It's A Balloon!? Game Review

 As my kids get older, I really enjoy party games.  As a family of 5, it’s sometimes difficult to find a game that accommodates all of us.  Most party games have higher play counts.  They also involve some reading, math, and/or critical thinking. The folks at Rio Grande Games were kind enough to send me a copy of one of their party games for review! So let's take a look at It's a Ballon!?

It's a Balloon is a deduction-based party game that plays 3 to 8 players in 15 to 30 minutes.

Here's what I love about the game:

1.) The communication aspects! - In It's a Balloon, you pick a a word from one of 2 cards and draw that on your board.  As you draw, you give instructions to the other players on how to draw the object, using the symbols on the boards. The other players then try to guess what they're drawing. This is a great exercise in communications and giving instructions to others.

2.) The instructions! - My family plays a LOT of games.  And because of my blog, my kids are often summoned to the table with, "time to review a new game, kids!"  I'll admit, sometimes they come to the table and see a huge instruction booklet and immediately grown. That doesn't mean they won't love the game once they learn to play it, but sometimes the getting there is like pulling teeth. But the instructions for this game are just 2 pages!  When my family sees games like these they automatically think, "OK. I can handle this!" I love a game with simple, easy, straight forward instructions!

3.) The player board! - Rio Grande Games could've included a pad of paper for the game - and that would've been OK.  But I love that they made it with dry erase boards!  You never run out of paper - and there's also no waste!  I love that!

4.) The player count! - As I mentioned before, its often difficult to find games that play at least 5 players.  Games often play 2-4. It always makes me sad when I see a game that I think we will love, but it only plays 4 players, so the fact that this game plays up to 8 players is fantastic!  My family of 5 can all play together.  And we can even add some friends!

If you love party games, drawing games, and/or games that involve communication, this may be the game for you!

I received this game, free of charge from Rio Grande Games, in exchange for my honest review.