Play Lantern Lift online
Lantern Lift is an original hot-air balloon climbing arcade game: fire the burner to rise, cool down to sink, and steer a little paper lantern balloon up through the sky.
Storm clouds drift across your path as you climb. Each one costs a life if you fly into it, and you only have 3 lives for the whole ascent.
Golden sparks float between the clouds. Collect them for points, and chain sparks within 4 seconds to build a combo bonus up to 5x.
Wind gusts shove the balloon sideways every few seconds, so every climb is a steering decision. Reach 1200 metres before the 150-second timer runs out to light the summit lantern.
How to control Lantern Lift
- Hold Space / ArrowUp / press-and-hold: fire the burner and climb
- Arrow keys / A / D or drag: steer left and right
- R: restart climb, M: mute
How to play
- 1
Hold Space, ArrowUp, or press-and-hold to fire the burner and climb; release to cool down and sink.
- 2
Steer left and right with Arrow keys / A / D or by dragging with mouse or touch.
- 3
Avoid storm clouds: each hit costs one of 3 lives.
- 4
Collect golden sparks for points; sparks within 4 seconds chain a combo up to 5x.
- 5
Wind gusts push the balloon sideways for a moment every few seconds.
- 6
Reach 1200 metres before the 150-second timer runs out to win.
Tips for a better run
Hold the burner only when the sky ahead is clear; if a cloud is right above you, let go and wait for it to drift aside.
Steer toward sparks on your way up, but never chase a spark into a cloud — a life is worth more than 50 points.
Gusts last just over a second; a small sideways correction beats a big swerve, and keeps you lined up for the next spark.
After a cloud hit you flash with brief protection: use that second to move clear, not to grab a risky spark.
Chain sparks: the fifth spark in a row pays 250 points, so plan a route through two or three sparks at once.
Frequently asked questions
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Hold Space, ArrowUp, or press and hold with mouse or finger to fire the burner and climb. Release to cool down and sink.
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Steer left and right with Arrow keys / A / D, or drag with mouse or finger. A gust of wind pushes you sideways for a moment every few seconds, so steer into it.
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Fly through a spark's glow to collect it. Each spark scores 50 points, and sparks collected within 4 seconds of each other chain a combo up to 5x.
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Flying into a storm cloud costs one of your 3 lives. After a hit you flash briefly and cannot be hit again for a moment.
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Climb to 1200 metres before the 150-second timer runs out. Your best score is saved in your browser.
