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Balloon Cup / Similar games

18 games like Balloon Cup

The best games like Balloon Cup are Star Realms Colony Wars, Jaipur and Hero Realms — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Star Realms Colony Wars shares card game, hand management, take that with Balloon Cup.

Every alternative below links to its own Balloon Cup-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s aviation / flight / card game shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Balloon Cup’s 1.5 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

As an Amazon Associate, MeeplePick earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

  1. 1. Star Realms Colony Wars (2015)
    2 players · 20 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light · games like Star Realms Colony Wars →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Take That · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · +0.4 heavier
    View Star Realms Colony Wars on Amazon →
  2. 2. Jaipur (2009)
    2 players · 30 min · ★ 7.5 · Light · games like Jaipur →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · about the same length · same complexity
    View Jaipur on Amazon →
  3. 3. Hero Realms (2016)
    2–4 players · 20–30 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-light · games like Hero Realms →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Take That · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · +0.4 heavier
    View Hero Realms on Amazon →
  4. 4. Sushi Go Party! (2016)
    2–8 players · 20 min · ★ 7.5 · Light · games like Sushi Go Party! →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · scales to 8 · ~10 min shorter · same complexity
  5. 5. Dale of Merchants 2 The Era of Trade Masters (2016)
    2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection, Take That · 3 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (100%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · +0.6 heavier
  6. 6. Seven Seas Guildhall (2012)
    2–4 players · 30–45 min · ★ 6.9 · Medium-light · games like Seven Seas Guildhall →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection, Take That · 3 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (100%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · +0.6 heavier
  7. 7. Battle Line (2000)
    2 players · 30 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium-light · games like Battle Line →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · about the same length · +0.4 heavier
  8. 8. San Juan (Second Edition) (2014)
    2–4 players · 45–60 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light · games like San Juan (Second Edition) →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~23 min longer · +0.6 heavier
  9. 9. Unmatched Cobble & Fog (2020)
    2–4 players · 20–40 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium-light
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Take That · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · +0.6 heavier
  10. 10. Valhalla (2018)
    1–6 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection, Take That · 3 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (100%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 6 · ~15 min longer · +0.6 heavier
  11. 11. Guillotine (1998)
    2–5 players · 30 min · ★ 6.5 · Light · games like Guillotine →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection, Take That · 3 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (100%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · scales to 5 · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
  12. 12. Lost Cities (1999)
    2 players · 30 min · ★ 7.2 · Light · games like Lost Cities →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · about the same length · same complexity
  13. 13. Schotten Totten (1999)
    2 players · 20 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light · games like Schotten Totten →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · +0.3 heavier
  14. 14. Mandala (2019)
    2 players · 20 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-light
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · +0.4 heavier
  15. 15. Scripts & Scribes (2007)
    2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium-light · games like Scripts & Scribes →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · +0.2 heavier
  16. 16. Smash Up Awesome Level 9000 (2013)
    2 players · 45 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light · games like Smash Up Awesome Level 9000 →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Take That · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · ~15 min longer · +0.7 heavier
  17. 17. Bohnanza Fan Edition (1997)
    2–7 players · 45 min · ★ 7.0 · Medium-light · games like Bohnanza Fan Edition →
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · scales to 7 · ~15 min longer · +0.2 heavier
  18. 18. Canvas (2021)
    1–5 players · 30 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-light
    Shares with Balloon Cup: Card Game, Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Balloon Cup’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Balloon Cup: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 5 · about the same length · same complexity
Check Star Realms Colony Wars on Amazon →

As an Amazon Associate, MeeplePick earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked

What game is most like Balloon Cup?
Star Realms Colony Wars (2015) is the closest match to Balloon Cup, sharing card game, hand management, take that. It rates 7.8/10 on BoardGameGeek.
What should I play if I like Balloon Cup?
Star Realms Colony Wars, Jaipur, Hero Realms are the top-ranked alternatives to Balloon Cup in the MeeplePick database, matched on light complexity as well as mechanics. All 18 are ranked on this page with the shared mechanics shown for each.
Is Star Realms Colony Wars harder than Balloon Cup?
Compared with Balloon Cup, Star Realms Colony Wars is +0.4 heavier and ~10 min shorter (1.9 vs 1.5 complexity on BoardGameGeek's 1–5 scale).

Narrow it down

best 2-player board games · hand management games · set collection games · take that games

Looking for the original? See the full Balloon Cup fact page — players, play time, age and complexity.