Blow Ball is deceptively tricky. Used at the higher levels on Minute To Win It, successful completion usually results in a hefty payout. Blow Ball requires you to blow a large number of colored ping pong balls off a tray, leaving a small number of differently-colored balls in place. The low sides of the pizza pan are just the right height for the balls to go flying off with a strong current, so practice is the key to mastering this game.
The Goal
Like most games, the object of Blow Ball is straightforward: using only your mouth, blow 73 red ping pong balls off a pizza tray, leaving three yellow balls on the tray. It's the execution of the game that gets tricky. Remember, you only have one minute to complete the task.
Equipment Needed
To play Blow Ball you will need:
- 73 red ping pong balls
- 3 yellow (or white) ping pong balls
- One large pizza pan
- Small table or other flat, raised surface, that allows access to the pizza tray from all sides
How to Play
To set up the game, place the red ping pong balls on the pizza tray. Then place the yellow or white ping pong balls on the tray nestled amongst the red ones in a rough triangular pattern. Place the prepared pizza pan on the table.
To play, the contestant stands behind the table with arms behind his or her back. Once the one-minute timer starts, he or she can begin blowing the red balls off the tray. The red balls must roll completely out of the pan, and all 73 must be cleared, keeping all three yellow balls in place, before the timer runs out.
The Rules
This game has a few rules, and they're important ones:
- You may not touch the red or yellow balls with any part of your body
- Your arms must remain behind your back throughout the game
- You can go around the table as much as you like to reach the ping pong balls from different angles
- If a yellow ball gets blown off the pizza pan, the game is over - you may not replace it and start again
Tips and Tricks
Blow Ball is a game similar to Don't Blow the Joker, in that will take some practice to get it right. You want to try different blowing strengths to see how many ping pong balls you can remove at one time. One trick you can try is to remove some of the red balls, then position the yellow ones into a group. This will give you more space to manoeuvre the red ping pong balls off the tray without disturbing the yellow ones.
The blueprint with video instructions for this game can be found at NBC.com.
Variations and Modifications
You can make Blow Ball simpler for children to play by reducing the number of balls and the size of the pan. Try using a paper plate and a handful of red balls, with only one yellow ping pong ball in place.
For a Christmas Minute To Win It game, use lightweight plastic tree ornaments in place of the ping pong balls. This will be harder since the ornaments have raised "stumps" on the top, making it more difficult to roll them. Use only a few of them, testing the game for difficulty, and add more if needed.
You can also play this game at any kind of party, using ping pong balls that are the same colors as your decorations or theme. Alternatively, decorate the ping pong balls with small stickers that reflect the purpose of the party. For example, use baby-themed stickers for a baby shower or balloon stickers for a birthday party. Keep in mind though that adding anything to the balls will affect how they roll.
