“The battiest balancing game ever!”
Released by Pressman in 1989, Acrobats was a dexterity game that challenged players to hang colourful plastic bats to form a hanging chain without causing it to collapse.
GAMEPLAY
Players took turns rolling a special die to determine the colour of the bat they had to hang. Each colour represented a different size bat: small, medium, or large. Each new bat was attached to the growing chain by its wings or feet, suspended from the top bat, held in place by a magnet.
As more bats were added, the hanging formation became increasingly unstable. Players were not permitted to adjust any other bats once placed. When a player’s move caused the bats to fall, that player collected one Bat Token.
The game ended when a player had accumulated three Bat Tokens, eliminating them from play. Among the remaining players, the one with the fewest Bat Tokens was declared the winner. In the event of a tie, an additional round was played to determine the winner.
IN THE BOX
A complete Acrobats game included three tower pieces, sixteen bats (one magnetized), eleven Bat Tokens, and a colored Bat Die. An illustrated instruction sheet was also provided.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Used copies of Acrobats are often missing bats or tokens and the magnetized bat can weaken over time. Complete examples with all pieces and the original box are the most desirable.
Note: If you buy something using the eBay link in this story, we may earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting independent toy journalism!