What's the Goal?

It's simple: you want to boing your opponent's balloons off the board or into the cheeky tornadoes . You can also win by moving your balloons to occupy the other team's two Home Base spaces. Whoever does that first is the champion of the skies and gets an extra serving of gummy bears (but you have to bring your own)!

What's Inside & How to Set Up?

To start the adventure, you'll need:

The Game Pieces

• 1 Game Board: The board looks like a diamond and has 24 spaces to play on. The two spaces at the very top and very bottom are the special Home Base spaces.
• 6 Cat Balloons
• 6 Dog Balloons
• 6 Tornado Markers

The Setup

1. Board in the middle! Place the diamond-shaped game board between you.
2. Choose your team: Are you Team Cat or Team Dog? Grab your 6 balloons.
3. Standard Setup: Place your balloons as shown in the picture. Each player sets up their 6 balloons on their side of the board.
4. For Pros: Free Setup

   You can also just place your 6 balloons anywhere on your own half of the board. This is great for secret tactics!

5. Who goes first? The youngest player. Or whoever can meow or bark the best!

How to Play!

You take turns. When it's your turn, you get to do exactly ONE action.

Your Turn

You can move one of your balloons one space in any direction (straight or diagonal) to an empty space. If you are next to an opponent's balloon, you can try to boing it. This is the "Boing"!

The Art of Boinging

This is the coolest part of the whole game! Here's how it works:

Watch out, Tornado!

Tornadoes are super chaotic:

Examples on the Board

Important: A Boing Squad only includes balloons in a straight, unbroken line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal). Balloons next to each other but not in the same line do NOT count toward the same Boing Squad!

How to Read These Examples:

• START: Shows the initial position

• AFTER BOING: Shows the result after the Dogs try to boing

• Green checkmark ✅ = Boing is allowed!

• Red X ❌ = Boing is NOT allowed

❌ Example 1: Can't Boing Alone

1 Dog is not more than 1 Cat = No Boing allowed! A single balloon cannot boing by itself.

START

AFTER BOING ATTEMPT

Nothing happens - not strong enough!

✅ Example 2: Teamwork Makes It Work

2 Dogs is more than 1 Cat = Boing allowed! The two Dogs form a Boing Squad and successfully push the Cat.

START

AFTER BOING

Success! The Cat slides one space.

❌ Example 3: Equal Strength = Stalemate

2 Dogs is not more than 2 Cats = No Boing allowed! When Boing Squads have equal strength, nobody can push.

START

AFTER BOING ATTEMPT

Evenly matched - no one moves!

✅ Example 4: Breaking Up the Line

2 Dogs is more than 1 Cat = Boing allowed! The Dog in the middle breaks up the Cats' line, so only 1 Cat resists.

START

AFTER BOING

The whole chain slides forward!

❌ Example 5: Longest Chain Matters

2 Dogs is not more than 2 Cats (the longest chain ahead) = No Boing allowed! Even though there's a Dog breaking the line, you must outnumber the longest Cat chain in your direction.

START

AFTER BOING ATTEMPT

The 2-Cat chain blocks the push!

✅ Example 6: Bigger Squad Wins

3 Dogs is more than 2 Cats = Boing allowed! A bigger Boing Squad overpowers the opposition.

START

AFTER BOING

Three Dogs push through!

✅ Example 7: Tactical Choice

3 Dogs is more than 1 Cat = Boing allowed! You can choose to use all 3 Dogs OR just 2 Dogs. The rest stay in position.

START

OPTION 1: Use 2 Dogs

Only 2 Dogs push, 1 stays back!

OPTION 2: Use All 3 Dogs

All 3 Dogs push forward together!

✅ Example 8a: Edge Push - Cat Falls Off!

3 Dogs is more than 2 Cats = Boing allowed! When cats are pushed at the edge, the front cat flies off the board and is removed from the game. Important: The Cats lost a balloon, so they must place a tornado BEFORE their next turn!

START

AFTER BOING

Front cat is out! Cats place tornado before next move.

✅ Example 8b: Partial Squad Push at Edge

3 Dogs available, but only 2 Dogs push = Boing allowed! The player chooses to use only 2 of the 3 Dogs. The cat at the edge is pushed off the board. Remember: Since the Cats lost a balloon, they must place a tornado BEFORE their next turn!

START

AFTER BOING (2 of 3 Dogs)

Cat pushed off! One dog stayed back. Cats place tornado next.

🌪️ Tornado Examples

These examples show how tornadoes interact with balloons when boinging.

🌪️ Example 9: Cat Pushed Into Tornado

2 Dogs is more than 1 Cat = Boing allowed! When the Cat is pushed into the tornado, both the Cat and the tornado disappear!

START

AFTER BOING

Cat meets tornado - both vanish!

Who Wins the Game?

You win immediately if...

1. ...your opponent has only one single balloon left on the board.
2. ...you occupy both of your opponent's Home Base spaces with two of your balloons.

The Story of Balloon Boing

In a faraway world, where cats and dogs lived in harmony, there was a small kingdom called "Suriani." The landscape of Suriani was picturesque and peaceful, with wide fields, glittering lakes, and gentle hills. Cats and dogs worked together, celebrated together, and enjoyed life. But one day, a fierce argument broke out between the two groups.

The cause of the dispute was a seemingly insignificant object: an old, beautifully decorated balloon. This balloon, once the favorite toy of the first king of Suriani, was claimed by both cats and dogs as a symbol of their respective heritage. The cats claimed the balloon belonged to their ancient feline dynasty, while the dogs were firmly convinced that it was the precious heirloom of their royal canine line.

The argument escalated quickly, threatening to destroy the peaceful coexistence in Suriani. Concerned about the impending disaster, Queen Bellatrix, wise and kind, convened the Great Council. There, the wisest and most experienced cats and dogs gathered to find a solution. After long discussions and heated debates, the queen had a brilliant idea.

"Let us invent a game," she said with a mischievous smile. "A game that tests both the courage and the skill of our citizens, but remains completely peaceful. A game where our cats and dogs can send their best balloonists into the air and playfully settle the old dispute."

And so, Ballon Boing was born. Cats and dogs chose their six best balloon pilots to compete in a thrilling contest at lofty heights. The playing field was a large arena in the cloudy mountains of the land, where there were many gentle tornadoes that swirled the balloons in all directions. The object of the game was to skillfully steer the opposing balloons into the tornadoes to be spun out, while maintaining one's own balance.

The first game of Ballon Boing was a huge success. Cats and dogs cheered together, laughed, and enjoyed the peaceful competition. The dispute over the old balloon was quickly forgotten, and instead, Ballon Boing became the annual highlight in Suriani. Over the years, the game evolved, and the popular board game that we know and love today was created.

Every year, the inhabitants of Suriani remember the wise decision of Queen Bellatrix and celebrate their unity and friendship through the cheerful game of Ballon Boing. And so, the story of the playful balloonists is passed down from generation to generation as a symbol of peaceful and respectful coexistence.