Editing Power Balloon

{{about|the power-up in [[Super Mario World]] that turns [[Mario]] into [[Balloon Mario]]|the power-up in [[Super Mario 64 DS]] that also turns Mario into Balloon Mario|[[Power Flower (Super Mario 64 DS)]]}}
{{item infobox
|image=[[File:SMW Power Balloon.jpg]]
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario World]]'' ([[List of games by date#1990|1990]])
|latest_appearance=''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'' (cameo) (2023)
|effect=Turns [[Mario]] into [[Balloon Mario]]
}}
{{quote|Good thing I found a magic balloon!|[[Luigi]]|"[[Mama Luigi]]"}}
A '''Power Balloon''', sometimes shortened to '''P Balloon'''<ref>{{cite|date=August 1991|title=Nintendo ''[[Mario Mania]]'' Player's Guide|page=73, 74, 107, and 160|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us}}</ref> or '''P-Balloon''',<ref>{{cite|title=''Nintendo Power Advance'' Volume 4|page=13|date=Winter 2002|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us}}</ref> is an item introduced in ''[[Super Mario World]]''. When touched, it inflates the playable character and allows them to float through the air like a balloon.

==History==
===''Super Mario'' series===
====''Super Mario World'' / ''Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2'' ====
[[File:TubularPBalloon.png|thumb|[[Cape Mario|Caped Mario]] using a Power Balloon in [[Tubular]] from ''Super Mario World'']]
[[File:SMW Preliminary Sheets.jpg|thumb|left|Early red Power Balloon]]
In ''Super Mario World'' and [[Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2|its reissue]], Power Balloons can be found in four [[level]]s: [[Donut Secret 1]], [[Donut Secret 2]], [[Forest of Illusion 1]], and [[Tubular]]. A Power Balloon's effect is to make whoever picks it up swell up and become [[Balloon Mario]] or Balloon Luigi, causing him to hover in the air. He will gradually float upwards if not moved by the player, but he is capable of moving in any direction for a limited amount of time. During this time, [[Yoshi]] cannot be ridden, nor can [[shell]]s or other carriable items be grabbed. [[Mario]] or [[Luigi]] starts to puff in and out when the item is about to wear off, and when it does, he returns to normal size and drops 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. If Mario or Luigi passes through a [[Giant Gate]] while under the effects of a Power Balloon, he will gain a bonus [[Super Mushroom]]. If he touches a Power Balloon while having the powers of either a Super Mushroom, a [[Fire Flower]], or a [[Cape Feather]], he will retain those powers in addition to receiving the Power Balloon's. However, if he collects any of these items while under the effects of a Power Balloon, the Power Balloon's power will instantly wear off. Exclusively in the reissue, when Mario or Luigi grabs a Power Balloon, the music becomes slightly slower than usual, which would later similarly be the case in ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'', while Mario is under the effects of the [[Power Flower (Super Mario 64 DS)|Power Flower]].

The Power Balloon in the source code of the prototypes for the original SNES game originally was going to be red before it was changed to beige in the final game.

====''Super Mario Maker 2''====
Power Balloons were added to ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'' in the version 3.0.0 update released on April 22, 2020, available only in the ''Super Mario World'' style. In this game, the Power Balloon item floats in place rather than floating away to the right, and it is now bright yellow rather than beige. The character's appearance also changes more drastically when the character obtains the item, with Mario's and Luigi's overalls and [[Toad]]'s and [[Toadette]]'s undershirts turning yellow with a letter ''P'' on them (the ''P'' is on Toadette's dress in her case), similar to what the [[P-Wing]] does. The functionality of the Power 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. The time limit is also removed. In the nighttime ground theme, Power Balloons fly around in circles, eventually disappearing.

===''Super Mario World'' television series===
The Power Balloon makes three appearances in the [[Super Mario World (television series)|''Super Mario World'' television series]], most notably in the episode "[[Mama Luigi]]," where Luigi uses it to float safely down a chasm. Later in the episode, Mario uses it to re-inflate Luigi back to his normal shape after he is flattened. In the series, the Power Balloon is referred to as a '''magic balloon'''. It also appears in another episode, "[[Gopher Bash]]." The Power Balloon is the only non-invincible item Luigi is seen using in the show.

===''Super Mario-kun''===
The Power Balloon also appears in [[Super Mario-kun Volume 6|volume 6]] page 111 of ''[[Super Mario-kun]]'', being featured in a single chapter. It shows itself coming out of a [[? Block]].

===''The Super Mario Bros. Movie''===
In ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'', Power Balloons can be seen inside the antiques shop.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
P-Balloon SMW.png|''[[Super Mario World]]''
SMA2 P Balloon sprite.png|''[[Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2]]''
SMWTV Power Balloon.png|A magic balloon in the ''Super Mario World'' television series
P-Balloon SuperMarioKun.jpg|''Super Mario-kun''
P-balloon SM4MT.png|''[[Super Mario 4koma Manga Theater]]''
SMM2-SMW-PBalloon.png|''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''
SMM2-SMW-PBalloonStackedSuperMushroom.png|''Super Mario Maker 2'' ([[Super Mushroom]] modifier)
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=パワーバルーン
|JapR=Pawā Barūn
|JapM=Power Balloon
|ChiS=力量气球<ref>{{cite|url=www.nintendo.com.hk/topics/article/a_200421_02_sc.html|title=创作完整的世界地图!? 《 Super Mario Maker 2 》最后的大型数据更新 Ver.3.0.0 版本, 将于4月22日开始发布!|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=April 22, 2020}}</ref>
|ChiSR=Lìliàng Qìqiú
|ChiSM=Power Balloon
|ChiT=力量氣球<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo|date=April 20, 2020|url=youtu.be/TrImKD0V0PQ|title=《Super Mario Maker 2 (超級瑪利歐創作家 2) 》更新資料Ver.3.0.0介紹影片|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=April 21, 2020}}</ref>
|ChiTR=Lìliàng Qìqiú
|ChiTM=Power Balloon
|Fre=P-Ballon
|Fre2=Ballon de puissance
|FreM=P-Balloon
|Fre2M=Power balloon
|Ger=Power-Ballon<ref>{{cite|author=Menold, Marcus, Claude M. Moyse, and Andreas G. Kämmerer, editors|title=''Der offizielle Nintendo Spieleberater "Super Mario World"''|language=de|location=Großostheim|publisher=[[Nintendo|Nintendo of Europe GmbH]]|date=1993|page=17}}</ref>
|GerM=Power-Balloon
|Ita=Super palloncino
|ItaM=Super balloon
|Ita2=Pallone Magico
|Ita2N=''Super Mario World'' television series
|Ita2M=Magic Balloon
|Kor=파워벌룬
|KorR=Pawo Beollun
|KorM=Power Balloon
|Por=Balão de Força
|PorM=Power Balloon
|PorA=Balão Mágico
|PorAN=''Super Mario World'' television series
|PorAM=Magic Balloon
|Rom=Balon magic
|RomN=''Super Mario World'' television series
|RomM=Magic balloon
|Spa=Globo de poder
|Spa2=Globo Mágico
|Spa2N=''Super Mario World'' television series
|SpaM=Power balloon
|Spa2M=Magic Balloon
}}

==See also==
*[[Blimp Fruit]]

==References==
<references/>

{{SMW}}
{{SMW TV}}
{{SMM2}}
[[Category:Balloons]]
[[Category:Flight power-ups]]
[[Category:Super Mario Maker 2 items]]
[[Category:Super Mario World items]]
[[de:P-Ballon]]
[[it:Super palloncino]]