Balloon Cup
2 players
Ages 10 & up
Playing time: 30 minutes
Publisher: Rio Grande / Kosmos
Author: Stephen Glenn
Illustrator: Jurgen Zimmermann

Awards
Winner Best 2 Player Game Games 100 2004
Nominee Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) 2003
Finalist Best 2 Player Game International Gamers Awards

In Balloon Cup, the players compete in several short balloon flights (hops) to collect the colored cubes associated with each hop. When a player has collected enough cubes of a given color, he earns the trophy card for that color. Players may even trade 3 otherwise useless cubes for 1 they can use. The first player to earn 3 trophy cards is the winner! Each player has a hand of eight balloon cards. The players play their balloons on mountain or plain hops. Players play their high-valued balloons on the mountains and their low-valued balloons on the plains. Players usually play their balloons on their side of the hops, but winds (and cunning) can cause them to play on their opponent’s side, a move that can ruin their opponent’s plans.

Contents: 45 balloon cards, 5 trophy cards, 4 hop tiles, 45 victory cubes, 1 bag, 1 rule booklet. Box sizeapproximately 20 x 20 x 3cm