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
EMP 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	Ring Portal
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