Balancing Act (minigame)

Balancing Act is a Duel Minigame in Mario Party 8. Balancing acts in real life refer to someone holding a stack of things while riding a unicycle.

Introduction
The camera pans around the inside of a circus tent before coming to rest on the entrance to the tent. The first player rolls through the entrance, balancing on top of a ball, as a spotlight follows them. The player rolls the ball up a small ramp and onto a circular platform, the screen splits to show the first player on top and the second player on bottom (in between the two screens is shown a map of the course the players must follow, as well as the players' locations), and the game begins.

Gameplay
The two players are now in the middle of a balancing act on a ball. The objective is to roll on the ball to the other side of the obstacle course first. The only obstacles are the elevating platforms, which will keep the player from advancing if they do not get on it before it raises, and the Thwomps, which both block the path when on the ground and squish the player from above. When flattened, the player has to wait a few seconds before recovering and being able to move again.

Ending
The winning player stands in the middle of the circus tent with the ball behind on the ground and does the victory pose as confetti falls. The losing player is not seen.