Hot Air Balloon

Hot Air Balloon continues Google's tradition of hiding simple, gray-pixel games in their software. Taking influence from both of its predecessors, this game is only accessible if the Google Play Store cannot access the Internet (à la Chrome's dinosaur), but is exclusive to Android devices (see Play Games' Whirlybird). It's a simple title that isn't really worth seeking out but is still a welcome distraction while the Internet is giving you trouble.

The gameplay is very straightforward. You direct the titular hot air balloon on its ascent, avoiding sheets of spikes floating randomly throughout the sky. You are constantly earning points just for staying alive, but you can increase your score much faster if you collect the floating orbs (or maybe coins?) that are also mysteriously suspended in your flight path. This is all fine and dandy, but the power-ups are really the fun part. Occasionally, you'll find a floating item that may boost your balloon's speed, or add a splash of color to indicate temporary invincibility. They don't last long, but they mix up the feel of the game just enough to make it a little more engaging.

At the end of the day, Hot Air Balloon is a simple arcade game that likely won't warrant hours of investment. However, that's really not its job. This game was made to keep you occupied while you wait for the Play Store to start working again, and it does that very well. I wouldn't recommend turning off your Internet connection just for this game, but if you come across it naturally, it would be silly to refuse to play a round or two. 

The game cannot be explicitly downloaded for any platform, but more information is available here (as of 5/2/21): https://www.slashgear.com/google-play-hot-air-balloon-offline-game-released-to-the-masses-22656343/

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