Balloon Fight GB (2000). Play online

Summary

Balloon Fight GB is the Game Boy Color remake of Nintendo’s quirky platformer Balloon Kid. It updates the original with vibrant 8‑bit color palettes and a tiny built‑in battery that lets you save your progress and hop back into any stage you’ve cleared.

The core loop still has you guiding Alice through eight side‑scrolling levels, hovering by pressing A to keep both balloons afloat, then dropping one to walk or bounce on enemies like Balloon Birds and a hulking fish. Four distinctive bosses demand a mix of aerial circling and timely balloon releases to defeat, while a hidden “Balloon Trip” mode pushes you to rack up the highest score possible.

The cartridge even includes Super Game Boy‑compatible border frames for a nostalgic TV feel. A two‑player duel lets you and a friend compete as Alice and her rival Samm to collect more balloons.

Although it launched only in Japan in 2000, the title later resurfaced on the 3DS Virtual Console, giving a new generation a chance to float the skies.

Storyline

Balloon Fight GB follows Alice, a determined young girl, as she chases after her brother Jim, who is swept away by a strong wind after creating a balloon rainbow. The game’s story begins in a rural house in the quirky town of Pencilvania, where skyscrapers oddly resemble pencils.

Following the trail of balloons Jim leaves behind, Alice travels through a forest, an ocean guarded by a massive whale, a frozen mountain, and finally an industrial complex. Each area is a slice of an unnamed Earth‑like world, and the player must collect the scattered balloons to progress.

The two‑player mode introduces Samm, Alice’s frenemy, who competes for the same balloons. The simple yet charming narrative drives the classic side‑scroll action that makes Balloon Fight GB a nostalgic handheld adventure.