Editing Weapon Balloon

{{multiframe
|[[File:Weapon Balloon (red) DKR artwork.png|100px]] [[File:Weapon Balloon (blue) DKR artwork.png|100px]] [[File:Weapon Balloon (green) DKR artwork.png|100px]]
[[File:Weapon Balloon (yellow) DKR artwork.png|100px]] [[File:Weapon Balloon (rainbow) DKR artwork.png|100px]]
|Artwork of the five types of Weapon Balloons—red, blue, green, yellow, and rainbow—from ''Diddy Kong Racing''
|size=320
|align=right
}}
A '''Weapon Balloon''',<ref>{{cite|title=''Diddy Kong Racing'' instruction booklet (UK)|page=23|publisher=Nintendo of UK|date=1997}}</ref> also referred to simply as a '''balloon''',<ref>{{cite|author=Leung, Jason, Scott Pelland, and Paul Shinoda|title=''Diddy Kong Racing'' Player's Guide|page=11|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|language=en-us|archive=web.archive.org/web/19981203111637/http://www.dkr.com/dirtytricks.html|title=''Diddy Kong Racing'' official site|publisher=Nintendo of America|accessdate=September 25, 2022}}</ref> is an obtainable item in ''[[Diddy Kong Racing]]'' and [[Diddy Kong Racing DS|its remake]]. When touched, Weapon Balloons grant the racers items to attack their opponents or improve the racers' performance. Many Weapon Balloons appear in every course in the game. When touched, the balloons break and disappear for a short amount of time, but they appear soon after for another player to grab. 

Weapon Balloons come in five different colors: red, blue, yellow, green, and rainbow, and the type of item given by them depends on their color. For example, green balloons give the player an oil slick, while blue balloons give them a speed boost. When a racer picks up a second balloon of the same color, their item is upgraded. A third balloon of the same color upgrades the item again to its maximum level. Battle stages allow only up to the first upgrade. Most kinds of Weapon Balloons have printed stars on them. While the red, blue and green balloons have yellow stars on them, the yellow balloon has purple stars on it.

If a differently colored Weapon Balloon is hit, its weapon replaces the previous item, downgrading it. In the Nintendo DS version, the Weapon Balloon only breaks without replacing the item. The blue balloons collected once, twice or three times can allow the driver/pilot to speed up with green fire and rainbow smoke if the player lets go of the A button.

In the DS remake, red balloons marked with a large white "H" appear during [[Bubbler]]'s and [[Smokey]]'s optional touch challenges, automatically granting a homing missile.
==Items==
{|class="wikitable dk"width=75%
|-
!colspan="10"|Red - Missiles<ref name=itemcard>{{cite|url=www.mobygames.com/game/n64/diddy-kong-racing/cover-art/gameCoverId,451132|title=''Diddy Kong Racing'' enclosed reference card}}</ref> (aka Patroller Missile)<ref name=DKRDS>{{cite|title=''Diddy Kong Racing DS'' instruction booklet|page=10|date=2007|language=en-us|publisher=Nintendo of America|author=Nintendo}}</ref>
|-
!width=30%|Number
!width=35%|Weapon (Nintendo 64)
!width=35%|Weapon (Nintendo DS)
|-
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonRed.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:RedMissile 1.png]]<br>A missile
|align="center"|[[File:RedMissile 1 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A missile
|-
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonRed.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonRed.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:RedMissile 2.png]]<br>A homing missile
|align="center"|[[File:RedMissile 2 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>Five missiles
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonRed.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonRed.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonRed.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:RedMissile 3.png]]<br>Ten missiles
|align="center"|[[File:RedMissile 3 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A homing missile
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonRed.png]] + [[File:Poweruptoken.png]]
|align="center"|N/A
|align="center"|Three missiles circle the racer and launch themselves at nearby opponents.
|-
!colspan="10"|Blue - Speed boosts<ref name=itemcard/> (aka Boost Vortex)<ref name=DKRDS/>
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonBlue.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:BlueBoost 1.png]]<br>A speed boost, with an orange blast
|align="center"|[[File:BlueBoost 1 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A speed boost, with an orange blast 
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonBlue.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonBlue.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:BlueBoost 2.png]]<br>A stronger speed boost, with a light blue blast
|align="center"|[[File:BlueBoost 2 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A stronger speed boost, with a light green blast
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonBlue.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonBlue.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonBlue.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:BlueBoost 3.png]]<br>An even stronger speed boost, with a purple blast
|align="center"|[[File:BlueBoost 3 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>An even stronger speed boost, with a purple blast
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonBlue.png]] + [[File:Poweruptoken.png]]
|align="center"|N/A
|align="center"|Activates auto-pilot and enables the racer to gain up to three speed boosts from the Touch Screen.
|-
!colspan="10"|Green - Dropper<ref name=itemcard/> (aka Trickster Mine)<ref name=DKRDS/>
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonGreen.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:GreenDropper 1.png]]<br>An oil spill (Cars and Hovercrafts)<br>Gas cloud (Planes)
|align="center"|[[File:GreenSlick 1 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>An oil spill (Cars and Hovercrafts)<br>Gas cloud (Planes)
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonGreen.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonGreen.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:GreenDropper 2.png]]<br>A land mine (Cars and Hovercrafts)<br>Floating land mine (Planes)
|align="center"|[[File:GreenSlick 2 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A land mine (Cars and Hovercrafts)<br>Floating land mine (Planes)
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonGreen.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonGreen.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonGreen.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:GreenDropper 3.png]]<br>A bubble that traps a racer that rides into it, floats upward, and pops
|align="center"|[[File:GreenSlick 3 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A bubble that traps a racer that rides into it, floats upward, and pops
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonGreen.png]] + [[File:Poweruptoken.png]]
|align="center"|N/A
|align="center"|Five fake Silver Coins
|-
!colspan="10"|Yellow - Shield<ref name=itemcard/> (aka Hide-me Shield)<ref name=DKRDS/>
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonYellow.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:Shield 1.png]]<br>A short-lasting shield that protects the user against items. It also spins out other racers.
|align="center"|[[File:Shield 1 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A short-lasting shield that protects the user against items. It also spins out other racers.
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonYellow.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonYellow.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:Shield 2.png]]<br>A longer-lasting shield
|align="center"|[[File:Shield 2 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A longer-lasting shield
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonYellow.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonYellow.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonYellow.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:Shield 3.png]]<br>A shield that lasts even longer
|align="center"|[[File:Shield 3 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A shield that lasts even longer
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonYellow.png]] + [[File:Poweruptoken.png]]
|align="center"|N/A
|align="center"|Makes the racer invisible with a long lasting shield
|-
!colspan="10"|Rainbow - Special<ref name=itemcard/> (aka Magna Missile)<ref name=DKRDS/>
|-
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonRainbow.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:RainbowMagnet 1.png]]<br>A weak, yellow magnet that pulls the user towards a nearby racer
|align="center"|[[File:Magnet 1 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A weak, yellow magnet that pulls the user towards a nearby racer
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonRainbow.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonRainbow.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:RainbowMagnet 2.png]]<br>A stronger, red magnet
|align="center"|[[File:Magnet 2 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A stronger, red magnet
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonRainbow.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonRainbow.png]][[File:DKR64 BalloonRainbow.png]]
|align="center"|[[File:RainbowMagnet 3.png]]<br>A powerful magnet that pulls back opponents to the user
|align="center"|[[File:Magnet 3 DKRDS icon.png]]<br>A powerful magnet that pulls back opponents to the user
|- 
|align="center"|[[File:DKR64 BalloonRainbow.png]] + [[File:Poweruptoken.png]]
|align="center"|N/A
|align="center"|A homing missile that the player can choose the target of from the Touch Screen
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
DKR Weapon missiles.jpg|Missiles
DKR Weapon speed boosts.jpg|Speed boosts
DKR Weapon shield.jpg|Shield
DKR Weapon dropper.jpg|Dropper
DKR Weapon special.jpg|Special
DDRDS - Balloon Red.png|Red balloon
DDRDS - Balloon Yellow.png|Yellow balloon
DDRDS - Balloon Rainbow.png|Rainbow balloon
DDRDS - Balloon Green.png|Green balloon
DDRDS - Balloon Blue.png|Blue balloon
DKRFriendsChasedPromo.jpg|[[Pipsy]] driving her car while holding red, yellow and blue balloons attached to strings
</gallery>
===Merchandise===
<gallery>
RareRacers Spinning Pin Banjo c.png|Missile balloon pin alongside a [[Banjo]] pin
RareRacers Spinning Pin Timber c.png|Shield balloon pin alongside a [[Timber]] pin
RareRacers Spinning Pin Conker c.png|Rainbow balloon pin alongside a [[Conker]] pin
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

{{DKR}}
[[Category:Balloons]]
[[Category:Diddy Kong Racing items]]
[[Category:Timber's Balloon Pop]]