- BGG rank
- BGG #22,845
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Pirates' Gold
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 1990
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,321
- BGG rating
- 6.2
The Great Balloon Race
1991
Rules assistance for The Great Balloon Race
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–8 players
- 30 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Great Balloon Race
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Great Balloon Race is a board game released in 1991 for 2–8 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Nik Sewell and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,297
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Elixir
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 1987
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,564
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Web of Gold
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 1987
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,637
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Grow Sky
- 1–4 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #32
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Sky Team
- 2 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #206
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game
- 2 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #458
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Pan Am
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #618
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Galaxy Trucker (Second Edition)
- 2–4 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #663
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Star Wars: X-Wing (Second Edition)
- 2 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #898
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game – The Force Awakens Core Set
- 2 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,001
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Celestia
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,905
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Aerion
- 1–2 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2019
About the game
This is a light game -- lighter than air, one might even say -- in which each player starts the game with a card assigning a secret interest in three different balloons. The balloon markers are lovely little brightly colored plastic gadgets, and on your turn you roll a die and choose which of the eight you want to move. Some spots you land on give you a free roll; from some you can only go backwards. With much shucking and jiving the balloons gradually float and bump up toward the finish line whilst players feign disinterest in their own colors in hopes they'll be promoted by others. When all three of your balloons reach the finish, you can claim victory.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Parker Brothers
- Tactic
Questions and answers
The Great Balloon Race supports 2–8 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 The Great Balloon Race is 30 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 The Great Balloon Race for ages 7 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.
The Great Balloon Race has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
The Great Balloon Race belongs to these categories: Racing and Aviation / Flight. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling. 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 The Great Balloon Race are: Nik Sewell. 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 The Great Balloon Race 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.