Floating Item Box

The Floating Item Box,^[1] also referred to as the Balloon^[2] or Item Box,^[3] 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 Adventure 2

The Floating Item Box made its first appearance in Sonic Adventure 2 and its remake Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. In this game, it is referred to as the Balloon^[2] and 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.^[3] 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

In Sonic Rush, the ballon-based item box is referred to as the Floating Item Box.^[1] 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

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 Winter Games

In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, the Floating Item Boxes appear during Dream Events. 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

In the Wii U/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.

References

Item Box power-ups

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

5 Ring Bonus	20 Rings	Attract
Attack (Sonic Advance 2)	Attack (Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity)	Bashosen
Big 50 Ring	Blizzard Bomb	Blue Shield
Bomb	Booby Trap	Bowling Strike
Bubble Bomb	Bunny Boost	Chao Attack
Chao-nado	Chaos Emerald	Change
Character	Chopper Chomp	Colorball
Combi Catcher	Combine Ring	Combination Dash
Combo Bonus	Confusion	Continue Monitor
Damage Recover	Dead End	Drac-O'-Lantern
Dragon Dance	Eggman Mark	Electro Boost
Explosion	Exploding Balloon	Explosive Mine
Festive Umbrella Boost	Fire Boost	Fire Whirl
Fireball	Firework Flurry	Flame Jump
Flue Shot	Fly Charge	Free Throw
Frozen Chopper Chomp	Gauge Up	Gold Shield
GP Boost	Grow	Harvest Time

Health	Heat Barrier	Hedge Maze
High Speed	Home Run	Hyper Heli-Tails
Ice Mine	Ice Wave	Illusion Boost
Illusion Mine	Jet Board	Jump
Lava Bomb	Lightning	Lilytrap
Magnet	Marker	Maximum Tension Bonus
Mine	Minus Ring	Mosaic
Moto-Bug	Octo-Boost	Octo-Ink
Player Swap	Pogo Spring	Power Core
Pyro-Mine	Random	Random Ring Bonus
Reaper	Red Shield	Ring Can
Rings	Rocket Shoes	S
Propeller Shoes	Shrink	Skateboard
Slow	Soda Rocket	Speed Down
Stage Select	Star Trail	Steal
Steal Boost	Steal Wisp	Storm Cloud
Strike Out	Special Combination	Spring
Support Spring	Swap	Target Torpedo
Tee Shot	Team Blast Ring	Tension Bonus
Time Bonus	Time Stop	Tornado
Transparency	Trap Shot	Twister
Umbrella Boost	Warp	Whirlwind
Wind Boost	Wipeout	Wrench Rush
Zap Trap

Enerbeam	Magnet (Sonic Boom)	Score Doubler
Shield (Sonic Boom)	Super Ring (Sonic Boom)

Floating Item Box

Item Panel

Target Switch