Unpub 3View: Belle of the Ball

As we approach Unpub 3 we’re featuring many of the games being presented at the big event. Today we’re taking a look at Belle of the Ball designed by Daniel Solis.

Belle of the Ball is a casual strategy card game with set-building, take-that, and plenty of silly names! You'll invite guests to your party, create the best groups, and use their charms to meddle in your opponent’s party during this neat little game with plenty of laughter!

We're happy to have invited Daniel to Unpub 3, but more excited that he took us up on our invitation to fill out an Unpub 3View! Let's hear his charming answers!

What was you Inspiration for Belle of the Ball? The "Shindig" episode of Firefly, plus mechanics from Guillotine and SmallWorld.

What is your favorite part of Belle of the Ball?  I like that it appeals to couples who are one half strategists and one half casual. It's a strong crossover game.

To your knowledge, What do other people find most interesting about Belle of the Ball? New players love saying the guests' names out loud. Always good for a laugh.

What has been the most challenging part of designing Belle of the Ball? Trimming down the game so it's approachable while still keeping some emergent depth for replay value.

What advice would you give to players attempting Belle of the Ball for the first time? Don't be afraid to play your Belle cards. New players are sometimes cautious about that and focus entirely on building their high scoring sets.

What has surprised you most in play-tests of Belle of the Ball? Folks really love the guests' silly names. I think it does a lot to make the game more approachable without even messing with the actual rules of the game.

People who like___________ will like Belle of the Ball. Why?  People who like Guillotine will like this game because it has a similar "row of people moving forward" central structure along with "take that" action cards. People who like SmallWorld will like this game because it has a similar "pay to take a card from further up the line" mechanic.

What do you hope to accomplish at Unpub 3?  I'd like to build up buzz for Belle of the Ball, which I think is a very polished game at this point. I'm eager to pitch the game to publishers with real player testimonials.

Tell us anything else you want to say about Belle of the Ball that I haven't asked or you haven't said already. It's a fun game!

Fun is right. I can attest to that.

Check out the Belle of the Ball page on Unpub.net!

Find out about the 64 other games coming to Unpub 3!