity rating of 1.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Balloon Pop! belongs to these categories: Dice and Video Game Theme. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Dice Rolling, and Re-rolling and Locking. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Balloon Pop! are: Andy Van Zandt. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Balloon Pop! as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.