Flick Animals Around the Sports Field to Score Points in Zoo Ball

Will the rabbit score? Will the walrus block the way? Or the moose clear a path for the penguin?

Zoo Ball blends animals with sports and dexterity, in a rules-light game that plays quickly. So what are the rules to Zoo Ball?

Gameplay

The playing mat, which depicts a sports field, is placed in the center of the table. Each player takes a team of discs, which includes three blocker pieces and one scorer piece.  In a two player game, the start player arranges their pieces on their side of the field and then the second player arranges their pieces in response. In a four player game, each team arranges their pieces in their team’s corner.

On your turn you may choose to either flick as many of your three blockers as you wish, or your one scorer piece. You may only do flicks with one finger. In a four player game, you are attempting to flick your scorer token into the team triangle that is in the opposite corner to you. In the two player game, you are trying to flick it into the circle that is near the back of the opponent’s playing field. In order for the point to count, the piece must be fully inside the goal and no portion of it can be straddling the line.

In a four player game, the first player to score wins. In a two player game, it is first to three. After each point is scored, all pieces are reset, with the player who just scored being the first to place them.

If one of your pieces goes off the mat on your side of it, you simply replace the piece as close to the spot it left the mat as possible. If the piece went off the board on your opponent’s side, then it wraps around and returns to the board on the opposite side.

Blockers can be used to move others around, and can even score a point if they knock your scorer into the goal!

Photo by Daniel Thurot (The Innocent on BGG), licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Review

Zoo Ball is a pretty simple dexterity game, but that’s really where its strength lies. It’s so easy to get out on the table, to teach, and to play a few rounds. It’s not complicated, it’s not hard, and most of the rules are intuitive. This makes it great for families, for parties, and when you’re just looking for something short and sweet. There is even some fun strategy in choosing when to move your blockers and to where.

The game’s artwork is nice; all the animals have a lot of character. More stickers than are needed are included in the game so players can actually customize their teams and choose which animals they wish to play with, which is a great touch.

Flicking the discs is quite easy. Sometimes in flicking games it can put a lot of pressure on the nail and become uncomfortable, however these discs are nice and light and slide smoothly. The playing mat is more problematic. It is large and provides a nice sized play area, however it has a lot of creases from the folds and it’s not easy to get it to lay perfectly flat. This can make shots more unpredictable (which can actually be fun) but is clearly not how the game was intended to be played.

If you’re looking for something with a lot of strategy or a dexterity game that’s going to blow you away, Zoo Ball won’t be for you. But if you want something short and sweet, that’s put together nicely and is enjoyable, Zoo Ball might just be up your alley.

Pros: Easy to teach and learn, plays quickly, discs are easy to flick and slide

Cons: Play mat does not lay flat, some players may find it too simplistic

Disclosure: we received a complimentary review copy of this game.