Editing Hot-air balloon

{{about|the object in the ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' series|the objects used as platforms in ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''|[[Hot Air Balloon (Donkey Kong franchise)]]|the Yoshi transformation|[[Hot-Air Balloon Yoshi]]}}
{{species infobox
|title=Hot-air balloon
|image=[[File:MKT HotairBalloon.png|180px]]<br>Model of a yellow and orange Hot-air balloon from ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''
|first_appearance=''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' ([[List of games by date#1997|1997]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Super Mario Party Jamboree]]'' ([[List of games by date#2024|2024]])
}}
'''Hot-air balloons''' are recurring objects in the ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' series, usually serving as background objects.

==History==
===''Mario Kart'' series===
====''Mario Kart 64''====
A hot-air balloon first appears in ''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' on [[N64 Luigi Raceway|Luigi Raceway]]. It has a picture of [[Luigi]] on a cyan background. During the race it will lower towards the road, allowing racers to collect the [[Item Box]] attached to it, which will always give the player a [[Spiny Shell (blue)|Spiny Shell]] regardless of their placement on the race.

====''Mario Kart Wii''====
In ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', a hot-air balloon appears in [[Mario Circuit (Mario Kart Wii)|Mario Circuit]] and by extension, the [[Trophy|trophy]] ceremony and the congratulation screen for completing each cup in one engine class. It has a colorful appearance and text that reads "MARIO GRAND PRIX".

====''Mario Kart 7''====
[[File:MK7 Daisy Hills Daisy.png|thumb|200px|left|Hot-air balloons in ''Mario Kart 7'']]
In ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'', hot-air balloons appear in [[3DS Daisy Hills|Daisy Hills]]. They either have red and white squares, dark and light blue horizontal lines, or vertical yellow and orange lines. Touching a balloon will cause the player to bounce off it. The hot-air balloon also returns in {{classic|N64|Luigi Raceway}}, although the item box hanging below it is a regular item box. In addition, a [[Mii]] pilots it.
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====''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''====
[[File:MK8-Course-N64 RoyalRaceway.jpg|thumb|200px|Hot-air balloons in ''Mario Kart 8''.]]
Hot-air balloons reappear in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'', appearing as background objects in {{classic-link|N64|Royal Raceway}}, [[Mount Wario]], {{classic-link|GCN|Baby Park}}, and {{classic-link|Tour|Paris Promenade}}. In Royal Raceway, balloons are designed after [[Princess Peach]], [[Princess Daisy]], and [[Rosalina]], and have [[Toad (species)|Toad]]s standing inside their baskets, while the balloons in Mount Wario are designed after [[Mario]], [[Luigi]], and [[Wario]]. Colliding with a balloon will slow down the driver slightly.

====''Mario Kart Tour''====
Hot-air balloons reappear in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''. They appear in all versions of {{classic|3DS|Daisy Hills}}, [[DS DK Pass|{{classic|DS|DK Pass R/T}}]], [[N64 Koopa Troopa Beach|{{classic|N64|Koopa Troopa Beach R}}]], [[Wii Maple Treeway|{{classic|Wii|Maple Treeway T}}]], all versions of Paris Promenade, [[3DS Rock Rock Mountain|{{classic|3DS|Rock Rock Mountain R}}]], {{classic|N64|Royal Raceway}} and its trick variation, [[Vancouver Velocity|Vancouver Velocity R]], [[GCN Yoshi Circuit|{{classic|GCN|Yoshi Circuit T}}]], [[Wii Koopa Cape|{{classic|Wii|Koopa Cape R}}]], all variations of {{classic|GCN|Baby Park}}, and [[DS Shroom Ridge|{{classic|DS|Shroom Ridge T}}]]. Yoshi-themed hot-air balloons also appear in the background of {{classic-link|N64|Yoshi Valley}}. Hot-air balloons with [[Arrow Sign]]s appear on all variations of {{classic-link|DS|Peach Gardens}}. They also appear in a [[Glider Challenge]] in {{classic|GCN|Yoshi Circuit}} in the [[Paris Tour (2019)|2019 Paris Tour]] and a [[Do Jump Boosts]] challenge in {{classic|DS|DK Pass}} in the [[Winter Tour (2019)|2019 Winter Tour]]. Landing on top of a balloon gives the player a Jump Boost. Balloons appear in the same patterns as they did in ''Mario Kart 7'', and can also have vertical purple and white lines. In Vancouver Velocity R, the balloons contain [[Snowman|Snowpeople]]; however, the balloons in {{classic|N64|Royal Raceway}} no longer contain Toads. The hot-air balloon in {{classic|N64|Luigi Raceway}} also returns.

===''Super Mario'' series===
====''Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2''====
[[File:Mario Picnic in Dino Land.png|thumb|left|200px|Mario, Luigi and Peach next to a hot-air balloon.]]
During the intro to ''[[Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2]]'', Mario, Peach, and Luigi are seen arriving to [[Dinosaur Land]] via a hot-air balloon branded with Mario's signature red "M". This hot-air balloon is also seen in the all exits cutscene, where Luigi is seen throwing Mario masks down to the land below, followed by Mario landing in the balloon as a "Congratulations" banner flies by.

====''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''====
[[File:NSMBW Hot-air balloon.png|thumb|200px|right|Mario and Princess Peach on a hot-air balloon.]]
Two hot-air balloons appear in the ending cutscene of ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''. They seem to be owned by [[Bowser]], as they have his logo on them as well as spikes. [[Yellow Toad (New Super Mario Bros. series)|Yellow Toad]] and [[Blue Toad (character)|Blue Toad]] ride in one and Luigi rides in the other to leave [[Bowser's Castle]]. Luigi lands his to let Mario and Peach in, but he gets left behind while holding the door open. Thankfully, Blue Toad offers him a ride in the other balloon, and the hot-air balloons are seen flying back to [[Peach's Castle]].
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===''Yoshi's Crafted World''===
In ''[[Yoshi's Crafted World]]'', five hot-air balloon [[List of crafts in Yoshi's Crafted World|crafts]] appear in the skies of the course [[Yoshi Pulls Some Strings]].

===''Super Princess Peach''===
[[File:SPP Hot air balloon.png|thumb|200px|Princess Peach and Perry next to a hot air balloon.]]
In ''[[Super Princess Peach]]'', a hot air balloon resembling [[Perry]] makes its debut in [[Giddy Sky 7-3]]. Perry describes it as "a strange device that uses fire to float in the air". In this case, while Peach is standing on the wicket basket, Peach must use the [[Rage]] [[Vibe]] to heat the burner. As the hot air balloon rises, Peach can collect [[Crystal (Super Princess Peach)|Crystal]]s to retain her Rage vibe. Peach can manuever the hot air balloon depending on where she is standing on the wicket basket (ex. if Peach stands on the left side of the basket, the hot air balloon will move to the left). The hot air balloon also appears in [[Giddy Sky 7-4]] and [[Bowser's Villa 8-4]].

===''Super Mario Party Jamboree''===
[[File:SMPJ Hub Island.png|thumb|left|200px]]
In ''[[Super Mario Party Jamboree]]'', a hot-air balloon serves as a mode of transportation to the characters to the various locations in the game, and to the player it serves the role of being a hub where they can choose a game mode to play.
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==Gallery==
<gallery>
MK64luigiraceway2.png|''Mario Kart 64''
MarioCircuit MKWii.png|''Mario Kart Wii''
Peach Glides in Daisy Hills.png|''Mario Kart 7''
MK7 Hot air balloon.png|''Mario Kart 7''
LuigiRacewayMK7Balloon.jpg|''Mario Kart 7''
MK8N64RoyalRaceway.png|''Mario Kart 8''
MK8-Course-MountWario.jpg|''Mario Kart 8''
MKT Hot air balloon.png|''Mario Kart Tour''
MKT Vancouver Velocity Scene 2.jpg|''Mario Kart Tour''
Lego SM-71419 Peach's Garden Balloon Ride.png|[[LEGO Super Mario|LEGO ''Super Mario'']]
</gallery>

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[[Category:Balloons]]
[[Category:Aircraft]]
[[Category:LEGO Super Mario objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 64 objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Wii objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 7 objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 8 objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Tour objects]]