Virus ball
| Type: | dodgeball game |
| Number of players: | 10 or more |
| Location: | playing field |
| Equipment: | Ball |
| Duration: | arbitrary, a few minutes |
| Preparation: | none |
Virus ball is a ball game. It is played similar to other dodgeball games, however, the ball may not be thrown during that game.
Equipment
Two differently colored balls are required for this game. You can also use other similar objects instead of balls, for instance, pillows.
Procedure
The players are spread on the playing field. All players compete against all other players.
The two balls represent the virus and a cure, respectively. Both may not be thrown, at least, not to attack. The player holding any of the two balls may move around, but only for a short time (5 seconds or so), then he has to drop be ball.
When the player holding the virus ball touches any other player with the ball, the other player is infected. He has to remain at his current position, and to indicate that he is infected, he has to stretch his arms from his body. He can only be cured by being touched with the curing ball.
Even though everybody is competing against each other, usually, a special game dynamic develops. Alliances are formed and break, people try to infect (or cure) other participants, and so on.
Variations
Depending on the number of participants, you can vary the following aspects of the game:
- add more balls, e.g. three virus ball but only two curing balls
- allow one (or more) people being infected while holding the ball
- allowing a player to hold the ball for some additional time after he has infected or healed somebody
