Bloons
- Genre Puzzle games
- Players 1
- Session 5 min
- Price Free
- Updated
Long before the tower defence spin-offs, Bloons was a single monkey standing on a little wooden plank in the bottom left corner of a sky full of clouds. Each level hangs a block of red, yellow, green and blue balloons somewhere on the screen, sometimes in a neat rectangle, sometimes in the shape of a letter or a number, and gives you only five darts. You pick the angle with the mouse, hold the button to build up power and let go to throw. A dart flies on a curved arc, falls under gravity and keeps going through every balloon in its way, so one good throw through the middle of a packed group can pop a dozen. The counter at the bottom compares how many you popped with the target for that level. Hit the target before the darts run out and the next stage opens. The first one, called Pop Me, asks for 32; the second, Pop Me 2, already wants 70 out of a much larger wall. The level select screen holds fifty little level previews and a box for an unlimited darts mode, and the menu has an entry for making your own levels.
| Move the mouse | Turn the monkey's aiming arrow toward the balloons |
|---|---|
| Hold the left button | Charge the throw; the arrow stretches and turns red as power builds |
| Release | Throw the dart along a falling arc |
| Reset Level | Start the current level again with all five darts |
| Main Menu | Return to the balloon menu and the level select screen |
How to play Bloons
- Click New Game on the balloon menu. The level select screen opens; start with the first picture in the top left corner.
- Look at the target in the bottom bar. That is how many balloons you must pop on this level.
- Point the mouse where you want the dart to go, hold the button long enough to reach the balloons, then release.
- Watch the darts icon on the left: each throw uses one of the five.
- When the popped count reaches the target the level is cleared; if the darts run out first, press Reset Level and try a different line.
Tips
- A quick tap only lobs a weak dart that drops short. On the opening level you need close to a full charge to reach the top rows.
- Throw along the longest line through the cluster, not at its nearest edge. Darts do not stop at the first balloon.
- Gravity bends the path downward, so aim a little above the group you want to hit on long throws.
- The target is lower than the total number of balloons, so you never have to clear the whole wall. Two or three clean shots are usually enough.
Questions about Bloons
How many darts do I get in Bloons?
Five per level, shown as little darts at the bottom left. The level select screen also offers an Unlimited Darts mode for practice.
Why does my dart fall short?
Power depends on how long you hold the mouse button. A short click gives a weak throw. Hold until the arrow grows and turns red.
Is this the tower defence game?
No. This is the first Bloons, a dart-throwing puzzle from 2007. The tower defence games with monkey towers along a path are separate pages on this site.
Can I play Bloons on a phone or tablet?
It is driven by a single press-hold-release, so a touch screen can work, but the screen is small and aiming is fiddly. A mouse on a computer is far easier.
