About Keep the Balloon Up 3D
Keep the Balloon Up 3D is an easy-to-learn, hard-to-put-down game you play through your own eyes, standing inside a sports hall. A red balloon drifts slowly down from the ceiling, and the whole floor is a bed of nails! You stand on colourful foam blocks: walk up to the balloon until the hand โ shows on it, then bat it back up. If it lands on the nails it pops, and every time it touches the foam you lose a heart. You only have three.
A hit sends the balloon up and away from you, curving back over the block you're standing on, so where you stand matters. Each room adds something new: a breeze that pushes the balloon, green pads that bounce you high, big fans that switch on and off, nails on the ceiling too, sliding foam blocks, small islands to jump between, and up to three balloons at once. There are 12 rooms across three halls: the Foam Gym, the Sunset Hall and the Night Arena.
Every room runs on a timer: last until it runs out and you clear it. Keep the balloon off the floor the whole time for three stars, or let it touch once for two. Want a bigger challenge? The endless mode keeps adding wind and new balloons, and your best time is saved on your device. It plays on computers and phones with no download.
How to play
- Press Play to start your next open room, or pick one from Rooms.
- Walk towards the balloon: the camera keeps it in view for you.
- When the hand โ appears on the balloon, click or press the hit button.
- The balloon flies away from you: stand on the far side to send it back towards the middle.
- Jump between the foam blocks, and don't fall onto the nails or you'll be sent back to the start.
- Last until the timer runs out without the balloon popping.
Controls
| Keyboard | WASD or the arrow keys to walk, Space to jump, and F or E to hit. P or Esc to pause. |
|---|---|
| Mouse | Move the mouse to look around like any first-person game, and click to hit the balloon when the hand shows on it. Esc pauses and gives you the mouse back. |
| Touch | Drag on the left half of the screen to walk. Press the red hand button, or the hand on the balloon itself, to hit, and the blue button to jump. Drag on the right half to look around. |
Tips to win
- Wait for the balloon to come down to head height before you hit it: it goes higher and gives you more time.
- The shadow under the balloon shows where it will land. If it turns red, the balloon is over the nails.
- With more than one balloon, hit the lowest one first. Arrows at the edge of the screen point to the ones you can't see.
- In rooms with nails on the ceiling, don't jump as you hit, or the balloon will fly too high.
Keep the Balloon Up 3D: questions and answers
Is Keep the Balloon Up 3D free?
Yes, it's completely free and runs right in your browser, with no download, no sign-up and no ads inside the game.
How do I get three stars?
Clear the room without the balloon ever touching the foam. One touch gets you two stars, two touches one star, and the third touch pops the balloon.
Can I play it on my phone?
Yes. A stick appears under your left thumb for walking, with a big hit button and a jump button on the right. You can also tap the hand on the balloon itself.
What happens if I fall onto the nails?
Nothing bad: the screen flashes and you're back at the start. The balloon keeps falling though, so hurry back to it!
What age is it for?
It suits players from about 6 up, and adults too. There's no violence at all; the worst that happens is a balloon pops. The last rooms have three balloons at once and will keep grown-ups busy!