A quirky Puzzle Bobble-esque 2-D game, Star Balloon does a rendition that redefines it in a playful way. Presented by Aruma Studios, Star Balloon takes the concept and adds its own flair to create a wonderful flowing game.
The first level of the game describes the controls and while it does not inform the player of the objective of the game, the familiarity causes the player to instinctively match up the colors of the balloons and react accordingly. The main objective is to clear the balloons away for the Star Balloon (hence the game’s name) to pass through the clouds to clear the level (I just got the objective pun as I am writing this). As the balloons appear from the bottom in random colors, they float upward with a wind that sways left and right. There is no indication of the direction of the wind as you would only notice it if the balloon is naturally moving on its own.
While the gameplay can be repetitive, the casual-ness of the game can bring joy to the player. It is not high anxiety or stress inducing, but more of a calming like the wind that blows the balloon back and forth.
Personally, I starting playing it because of the similarity of the Puzzle Bobble mechanics and type of gameplay. However, when I came to realize that it was planned stages, rather than a randomized board, I grew out of it very quickly.
Suggessted Download: For a casual game, sure…I guess… It does not live up to the Puzzle Bobble nostalgia if you were looking for that. I lean a bit more towards not.
