is an
action
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
developed by
Nintendo and
HAL Laboratory
formerly shortened as HALKEN (derived from its native name), is a Japanese video game developer founded on 21 February 1980. While independent, it has been closely tied with Nintendo throughout its history, and is often referred to as a seco ...
and published by Nintendo. The original
arcade
Arcade most often refers to:
* Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine
** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware
** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board
* Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games
* ...
version was released for the
Nintendo VS. System internationally as ''Vs. Balloon Fight'', while its
Nintendo Entertainment System counterpart was released in Japan in 1985 and internationally in 1986.
The gameplay is similar to the 1982 game ''
Joust
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two horse riders wielding lances with blunted tips, often as part of a tournament. The primary aim was to replicate a clash of heavy cavalry, with each participant trying to strike the opponen ...
'' from
Williams Electronics
WMS Industries, Inc. was an American electronic gaming and amusement manufacturer in Enterprise, Nevada. It was merged into Scientific Games in 2016. WMS's predecessor was the Williams Manufacturing Company, founded in 1943 by Harry E. Williams ...
. The home Nintendo Entertainment System version was ported to the
NEC PC-8801 in October 1985, the
Sharp X1
The , sometimes called the Sharp X1 or CZ-800C, is a series of home computers released by Sharp Corporation from 1982 to 1988. It is based on a Zilog Z80 CPU.
The RGB display monitor for the X1 had a television tuner, and a computer screen co ...
in November 1985, the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, ...
as ''Balloon Fight-e'' for the
e-Reader
An e-reader, also called an e-book reader or e-book device, is a mobile electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books and periodicals.
Any device that can display text on a screen may act as an e-read ...
in the United States on September 16, 2002, and as part of the
Famicom Mini Series in Japan on May 21, 2004. It was later rereleased through Nintendo's
Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Uni ...
and
NES Classic Edition
NES Classic Edition is a dedicated home video game console by Nintendo, which emulates the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It launched on November 10, 2016 in Australia and Japan, and November 11, 2016 in North America and Europe. Aesthet ...
. It was released on
Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is an online subscription service for the Nintendo Switch video game console. Nintendo Switch Online features include online multiplayer, cloud saving, voice chat via a smartphone app, access to a library of Nint ...
in 2018.
Gameplay
The player controls an unnamed Balloon Fighter with two
balloon
A balloon is a flexible bag that can be inflated with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, and air. For special tasks, balloons can be filled with smoke, liquid water, granular media (e.g. sand, flour or rice), or light so ...
s attached to his
helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...
. Repeatedly pressing the A button or holding down the B button causes the Balloon Fighter to flap his arms and rise into the air. If a
balloon is popped, the player's flotation is decreased, making it harder to rise. A life is lost if both balloons are popped by enemy Balloon Fighters, if the player falls in the
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an Inorganic compound, inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living ...
, gets eaten by the large
piranha
A piranha or piraña (, , or ; or , ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, fl ...
near the surface of the water, or is hit by lightning.
There are two modes of play: the 1-player/2-player game where the goal is to clear the screen of enemies, and Balloon Trip where the goal is to avoid obstacles in a side-scrolling stage. The original arcade game does not include Balloon Trip, but all the level layouts are completely different so as to take advantage of vertical scrolling in addition to some minor gameplay differences.
1-player/2-player game
Defeat all of the enemies on screen to clear the stage. This mode can be played alone or co-operatively with a second player. Each player starts with three extra lives. The 3DS ''Balloon Fight'' port comes with the Download Play option, that allows you to play along with a friend that has another 3DS system.
Enemy Balloon Fighters float around the screen and the player must hit their balloons to defeat them. The enemy can also fall into the water or be eaten by the fish while flying close to the water's surface. If an enemy is defeated or falls into the water, a bubble will rise up the screen which can be hit for extra points. As play progresses through the stages, the number of enemies and platforms increases.
Every three stages is a bonus stage, where the goal is to burst all of the balloons that float up the screen from the chimneys at the bottom.
Balloon Trip
A single-player game where the goal is to avoid the lightning sparks and collect the balloons, aiming to move up the ranks and compete for the high score. The player starts with one life.
Ports, sequels, and references
The home
Nintendo Entertainment System version was ported to the
NEC PC-8801 in October 1985, the
Sharp X1
The , sometimes called the Sharp X1 or CZ-800C, is a series of home computers released by Sharp Corporation from 1982 to 1988. It is based on a Zilog Z80 CPU.
The RGB display monitor for the X1 had a television tuner, and a computer screen co ...
in November 1985, the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, ...
as ''Balloon Fight-e'' for the
e-Reader
An e-reader, also called an e-book reader or e-book device, is a mobile electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books and periodicals.
Any device that can display text on a screen may act as an e-read ...
in the United States on September 16, 2002, and as part of the
Famicom Mini Series in Japan on May 21, 2004.
[ It can also be played in '']Animal Crossing
is a social simulation video game series developed and published by Nintendo. The series was conceptualized and created by Katsuya Eguchi and Hisashi Nogami. In ''Animal Crossing'', the player character is a human who lives in a village inhab ...
'' for the GameCube.
Nintendo released a Game & Watch
The Game & Watch brand ( ''Gēmu & Uotchi''; called ''Tricotronic'' in West Germany and Austria, abbreviated as ''G&W'') is a series of handheld electronic games developed, manufactured, released, and marketed by Nintendo from 1980 to 1991. C ...
version of the same name, based on the NES version's Balloon Trip mode. The protagonist is "a Balloon Man". Unlike Balloon Fighters, Balloon Men use rocket suits instead of flapping their hands to elevate while holding balloons.
A sequel to ''Balloon Fight'' called ''Balloon Kid
''Balloon Kid'' is a flying platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy on October 5, 1990, in North America and on January 31, 1991, in Europe. It is the sequel to ''Balloon Fight''. It was never released in Japan for th ...
'' was released in October 1990 in North America and on January 31, 1991, in Europe for the Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same t ...
, which expands from the game's roots and revamped it into a full platforming adventure. This title was not released in Japan on the Game Boy, but colorized versions titled as '' Hello Kitty World'' (published by ''Character Soft'') for the Famicom and ''Balloon Fight GB'' for the Game Boy Color were later released only in Japan.
In September 2001, the game was ported to the Sharp Zaurus
The Sharp Zaurus is the name of a series of personal digital assistants (PDAs) made by Sharp Corporation. The Zaurus was the most popular PDA during the 1990s in Japan and was based on a proprietary operating system. The first Sharp PDA to use ...
series of PDAs.[
Balloon Fighter and Flipper trophies are obtainable in '' Super Smash Bros. Melee'', and the Flipper is also a usable item, replacing the Bumper from the previous game. The Balloon Fighter was considered for a playable role during the development of '' Super Smash Bros. Melee'', but the ]Ice Climbers
Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opa ...
were chosen instead. The original background music for the Balloon Trip in ''Balloon Fight'' can be heard in ''Melee''s Icicle Mountain stage as alternate music. The giant fish makes a cameo appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl
''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 crossover fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, it was announced at a pre-E3 2005 press conferenc ...
''. It appears on the ''Ice Climber''-based stage, the Summit, where it tries to attack the players from the sea. In addition, a remixed version of the main theme, titled "Balloon Trip" is available for the Summit stage as well. Stickers of the Balloon Fighter and the Balloon Fight Enemy can be collected in ''Brawl''. In addition, the Villager from the ''Animal Crossing
is a social simulation video game series developed and published by Nintendo. The series was conceptualized and created by Katsuya Eguchi and Hisashi Nogami. In ''Animal Crossing'', the player character is a human who lives in a village inhab ...
'' series uses the Balloon Fighter's helmet as one of his special moves in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS ...
''. In the 3DS version of the same game, a stage based on ''Balloon Fight'' appears with the original 8-bit graphics; the same stage returns in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'', Balloon Fighter appears as a Spirit in said game.
In the '' WarioWare, Inc.'' series, some of 9-Volt's games are based on ''Balloon Fight''. In '' WarioWare: Smooth Moves'', there is also a minigame functioning as a three-dimensional version of Balloon Trip; players use the Wii Remote
The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact wi ...
only for the microgame version, and also use the Nunchuk
is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30 cm (sticks) and 1 inch (rope). A person w ...
in the complete 3D Balloon Trip.
The original tech demo for ''Yoshi Touch & Go
''Yoshi Touch & Go'', known in Japan as , is a video game that was developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It debuted in Japan on January 27, 2005, in North America on March 14, 2005, in Europe on May 6, 2005, and in Australia ...
'' was called ''Yoshi's Balloon Trip''. ''Balloon Fight'' is the theme for Touch Mode in '' Tetris DS'', although the mode itself has almost nothing to do with the game other than the music and decorative graphics.
On April 12, 2007, Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo was a customer loyalty program provided by Nintendo. The loyalty program was free to join and provided rewards in exchange for consumer feedback and loyalty to purchasing official Nintendo products. Members of Club Nintendo earned ...
released ''Tingle's Balloon Fight'' for the Nintendo DS, an exclusive game featuring Tingle, a Nintendo character who originated from ''The Legend of Zelda
''The Legend of Zelda'' is an action-adventure game franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-rele ...
'' series. The game is a remake of the home version, featuring the "Balloon Fight" and "Balloon Trip" modes. The levels are expanded slightly to utilize both screens, similar to the arcade game except based entirely around the NES levels. A gallery that contained concept art was also included, where each piece could be unlocked by completing specific in-game tasks.
The Balloon Fighter appears in ''Super Mario Maker
is a 2015 side-scrolling platform game and game creation system developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U, released worldwide in September 2015. Players can create, play, and share courses online, free of charge, based on the styles ...
'' as an unlockable Mystery Mushroom costume as part of an update.
''Balloon Fight'' has been re-released as part of Nintendo's Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Uni ...
. On June 8, 2007, ''Balloon Fight'' was released in Europe, followed by a release in North America on July 16, 2007, and Japan on November 12, 2007. The game was released on Virtual Console for Nintendo 3DS as part of that system's Ambassador Program in September 2011.
In ''Nintendo Land
is a party video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Wii U home video game console in 2012. The game was first announced at E3 2012 during Nintendo's press conference.
''Nintendo Land'' features twelve m ...
'', there is an attraction called Balloon Trip Breeze that is very similar to Balloon Trip from the original ''Balloon Fight''.
The game was released on the Wii U Virtual Console service on January 23, 2013, in North America until February 23, 2013, as part of a promotion celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of the original Nintendo Famicom. ''Balloon Fight'' became the first Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
Th ...
Virtual Console title to be released. On November 11, 2016, the game (alongside 29 other games) was included in the NES Classic Edition
NES Classic Edition is a dedicated home video game console by Nintendo, which emulates the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It launched on November 10, 2016 in Australia and Japan, and November 11, 2016 in North America and Europe. Aesthet ...
(Nintendo Classic Mini in Europe).
The NES version of ''Balloon Fight'' was re-released as one of the launch titles for Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is an online subscription service for the Nintendo Switch video game console. Nintendo Switch Online features include online multiplayer, cloud saving, voice chat via a smartphone app, access to a library of Nint ...
on September 18, 2018.
The original arcade version, '' Vs. Balloon Fight'', was ported by Hamster Corporation
is a Japanese video game publisher, with office located in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan. The game division of Toshiba-EMI Limited spun off Hamster Corporation in November 1999.
On the Japanese PlayStation Store, more than 200 titles are distrib ...
and released on the Nintendo Switch Arcade Archives on December 27, 2019.
List of ''Balloon Fight'' games, ports and sequels
Notes
References
External links
IGN's coverage of ''Balloon Fight'' (Famicom Mini Series)
*
{{Authority control
1984 video games
Action video games
Arcade video games
Game & Watch games
Game Boy Color games
Nintendo Entertainment System games
MSX games
NEC PC-8801 games
Nintendo arcade games
Nintendo games
Nintendo Research & Development 1 games
Nintendo Vs. Series games
PlayChoice-10 games
Sharp X1 games
Virtual Console games
Virtual Console games for Wii U
Video game clones
Video games scored by Hirokazu Tanaka
Video games designed by Yoshio Sakamoto
Video games developed in Japan
Nintendo Switch Online NES games
Virtual Console games for Nintendo 3DS
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Hamster Corporation games