Editing Balloon Mario

{{form infobox

|latest_appearance=''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'' ([[List of games by date#2023|2023]])

|item=[[Power Balloon]] (most appearances)<br>[[Power Flower (Super Mario 64 DS)|Power Flower]] (''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'')<br>Air vent (''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'' / ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]'')<br>[[Wonder Flower]] (''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'')

|applies_to=[[Mario]], [[Luigi]], [[Princess Peach|Peach]], [[Princess Daisy|Daisy]], [[Toad]], [[Yellow Toad and Blue Toad|Yellow Toad]], [[Yellow Toad and Blue Toad|Blue Toad]], [[Toadette]], [[Yoshi]], [[Yoshi (species)|Red Yoshi]], Yellow Yoshi, Light-Blue Yoshi, [[Nabbit]]

{{quote|With the [[Power Flower (Super Mario 64 DS)|Power Flower]], [[Mario]] can float like a balloon. In Standard Mode, press {{button|DS|B}} repeatedly to make Mario float up, and crouch to land. Change his direction with the {{button|DS|Pad}}. Try it out!|Instruction text|Super Mario 64 DS}}

'''Balloon Mario''' (referred to as '''Floating Power''' for ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'')<ref>{{cite|url=cdn02.nintendo-europe.com/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/nintendo_ds_21/Manual_NintendoDS_SuperMario64DS_EN.pdf|language=en-gb|title=''Super Mario 64 DS'' instruction booklet|page=18|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|date=2005}}</ref> is a form of [[Mario]] first appearing in ''[[Super Mario World]]''; it later makes sporadic appearances, starting with ''Super Mario 64 DS''. This form was originally obtained by getting a [[Power Balloon]].

In ''[[Super Mario World]]'', upon collecting a Power Balloon, Mario or Luigi swells up like a balloon, causing him to hover in the air. They will gradually float upwards if not moved by the player, but are capable of moving in any direction for a limited amount of time. During this time, [[Yoshi]] cannot be ridden. Mario or [[Luigi]] will start to deflate when the item is about to wear off, and once it does, they return to normal size and drop 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.

The form and its effects return in ''Super Mario 64 DS'', where, upon picking up a [[Power Flower (Super Mario 64 DS)|Power Flower]], Mario inflates like a balloon and can float. The control scheme for this transformation has been changed somewhat; Mario now gradually floats downwards instead of upwards and has to be kept in the air by tapping the jump button, similar to swimming in 2D [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' games]]. Additionally, when the item's effect is about to wear off, Mario now flashes until finally plummeting. The player can also automatically end the transformation at any time by [[Ground Pound|ground-pound]]ing. Mario is the only character who is affected this way when he picks up the Power Flower. In this game, the music that plays when Mario turns into Balloon Mario is a slow-paced arrangement of the [[Wing Mario]] theme.

While this form is not usable in ''[[Super Mario Maker]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS]]'', knocking on a [[Warp Door]] in the ''Super Mario World'' style may cause [[Weird Mushroom (item)|Weird Mario]] to appear in this form.

''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''{{'}}s 3.0.0 update adds the Power Balloon along with Balloon Mario and balloon variants of the other characters, exclusively to the ''Super Mario World'' game style. There is a visual difference in the sprites in this form, as the character's pants are now yellow and emblazoned with a white "P" (for Toadette, the "P" is on her skirt). The functionality of the 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. While moving quickly with jump or run, blocks can be activated ([[Hidden Block]]s still can only be hit from below) but there is no way to directly attack enemies. While in the Balloon Mario state, Mario counts as constantly airborne even when on the ground. Balloon Mario is no longer timed, but no longer stacks with the current power-up; if hit, Mario reverts to [[Super Mario (form)|Super Mario]].

Unused sprites indicate that originally, the [[Buzzy Shell]] and [[Spiny Shell (red)|Spiny Shell]] could be used by Balloon Mario, with the shell becoming a bubble around him. There are two variants of the former and three of the latter, suggesting the idea went through multiple iterations before being abandoned.<ref>{{cite|url=www.spriters-resource.com/nintendo_switch/supermariomaker2/sheet/119043|title=Spritesheet|publisher=The Spriters Resource|language=en|accessdate=June 26, 2024}}</ref>

 

===''Super Mario-kun''===

Balloon Mario also appears in volume 6 of ''[[Super Mario-kun]]'', being featured in a single chapter. Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi are shown with these forms throughout the chapter.

SMW P-Balloon Mario.png|''[[Super Mario World]]'' (Mario)

SMWBalloonLuigiSprite.png|''Super Mario World'' ([[Luigi]])

SMBW Screenshot Balloon Mario.png|''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'' (Mario)

SMBW Balloon Luigi.png|''Super Mario Bros. Wonder'' (Luigi)

SMBW Balloon Peach.jpg|''Super Mario Bros. Wonder'' ([[Princess Peach|Peach]])

|Jap=バルーンマリオ

|JapR=Barūn Mario

|Jap2={{hover|風船|ふうせん}}マリオ<ref>{{cite|format=PDF|language=ja|url=m1.nintendo.net/docvc/NUS/JPN/NSMJ/NSMJ_J.pdf|title=スーパーマリオ{{ruby|６４|六十四（ろくじゅうよん）}} (''Sūpā Mario Rokujūyon'') instruction booklet|page=18|date=1996|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> (''Super Mario 64 DS'')

|Jap2R=Fūsen Mario

|JapM=Balloon Mario

|Jap2M=Balloon Mario

|ChiS=气球马力欧<ref>{{cite|url=www.ique.com/games/mariods/action/mario.htm|title=神游马力欧DS的动作|language=zh-hans|publisher=[[iQue]]|accessdate=June 26, 2024}}</ref>

 

{{Mario forms}}

{{SMBW}}

[[Category:Mario forms]]

[[Category:Balloons]]

[[Category:Super Mario 64 DS forms]]

[[Category:Super Mario Bros. Wonder forms]]

[[Category:Super Mario Maker 2 forms]]

[[Category:Super Mario World forms]]