Floating Item Box

Floating Item Box
The Floating Item Box, from Sonic Adventure 2.
Appearances
First appearance	Sonic Jam
Game appearances	Sonic Jam Sonic Adventure 2 Sonic Adventure 2: Battle Sonic Heroes Sonic Rush Shadow the Hedgehog Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Nintendo DS version) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii version) Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Sonic Lost World (Wii U version) Sonic Lost World (PC version)
Statistics and overview
Purpose	Granting different items when opened.
Description	A floating, balloon-based Item Box.

The Floating Item Box, also referred to as the Balloon or Item Box, is an object that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a variant of the Item Box that resembles a balloon, but otherwise grants power-ups when popped. In other cases, they hide objects inside them.

Description

Design-wise, the Floating Item Boxes (typically) resemble large red balloons with the picture(s) of a blue circle containing a five-pointed yellow star emblazoned on them. Their design also sometimes includes a knot that closes the opening on each balloon's bottom and even a thread dangling from the knots.

In gameplay, Floating Item Boxes can always be found floating around in midair. They can also be popped upon touch with the playable character or when hit by a long-ranged attack. Like when opening regular Item Boxes, popping an Floating Item Box will in most cases result in the player receiving a power-up. However, because the Floating Item Boxes do not display the icon of the power-up they contain until they are popped, the player will not know what to receive until after the Floating Item Boxes are opened. In other cases, the Floating Item Boxes keep things inside them, hidden from view, until they are popped.

Like the Balloon gimmick, when opening a Floating Item Box through physical touch, the player will receive a small aerial boost.

Game appearances

Sonic Jam

A Balloon, from Sonic Jam.

First appearing in Sonic Jam, the Floating Item Boxes, here simply referred to as Balloons in-game, are one of items found floating in mid-air in the Sonic World hub world. In this game, they have a propeller attachment with yellow and black stripes on them.

In gameplay, one of World Missions involve touching all three Floating Item Boxes in Sonic World within two minutes using moving platforms or by having Tails lift Sonic into mid-air.

Sonic Adventure 2

In Sonic Adventure 2 and its remake Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, the Floating Item Box is referred to as the Balloon IN this game, it includes a knot on the bottom as a part of its design.

In gameplay, the Floating Item Boxes can contain the following power-ups: High-Speed Shoes, Invincibility, 5 Rings, 10 Rings, 20 Rings, Shield, Magnetic Shield, Extra Life, Health (Shooting Stages only) and Bomb. In addition, when a Floating Item Box is broken, the icon for the power-up it contained will be shown on the bottom of the screen.

Sonic Heroes

In Sonic Heroes, the Floating Item Box is referred to as the Item Box. In this game, they are entirely spherical with no knot on their bottoms.

In gameplay, the Floating Item Boxes can contain the following power-ups: Rings, Power Core, High Speed, Invincible, Barrier, Team Blast Ring, 1 UP and Fly Charge. In addition, when a Floating Item Box is broken, the icon for the power-up it contained will be shown on the bottom of the screen.

Floating Item Boxes also appear during the battle with Metal Overlord. Although these ones only contain Rings power-ups, they are needed to maintain the playable characters' super transformation.

Sonic Rush

A Floating Item Box, from Sonic Rush.

In Sonic Rush, the balloon-based item box is referred to as the Floating Item Box. In this game, they are completely spherical again and include a knot on their bottoms and a thread dangling from each of them.

In gameplay, the Floating Item Boxes can contain the following power-ups in Gameplay mode: 5 Ring Bonus, Random Ring Bonus, Barrier, Magnetic Barrier, Invincible, Tension Bonus, Max Tension Bonus and 1 UP. In Battle Play on the other hand, they can grant the Random Ring Bonus, Slow, Max Tension Bonus, Confusion and Attract. In addition, when a Floating Item Box is broken, the icon for the power-up it contained will be shown on the bottom of the screen.

Shadow the Hedgehog

A Floating Item Box in Shadow the Hedgehog.

In Shadow the Hedgehog, the Floating Item Boxes received a significant redesign, making them resemble rusty metallic spheres with green-glowing lines around them.

In gameplay, the Floating Item Boxes can contain the following power-ups: Rings, Barrier, Heat Barrier, Magnetic Barrier, Invincible, Damage Recover and 1-Up. In addition, when a Floating Item Box is broken, the icon for the power-up it contained will be shown on the bottom of the screen.

Floating Item Boxes also appear during the battle with Devil Doom. Although these ones only contain Rings power-ups, they are needed to maintain Super Shadow's super transformation.

Mario & Sonic series

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

In the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, the Floating Item Boxes appear in the Dream Basketball and Dream Shooting events. In Dream Basketball, when popping one of the Floating Item Boxes, the various baskets will line up for the player to perform combo shots with them. In Dream Shooting on the other hand, when obtaining a Floating Item Box, the power of the player's shots are temporarily increased and deal double damage to targets.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

Floating Item Boxes in the Dream Gliding (Individual) event, from the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games.

In the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, the Floating Item Boxes appear in the place of Item Boxes in the Individual and Team versions of Dream Ski Jumping and the Individual and Team versions of Dream Gliding. In those events, they contain power-ups like Bombs, Shields and Speed Shoes. They can also contain power-ups from the Mario games such as Super Stars, Mega Mushrooms, Green and Red Shells.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

In Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the Dream Events feature Floating Item Boxes. Like in the previous game, they contain power-ups like Bombs, Shields and Speed Shoes. They can also contain power-ups from the Mario games such as Super Stars, Mega Mushrooms, Green and Red Shells.

Sonic Lost World

A Floating Item Box, from Sonic Lost World (Wii U).

In the Wii U version and PC version of Sonic Lost World, the Floating Item Box's design include a knot on its bottom.

In gameplay, Floating Item Boxes are featured in Tropical Coast Zone 2 and 4. In those Zones, the player can only reach the Floating Item Boxes with the Orange Rocket. If the player succeeds, the Balloon reveals a golden cannon inside it instead of granting a power-up, which they player can use to aim the Orange Rocket elsewhere.

Gallery

Screenshots

A Floating Item Box with its propeller attachment, from Sonic Jam.

References

Item Box power-ups

• Recurring
• Other
• Distraction Items
• Sonic Forces: Speed Battle
• Sonic Boom (series)
• Miscellaneous

1-Up	Aqua Shield	Flame Shield
Invincible	Thunder Shield	Power Sneakers
Shield	Magnetic Shield	Super Ring

• Page 1
• Page 2
• Page 3

5 Ring Bonus	20 Rings	Attract
Attack (Sonic Advance 2)	Attack (Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity)	Big 50 Ring
Blue Shield	Bomb	Bowling Strike
Chaos Emerald	Change	Character
Colorball	Combi Catcher	Combine Ring
Combination Dash	Combo Bonus	Confusion
Continue Monitor	Damage Recover	Eggman Mark
Explosion	Flame Jump	Fly Charge
Free Throw	Gauge Up	Gold Shield
GP Boost	Grow	Health

Heat Barrier	High Speed	Hyper Heli-Tails
Jet Board	Jump	Magnet
Marker	Maximum Tension Bonus	Minus Ring
Mosaic	Octo-Boost	Octo-Ink
Player Swap	Pogo Spring	Power Core
Random	Random Ring Bonus	Red Shield
Ring Can	Rings	Rocket Shoes
S	Propeller Shoes	Shrink
Skateboard	Slow	Soda Rocket

Speed Down	Stage Select	Special Combination
Support Spring	Swap	Target Torpedo
Tee Shot	Team Blast Ring	Tension Bonus
Time Bonus	Time Stop	Transparency
Twister	Warp

Exploding Balloon	Mine	Reaper
Spring	Steal Boost	Steal Wisp

• Page 1
• Page 2
• Page 3

Audio Assault	Balkiry	Bashosen
Bass Boost	Bat Bomb	Beat Boost
Blazing Aura	Blizzard Bomb	Booby Trap
Brutal Blitz	Bubble Bomb	Bunny Boost
Captive Light	Chao Attack	Chao Chase
Chao Guardians	Chao-nado	Chaos Charge
Chaos Slash	Chopper Chomp	Confusion Boost
Confusion Mine	Cyan Laser	Cyclone Charge
Dark Blast	Dead End	Deadly Replica
Drac-O'-Lantern	Dragon Dance	Electro Boost

EMP Boost	Explosive Mine	Feral Dash
Festive Umbrella Boost	Fire Boost	Fire Whirl
Fireball	Firework Flurry	Flue Shot
Frozen Chopper Chomp	Gift Trapped	Gold Rush
Green Hover	Harvest Time	Hedge Maze
Home Run	Honor Guard	Ice Boost
Ice Mine	Ice Wave	Jingle Boost
King's Judgement	Laevatein Lunge	Lava Bomb
Lightning	Lilytrap	Magical Boost
Meteor Charge	Moto-Bug	Phantom Dash

Pink Spikes	Psychic Surprise	Pyro-Mine
Rainbow Blast	Reality Warp	Ring Portal
Rocket Boost	Rocky Road	Savage Throw
Soul Surge	Star Trail	Steal
Storm Cloud	Strike Out	Super Sonic Form
Tail Spring	Tail Strike	Tornado
Trap Shot	Umbrella Boost	Whirlwind
Wind Boost	Wipeout	Wrench Rush
Zap Trap

Enerbeam	Magnet	Score Doubler
Shield	Super Ring

Floating Item Box

Item Panel

Target Switch

Sonic Adventure 2

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Main article | Scripts (Hero, Dark, Last) | Staff | Glitches | Beta elements | Gallery | Re-releases (Battle, 2012)

Sonic Heroes

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Main article | Scripts (Team Sonic, Team Dark, Team Rose, Team Chaotix, Last) | Staff | Glitches | Beta elements | Gallery

Sonic Rush

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Main article | Staff | Script (Sonic, Blaze, Extra) | Glitches | Beta elements | Gallery

Shadow the Hedgehog

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Main article | Scripts (Main Story, Last Story) | Credits | Manuals | Glitches | Beta elements | Library Sequences | Gallery

Sonic Lost World (Wii U)

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Main article | Script | Staff | Glitches | Gallery | Re-releases (PC)