Balloon Crash Game Review

Overview of Balloon Game

The new era of crash games is upon us with a unique game that combines a cartoon setting and the simple idea of a balloon – you don’t get a more straightforward and much more accessible game than the one developed by Smartsoft Gaming!
Launched in 2019, Balloon is an atypical crypto game that is different from what we’re seen on the market. It’s simple, yet it fulfills the function of making the game exciting as it bears uncanny similarities with traditional crash games, only with a few minor, major adjustments. When loading up the game for the first time, players don’t have to overthink what they must do. Their cartoon gameplay and fun-looking interface are suggestive enough that players only have one goal – to cash out the highest multiplier possible.

Gameplay & Rules

Balloon players must fill the balloon with air and cash out before it pops. This is similar to traditional crash games like Aviator or other games where the goal is to cash out before the ascending line crashes. In the Balloon game, the game starts when the player starts to inflate the balloon. The multiplier also increases when the balloon starts growing and gets more air. As such, there is a direct correlation between the amount of time the player keeps the inflating button clicking and the value of the multiplier.

Compared to other crash games like Aviator or JetX, which Smartsoft Gaming also develops, players can start the game whenever they want. There are no time constraints between sessions, and players must keep the inflating button on in order to start playing. Once they release the button, the game ends, and the winning is cashed out. For example, if you press the button only once, the multiplier increases slightly.

Since the game requires pushing the button, the game doesn’t have the possibility to implement autoplay or automatic cash out. However, after playing the game and testing the features, players can implement some strategies if they want to maximize their winning. Still, it can be imprecise since there is no automatic cashout available. The only way to win big at the game is to make sure that you cash out before the balloon pops
and as the balloon multiplier increases, the balloon changes colors and floats.
Moreover, Balloon doesn’t have the social gaming factor we’ve seen in other crash games. However, you can see which player managed to reach the highest multiplier and what is your higher reached multiplier during a gaming session.

Pros & Cons Explained

Entertaining game

Balloon is an entertaining game that differentiates itself from traditional crash games. It features unique gameplay that makes the game stand out and provides hours of fun for its players.

Vibrant graphics

The game’s vibrant, colorful, and cartoon-like graphics makes the game stand out and helps enhance the gaming experience. In addition, it breaks the standard of grim and lame crash game visuals focusing on functionality rather than visual presence.

Easy to understand

Balloon is a game that is easy to understand, making it accessible to players of all ages and skill levels. It only requires players to know how much they want to bet and know when to cash out. The game doesn’t even require extensive instructions since, after testing out the game twice, players get the entire picture.

Multiple devices compatible

The game is compatible with multiple devices, including mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, allowing players to play the game anywhere and anytime.

Cons

Repetitive game

As the game is so simple to play and understand, there are no game mechanics that can alleviate the repetitive nature of pressing a button. So even though the game creates excitement, it can also become frustrating, especially when players continue to lose a lot.

Lacks automation

Smartsoft Gaming hasn’t introduced any automation features such as auto cashout or auto betting. This decreases the gameplay experience as it doesn’t allow players to implement strategies to become profitable in the long run.

Addictive gameplay

Pressing a button and winning higher and higher multipliers can become addictive, especially when the game is coupled with visual and audio aids. It creates a habit quickly, leading to excess screen time, and can also lead to important neglective responsibilities.

Lacks strategy implementation

Balloon Crash is a luck-based game that provides players with few opportunities to implement strategies, making the gameplay feel shallow and lacking in depth.

Graphics & Design

The Balloon game’s graphics and design feel very lively, and it looks very familiar. Aesthetically, the Balloon game has a bright, colorful look and feel with cartoon drawings. The same style used in the game is found in other successful slots and casino games with more fun and relaxed takes on gambling. In short, everything seems to be moving; an active event through the only dynamic element is the balloon.

The game uses bright colors to grab users’ attention to everything in front of them; the balloons tend to change colors as the multiplier grows past the 1.5 multiplier and the balloon changes from yellow to red. Animations are also an important element since they help with keeping people hooked to the game.

Sounds are also added to the gameplay and mimic inflating and popping sounds whenever the balloon grows higher or pops. What’s more, is that the game has reward triggers added to the game mechanics, which include tokens and rewarding sounds when a player successfully cashes out before the balloon pops. Similarly, the game adds an unhappy sound when the balloon pops, and there is no win.

When playing the game, we experienced a lot of excitement and motivation to continue reaching for higher bonuses to see how the colors and the sounds would eventually turn into.

Payouts & Bonuses

The game allows players to have a blast playing Balloon while offering lower betting limits. You will know how much you can win or what the max multiplier of the game is once you try it out. However, the minimum bet to play Balloon by Smartsoft Gaming is 0.1 DMO or the currency you are playing with, and a maximum of 10 DMO or the currency you’re gambling with. No custom value can be applied when betting, so players can bet 0.10, 0.20, 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, 5.00, and 10.00. A player’s wager is multiplied by the multiplier value it obtained during the game. That means no paytable is required since the values and the winnings are self-explanatory.

If we look at the reels and how the game is structured compared to traditional slots, it’s more closely related to a table game since there’s a single reel with multiple multiplier layers.

We tried to find a mention of provably fair gaming on the Balloon game and no other mention of how wins are calculated and awarded. Instead, developers highlight the game has an RTP of 96%, which ranks the game as a low-volatility game. Moreover, there is no clear indication of how much a player can win when playing the game since that information is not publicly known.

Mobile Compatibility

As we discovered through our research, the game is built using JS and HTML5 code, making the game compatible with almost every device. Players can access the Balloon game through the browser on any Apple or Android device since they have yet to develop an application to access the game directly. Each player can start playing the Balloon game on their mobile, tablet, and PC by accessing the browser and searching for the game. Similarly, they can check out the casino where the game is available and play the game on an app if the casino has such a mobile outlet. Smartsoft Gaming made sure that the game is compatible with iOS, Android, Windows, and other operating systems that support HTML5 (all of them, actually)

Conclusion

The Balloon game created by Smartsoft Gaming is a unique game on its own. We found ourselves playing and clicking the inflate button forever until we realized we were gambling. The cartoon aesthetic and the simple game mechanics make the game easy to onboard and understand. It’s not like other crash games where the developers push you to make bets or think about strategies for maximizing your winnings. Sure, the Balloon game doesn’t have a complex gaming mechanism that allows you to make complicated bets and implement strategies to increase your win ratio. Instead, we view it as a leisure game with elements of crash gambling but with a less complex way of gambling.

The game has a standard 96% RTP, considered low volatility, so players don’t end up wagering large sums before getting a good return. However, while the game is exciting enough to play, it can create some anxiety because you always feel bad for cashing out early and missing the higher multiplier. On that, the game needs to clearly explain how much it can pay out or what’s the maximum multiplier, and it doesn’t have an active chat where a player can talk and discuss their wins.

Based on my review and my time spent playing the Balloon game, it’s definitely a feel-good game, but you get bored of it quickly since there aren’t enough incentives to push for higher wins. If you’re looking for a real crash game, you should find alternatives that give you access to automation and self-betting. But if you want to play and have fun, the Smartsoft Gaming Balloon game is the perfect crypto game.