Adrenaline Gaming Zone

Balloon In a Box

By TeLeKiNeSiS - December 14, 2009 - 20:54 UTC

Balloon In a Box makes excellent use of the iPhone’s accelerometer, so the controls are very responsive and pretty accurate.

Remember the wooden game Labyrinth?  Where you guided the small steel marble through the maze by tilting the board?  Well, if you’re old enough to remember – Balloon In a Box will have you going through the same motions.  You assume the role of a, you guessed it, helium filled balloon inside of a crazed maze full of obstacles to overcome.  What you may notice upon loading of the game is the Unity splash screen.  Unity is a game engine that’s capable of creating not only iPhone games, but 360 and PC games as well.  FYI, there’s a free version of this engine available if you’re aspiring to create your own games.

Balloon In a Box offers two unique modes of gameplay.  First is “Box” mode, which offers ten increasingly difficult levels per skill level.  The next mode is “Maze” and it’s simply just randomly created mazes with an option to select from small, medium, and large.  There are no obstacles in this mode, just make your way to the finish as fast as you can.  I began my BIAB journey with “Box” mode at the easy skill level.  You’ll have to work your way through 10 levels before you can unlock medium and the same goes for unlocking the hard.  You will effortlessly make your way through the first few levels with no problem at all.  I was thinking to myself that these mazes are a piece of cake! That was until they threw the obstacles into play.  In the latter levels of BIAB you’ll encounter fans that blow you off course, shooting arrows that want to prick and pop you, along with spiky nail walls to impede your progress.  The good news is that Balloon In a Box makes excellent use of the iPhone’s accelerometer, so the controls are very responsive and pretty accurate.  The more you tilt your iPhone, the faster you go in that direction.  If you level your device out, you’ll slow down the balloon and can even completely halt movement.  This comes in handy when you have to time your movements just right to ease by walls of nails and arrow riddled hallways.

Balloon In a Box is great for the casual gamer who wants to pick up and play right away.  On the other hand, it can be very frustrating when you encounter a difficult puzzle.  In addition to the many obstacles that hinder your progress you also have button switches that open and close different paths.  You never know if you’re opening or closing the correct path to the finish.  This makes it even more challenging because you may not have explored that area just yet.  Any area of a maze that you haven’t explored remains dark until you travel that path.  This can be annoying at times because some of the panels that make the wall of the maze are black and you can mistake it for a dead end.  No need to panic because BIAB offers a tantalizing classical musical score that seems to soothe your gaming woes.  It reminds me of a song that could’ve been part of the play The Nutcracker.  Even with such a great score to play to, I’ve come to learn that the best practice for repeatedly failed attempts at a level is to take a break from the game and try again later.  You’ll be glad you did.

Another thing you’ll notice about BIAB is that it isn’t the most polished iPhone game available.  That’s quite alright because Balloon In a Box makes up for it with casual and simplistic fun gameplay.  It’s a great way to kill time on a bus, train, or while traveling on a plane.  If you want a quick gaming fix that won’t require a great deal of time then Balloon In a Box is great for that.  Not to mention the game is great for those of all ages.  The concepts are easy to pickup and learn in just a short period of time.  I know quite a few people that allow their children to take advantage of their iPhone or iPod Touch and this game is sure to please.

Balloon In a Box at first glance may not be that appealing to the masses, but it’s worth a go.  It’s only $0.99 in the App Store and that’s definitely worth the enjoyment that you’ll receive trying to conquer all the levels.  If you’re into puzzle games and you’re the casual gamer that likes a quick fix then Balloon In a Box should satisfy your craving!

By TeLeKiNeSiS