Power Balloon
- This article is about the power-up in Super Mario World that turns Mario into Balloon Mario. For the power-up in Super Mario 64 DS that also turns Mario into Balloon Mario, see Power Flower (Super Mario 64 DS).
| Power Balloon | |
|---|---|
| |
| First appearance | Super Mario World (1990) |
| Latest appearance | The Super Mario Bros. Movie (cameo) (2023) |
| Effect | Turns Mario into Balloon Mario |
- “Good thing I found a magic balloon!”
- —Luigi, "Mama Luigi"
A Power Balloon, sometimes shortened to P Balloon[1] or P-Balloon,[2] is an item introduced in Super Mario World. When touched, it inflates the playable character and allows them to float through the air like a balloon.
History[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario World / Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2[edit]
In Super Mario World and its reissue, Power Balloons can be found in four levels: Donut Secret 1, Donut Secret 2, Forest of Illusion 1, and Tubular. A Power Balloon's effect is to make whoever picks it up swell up and become Balloon Mario or Balloon Luigi, causing him to hover in the air. He will gradually float upwards if not moved by the player, but he is capable of moving in any direction for a limited amount of time. During this time, Yoshi cannot be ridden, nor can shells or other carriable items be grabbed. Mario or Luigi starts to puff in and out when the item is about to wear off, and when it does, he returns to normal size and drops out of the air. The level Tubular in the Special Zone requires the player to continually pick up new Power Balloons to maintain flight while they make their way across the level. If Mario or Luigi passes through a Giant Gate while under the effects of a Power Balloon, he will gain a bonus Super Mushroom.
If Mario or Luigi has the powers of a Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, or Cape Feather and grabs a Power Balloon, he will still have whatever powers he originally had as well as those of the Power Balloon. However, if he collects any of these items while under the effects of a Power Balloon, the Power Balloon's power will instantly wear off. Exclusively in Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, when Mario or Luigi grabs a Power Balloon, the music becomes slightly slower than usual. Slow music also plays in Super Mario 64 DS while Mario is under the effects of the Power Flower.
The Power Balloon in the source code of the prototypes for the original SNES game originally was going to be red before it was changed into beige in the final game.
Super Mario Maker 2[edit]
Power Balloons were added to Super Mario Maker 2 in the version 3.0.0 update released on April 22, 2020, available only in the Super Mario World style. In this game, the Power Balloon item floats in place rather than floating away to the right, and it is now bright yellow rather than beige. The character's appearance also changes more drastically when the character obtains the item, with Mario's and Luigi's overalls and Toad's and Toadette's undershirts turning yellow with a letter P on them (the P is on Toadette's dress in her case), similar to what the P-Wing does. The functionality of the Power Balloon form was also altered, allowing the character to be fully in control of which angle and direction they are floating towards, as opposed to the original game's simple vertical and horizontal mobility. The time limit is also removed. In the nighttime ground theme, Power Balloons fly around in circles, eventually disappearing.
Super Mario World television series[edit]
The Power Balloon makes three appearances in the Super Mario World television series, most notably in the episode "Mama Luigi," where Luigi uses it to float safely down a chasm. Later in the episode, Mario uses it to re-inflate Luigi back to his normal shape after he is flattened. In the series, the Power Balloon is referred to as a magic balloon. It also appears in another episode, "Gopher Bash." The Power Balloon is the only non-invincible item Luigi is seen using in the show.
Super Mario-kun[edit]
The Power Balloon also appears in volume 6 page 111 of Super Mario-kun, being featured in a single chapter. It shows itself coming out of a ? Block.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Power Balloons can be seen inside the antiques shop.
Gallery[edit]
A magic balloon in the Super Mario World television series
Super Mario-kun
Super Mario Maker 2 (Super Mushroom modifier)
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | パワーバルーン Pawā Barūn |
Power Balloon |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 力量气球[3] Lìliàng Qìqiú |
Power Balloon |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 力量氣球[4] Lìliàng Qìqiú |
Power Balloon |
| French | P-Ballon Ballon de puissance |
P-Balloon Power balloon |
| German | Power-Ballon | Power-Balloon |
| Italian | Super palloncino | Super balloon |
| Korean | 파워벌룬 Pawo Beollun |
Power Balloon |
| Portuguese | Balão de Força | Power Balloon |
| Romanian | Balon magic (Super Mario World television series) | Magic balloon |
| Spanish | Globo de poder Globo Mágico (Super Mario World television series) |
Power balloon Magic Balloon |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Nintendo Mario Mania Player's Guide. Pages 73, 74, 107, and 160.
- ^ Nintendo Power Advance V.4. Page 13.
- ^ 创作完整的世界地图!? 《 Super Mario Maker 2 》最后的大型数据更新 Ver.3.0.0 版本, 将于4月22日开始发布! Nintendo. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
- ^ Nintendo (April 20, 2020). 《Super Mario Maker 2 (超級瑪利歐創作家 2) 》更新資料Ver.3.0.0介紹影片 YouTube. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
