Maps (also called Arenas) are environments in Bloons Card Storm that apply additional rules to the game. Before each match begins, one map is selected at random. Each player can use one skip to reroll the map before the match starts, which will always be a different map from the previous one (or two if the other player skipped first). During the match, the current map's modifier can be seen at any time by selecting the map icon in the top-right corner. There are five maps in the final game, but there were four maps in the Firstlook test and six maps in the Full Playable test, with the final game removing Game Night.
Monkey Meadow has no modifiers. It takes place in a grassy clearing surrounded by woods, with a small creek that runs down the middle.
Monkey Meadow was revealed in the March 2024 Developer Diary with concept artwork,[1] and was playable in the Firstlook test. In the Firstlook test, Monkey Meadow had a very different appearance from both the final version and the concept art: the play field was more enclosed and had a dirt ground with lines in it to separate the play areas, it was decorated with objects such as targets and wooden barrels, it lacked the creek, and it was less saturated overall.
Dark Castle increases the health of all Bloon cards by 5. It takes place on a dark red castle above a moat of lava, with the Bloon tracks being lava flumes. It had a different appearance in the Firstlook test and Full Playable test, where it was a platform within the walls of a castle with lava channels separating the Bloon track, Monkey areas, and Hero platforms into sections.
Players start with 1 extra card in their opening hand.
Workshop increases the number of cards in each player's opening hand by 1. It takes place inside a factory with conveyor belts serving as the Bloon tracks.
In the Firstlook test and Full Playable test, Workshop used the same background as Monkey Meadow. Its final appearance was not revealed before release.
High Finance increases the amount of Gold each player starts with by 2. It takes place in a construction zone in a city, with the Bloon paths being trenches of water running off from sewer pipes.
In the Firstlook test and Full Playable test, High Finance used the same background as Monkey Meadow. Its final appearance was revealed in the trailer and official screenshots before release.
At the start of each turn: Deal 10 damage to the other Hero.
Badlands (called Wasteland in the Full Playable test) was introduced in the Full Playable test. It causes Heroes to take 10 damage at the start of the opponent player's turn. It takes place in a desert with a small creek that runs down the middle.
In the Firstlook test and Full Playable test, Wasteland used the same background as Monkey Meadow. Its final appearance was revealed in the trailer and official screenshots before release.
Game Night increases the Attack Power of all Monkeys by 5. It takes place on a tabletop game.
In the Firstlook test and Full Playable test, Game Night used the same background as Monkey Meadow. It was playable in the Full Playable test, but was removed from the final game, then re-introduced in version 2.0.
Enter the lair of the Armored Behemoth, Dreadbloon!
Dread Depths is a map exclusive to Dreadbloon's Boss Battle event. It has no modifiers, though the event adds its own modifiers depending on the current stage of the event. It takes place in a mine surrounded by red Bloontonium crystals.
Maps have very little impact on the viability of decks and cards. There's little reason to build decks for specific maps, though some of them do marginally benefit certain playstyles.
Dark Castle favors aggro. The extra health can allow Bloons to survive some interactions they would normally lose to from full health, such as Golden Bloons being able to survive two Tack Shooter hits on defense.
Workshop is about as neutral as Monkey Meadow.
High Finance slightly favors combo decks, while overall neutral for most decks.
Game Night favors control. For instance, the +5 Attack Power prevents Bed Time from targeting some Monkeys without monkey debuffs. Also, extra Attack Power marginally makes bloons easier to destroy.
Badlands favors aggro. Passive opponent life loss opens more opportunities for finishing moves. Additionally, Corvus Academy of Arts may waste shots on the minor HP loss per round instead of multiple Bloons.