Bloons (franchise)

For other uses, see Bloons (disambiguation).

[[File:The Bloons logo as it appears in "The Story of Monkeys vs Bloons"|thumb|300px]] Bloons is a multimedia franchise primarily consisting of video games developed by Ninja Kiwi and its subsidiaries. It centers on monkeys, primates that comprise major characters and playable units; and the eponymous Bloons, balloon-like entities that are often portrayed as enemies of the monkeys. The first installment, Bloons, is a browser-based puzzle game that released in 2007 and was Ninja Kiwi's first major commercial success, leading to the release of several expansion packs and spin-offs. The franchise is most well-known for Bloons TD, a series of tower defense strategy games that began as a spin-off of the puzzle games.

Common elements

Monkeys

Main article: Monkey

Monkeys cowering in fear at the sight of a Yellow Bloon

Monkeys are a species of primates that comprise the main characters of the franchise, and are usually the protagonists. They possess human-like intelligence and capabilities and are able to build complex technology and societies. In gameplay, they are usually the units the player controls to destroy Bloons.

Monkeys come in different types that represent occupations or abilities, such as Engineer Monkeys, Heli Pilots, and Ice Monkeys. The term "monkey" also often includes monkey-operated machines and structures, such as Tack Shooters and Banana Farms. Some monkeys, such as Heroes and the monkey characters of Bloons Adventure Time TD, are treated as individuals and have more human-like names. Some games include non-monkey characters, such as Special Agents.

Bloons

Main article: Bloon

Bloons are balloon-like entities that are usually portrayed as antagonists towards monkeys. While implied to possess some form of intelligence and society, including a language consisting of a mix between high-pitched air sounds and squeaking, they are usually depicted in-game as objects with no distinct personalities or character traits. In gameplay, they are usually enemies the player is required to destroy using monkeys.

Themes

Bloons is generally family-friendly and designed with universal appeal. Bloons games usually prioritize gameplay and rarely have story elements beyond the premise of monkeys defending themselves against Bloons. Some characters have background information, such as hobbies and relationships, but these are rarely divulged within the games themselves and usually not presented as serious.

Bloons games often feature elements of science fiction and fantasy. While monkeys live in societies similar to contemporary human society, they practice magic and possess advanced technology. As a result, many locations and events within Bloons games cover a wide variety of genres and themes, including nature, ancient ruins, cities, enchanted settings, castles, factories, and extraterrestrial occurrences.

While Bloons games often feature many locations, they are usually in separate levels and are rarely depicted as part of a shared setting or world. Some games, such as the Flash version of Bloons Super Monkey 2, suggest they take place on an Earth-like planet (excluding extraterrestrial locations). Bloons Adventure Time TD notably takes place in the Land of Ooo, the main setting of Adventure Time, which exists in an alternate universe.

Video games

Bloons series

Main article: Bloons (series)

Pop Me, the first Bloons level

The Bloons series comprises the original series of physics-based puzzle games that the franchise expanded from. In these games, the player solves puzzle levels by controlling a monkey that can throw a limited supply of darts to pop Bloons. Each level has a different arrangement of Bloons and blocks, and the player is required to pop enough Bloons to progress to the next level. Certain Bloons have special effects that trigger when they are popped, such as popping other Bloons nearby or giving the player a special type of shot.

The Bloons series has three major titles: Bloons, the original set of games that spawned from the Flash version; Bloons 2, the sequel that introduces new Bloon and block types; and Bloons Blast, a discontinued Facebook game based on the Flash version of Bloons 2. Bloons and Bloons 2 both have multiple versions and expansions, covering Flash games, mobile games, and handheld console games, all of which have different levels. The series has not received a new entry since 2011, but Bloons Pop! is considered a spiritual successor to this series and has many similarities.

Bloons TD series

Main article: Bloons TD (series)

Gameplay of Bloons Tower Defense

Bloons TD (short for Bloons Tower Defense) is a series of tower defense games and the most expansive series of the franchise. In Bloons TD, Bloons move along predetermined paths on a map, and the player places towers that attack Bloons to stop them from reaching the exit. The player earns cash from popping Bloons that they can spend on more towers and upgrades for their towers. The number and strength of Bloons increases as the game progresses through a series of rounds. The goal is to complete all the rounds without running out of lives from letting Bloons escape.

The first game in the series, Bloons Tower Defense, was created as a spin-off of the Bloons puzzle games, but it became more popular than the puzzle game series. The series has six major numbered titles, a competitive multiplayer sub-series in Bloons TD Battles and Bloons TD Battles 2, and the non-numbered spin-offs Bloons Monkey City and Bloons Adventure Time TD.

Bloons Supermonkey series

Main article: Bloons Supermonkey (series)

Gameplay of Bloons Super Monkey

Bloons Supermonkey is a small series of vertically scrolling shooter games in which the player takes control of Super Monkey and pops waves of Bloons across different levels. Popped Bloons release Blops that the player can spend on weapons and upgrades to change Super Monkey's arsenal. The player is required to pop a certain number of Bloons to complete a level, and popping more Bloons earns a better score. The player can also collect temporary powerups.

The Bloons Supermonkey series has two major titles: Bloons Super Monkey, a 2010 Flash game that was later ported to iOS, and Bloons Supermonkey 2, which has both a Flash version from 2013 and a mobile version from 2016, which have very similar gameplay to each other, but have different graphics, levels, and powerups.

Spin-off games

Game	Description	Release year
Bloons Pop Three	Bloons Pop Three is a Flash-based match 3 puzzle game where the player arranges Bloons in lines of three or more of the same color to pop them. The player can score more points by building combos and popping special Bloons.	2008
Hot Air Bloon	Hot Air Bloon is an endless game about controlling a monkey riding a blimp through an obstacle course while scoring points by popping Bloons. The game features similar mechanics to endless runner games, including the scoring system, increasing speed, and obstacle dodging nature.	2008
Hot Air Bloon (iOS)	A follow up and mobile port to Hot Air Bloon, the IOS version contains the endless mode from the previous game as well as a brand-new story mode featuring 7 levels with 4 stages each. The story mode also features several bosses and unique Bloons.	2010
Who Wants To Be A Bloonionaire?	Who Wants To Be A Bloonionaire? is a Flash-based trivia game created to promote the then-upcoming Flash version of Bloons TD 5. Answering 10 rounds of questions in a row without answering incorrectly presents the player with a trailer for BTD5. This trailer was the first time BTD5 was shown publicly, and it was officially uploaded to YouTube a few days after this game released.	2011
Bloons Pop!	A spiritual successor to the Bloons puzzle games, Bloons Pop! is a free-to-play puzzle game for mobile devices in which the player solves procedurally-generated levels of Bloons and other obstacles with a limited number of Monkey shots. Its art style, characters, and Bloon types are mostly based on Bloons TD 6. It is unrelated to Bloons Pop Three, despite the name.	2021
Bloons Card Storm	Bloons Card Storm is a collectible card game with a focus on one-versus-one online multiplayer matches. In each match, the player uses Bloon cards to attack the opposing Hero, Monkey cards to defend the player's Hero, and Power cards to activate various instant effects.	2024

Soundtracks

Main article: List of soundtracks

Album cover of the Bloons TD Battles 2 Soundtrack

Prior to Bloons TD 5, Bloons games either used royalty-free music (such as Bloons Pop Three) or had no background music at all. Starting in Bloons TD 5, Bloons games usually feature original music composed by Tim Haywood, most of which has been released separately in digital albums and services such as Spotify and YouTube Music.

Animation

In 2024, Ninja Kiwi released "The Story of Monkeys vs Bloons", a 3D-animated trailer that explores the history of the conflict between monkeys and Bloons. While referred to as a trailer, it is unknown what this animation was made to promote.

Merchandise

Main article: List of merchandise

Ninja Kiwi has distributed merchandise through multiple services over the years. Currently, they have an official online store featuring many designs based on monkeys and Bloons on mugs, hoodies, phone cases, and several other products. They also regularly release plush toys and other collectibles in collaboration with Makeship.

External links

• Article on Wikipedia