Boulder Bluff is the first ever Bouldering-themed bluffing card game released by 9000 Games, a game developing and publishing company based in Ghent, Belgium. It’s a 2 to 4 player game which takes 30 to 45 minutes to play.
The game sets itself apart by translating the bouldering vibe to a card deck in an excellent way. Players draw tokens from the ‘chalk bag’ to help (or hinder) their climb. Animals in the climbing forest help or annoy players while climbing. You can even get injured while climbing if you’re not being careful. Now that’s what I call realistic!
The game mechanics are refreshingly unique with new bluffing mechanics, hand management and a sprinkle of luck. With the Animal Kingdom expansion pack (included in the Premium version on the Kickstarter launch), players add 6 new animals, one of which being the Snake, which adds an entirely new bluffing dynamic!
Boulder Bluff contains 55 cards, 15 wooden tokens, a ‘chalk bag’ and an optional Climbing Forest game mat. It weighs in just below 400 grams, making it an easy game to take with you on climbing trips. All art is hand-drawn by our talented artist Adi Saputra.
Kickstarter launch
You can back Boulder Bluff on its Kickstarter page. The product is designed in Belgium and produced in China by Winchoi, a highly respected board game & printing company. The Super Early Bird bundle is active for the first 24 hours of the launch, and grants a 15% discount on the Premium version.
Team & Reviewer’s feedback
Brecht Hanssens, Game Designer
“I just wanted to make a fun game to bring along on climbing trips and play with my friends. While I’m a ‘hardcore’ boardgamer, I understand that at the end of the day, many people just want to play an easy-to-learn light game to relax and have fun with friends. Climbing has become so incredibly popular over the last decade, I was amazed there was no game out for this yet, so I just made it myself!”
Chocgames, Board Game Reviewer (NL)
“I loved the art and bluffing, we could not judge each other. Sometimes I gave away a route because my ‘lovely” husband put down so many cards!’ And with a family of climbers and boulderers, the flavor texts on the cards are very recognizable and cool”
Pedro, Professional Game Design Consultant (BR)
“I helped Brecht with playtesting and took care of structuring the rulebook. Being a rules and mechanics person, my work is to find what shines in a game and bring that to its brightest. It wasn’t hard to find that in Boulder Bluff, and after our tweaks here and there – you know, less is more – I’m glad to say it’s as shiny as I could see it becoming!”
Rufus, Board Game Reviewer & Boulderer (BE)
“I’ve seen many games over my career. A lot of young designers try to stuff their games with too many mechanics and it becomes overly complex. Boulder Bluff feels unpretentious. It plays fast and light, it’s just fun!
Océane, Waitress & Craftswoman (BE)
“We playtested the prototype in our bar. I especially loved pestering my opponents with the animal cards! As a bonus, they look super cute as well.
Further info
Details
- Player count: 2 – 4 players
- Time: 30 to 45 minutes
- Age: 10+
Game Mechanics
Category
Content (Base Game)
- 55 cards
- 15 wooden tokens
- Physical Rule book (ENG), digital Rule book (NL, GER, FR)
- Game Mat (optional)
Back the game on Kickstarter here: kickstarter.com/projects/boulderbluff/boulder-bluff-who-will-rock-the-crux
Are you a climbing gym owner? Contact us at info (at) boulderbluff.eu or through Instagram for a special deal.
CBJ press releases are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
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CBJ press releases are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
