Crazy Balloon

Crazy Balloon is an arcade game released by Taito. First appearing in video game arcades in 1980, Crazy Balloon requires the player to maneuver a balloon through a maze full of thorns in order to reach the goal. The game is included in the Taito Legends Power-Up collection for the PlayStation Portable handheld system, a collection that also included an updated remake of the game.

Gameplay
The player controls a box tied to a floating balloon, which swings left and right continually, within a maze filled with spikes. Any contact with the spikes, either with the balloon or the box, destroys the balloon. Using a four-way joystick, the player moves the box through the maze and toward the goal, ensuring that the swinging balloon avoids the spikes.

The player collects points as the box moves closer to the goal (backtracking earns no points). Certain areas of the maze are colored green and purple, and the player will earn more points if the balloon and box pass through the area safely. While there is no time limit, the player cannot wait for a long time; otherwise, a face will appear and blow the balloon into the spikes.

As the player completes mazes, individual spikes, or even the entire maze, may begin moving or scrolling.

Music
Crazy Balloon sports relatively basic sound effects. The speaker beeps whenever the balloon gets closer to the goal. When the player starts a new maze, a portion of the melody from Oh! Susanna is played. Similarly, when the player loses a balloon, a portion of the chorus from the Toreador Song from the opera Carmen is played.

Crazy Balloon 2005
An updated version of the game, named Crazy Balloon 2005, was included alongside the original arcade release on the Taito Legends Power-Up collection for the PlayStation Portable. The basic gameplay was unchanged from the original release. However, additional controls are added to either speed up or slow down the movement of the box through the maze. The player may collect items that will either help or hurt the player, for example shielding the balloon from damage or causing the balloon to swing faster.