Balada

About this board game

Balada is a flip-and-write adventure game for 1–6 players that plays in about 20 minutes. Take the role of a bard, record a resilient hero’s deeds, and create the most captivating story to earn victory points.

Across twelve turns, players fill their maps with events for the hero to face. Each turn, two event cards are drawn, and every player chooses one event before drawing its symbol onto their map. A third card, the landscape card, then limits the available choices, making each decision matter.

Plan the hero’s route carefully. Equipment can prepare the hero for a dangerous Boss, while a resting place may be especially valuable after facing too many enemies. A range of events offers different ways to build an impressive tale, including magical portals, rescuing a princess, catching fish, and finding treasure.

• Standard mode: Travel to the mountain and return on the second side of the map.
• Easy mode: Play on one side of the map with a single deck of 12 event cards.
• Strategic continuity: In standard play, unhealed wounds and unused equipment carry over between the two parts of the journey.

The standard game rewards long-term planning as the hero’s condition and resources carry forward. The easy variant removes the choice between two events each round, but deciding where to draw the selected event remains a thoughtful challenge. Whether managing danger, seeking rewards, or shaping a memorable narrative, Balada turns every map into a personal heroic saga.