Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Bursting Balloons, Gifts in the Sky

Here's a guide for popping Balloons and get rewards for those who are new to Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Getting the Slingshot

In order to explode the balloons, you will need to obtain the Slingshot tool. To do so, you just need to speak to Timmy at the Residents' Services to buy the DIY recipe for the slingshot.

But that's not all: you'll also need the recipe for the axe in order to cut wood and harvest the hardwood needed to make the slingshot.

Waiting for the Balloons to pass through the sky

Once you have the slingshot in your hands, just wait for a balloon to pass through the sky. Here are a few tips to make sure you don't miss one:

1. By playing with sound, you'll soon realize if a balloon goes through the sky or not. In addition to the music of the game and the different sound effects, you will hear a kind of stronger breath of wind: it's a balloon!
2. If the noise tells you that a balloon is flying over the island, it doesn't tell you where it is. Try to get as close as possible to the source of the noise and you will find it. Use the directional stick on the right joycon to move the camera and get a better overview.
3. Usually, balloons always have the same starting point (on the far right of the island for example, above the ocean). You just have to locate its starting point in order to never miss one. In Animal Crossing New Horizons, there are at least two starting points (west and east).
4. A balloon passes through the sky about every 10 minutes!

Balloons color

You will notice that there are balloons of different colors. We've tried to list the loots of each color but so far the rewards seem random and not color-related.

• Red
• Green
• Yellow
• Blue

Possible rewards

When you burst a balloon, you can then pick up the gift by pressing Y. Gifts can contain :

• A recipe for a random item
• One bell purse (minimum 1000 bells)
• A piece of clothing or accessory
• A piece of furniture
• Materials (clay, wood, iron and so on)

Balloons Achievements

There are two achievements related to Balloons. Go to the Nook Miles application on your Nookphone to see if you have unlocked them or not.

• Sunken Treasure: Drop a gift into the water when you pop the balloon (unique achievement at 500 miles).
• Gifts from the sky: drop 5 flying gifts thanks to the slingshot (first stage at 300 miles) / 20 gifts (500 miles) / 50 gifts and so on.