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Up in the Air

Up in the Air is a zany, open-world game made by students at SMU Guildhall. You play as a balloon dog exploring a demented carnival populated by crazy children using a variety of power-ups, like water balloons and ground pound, to fend the kids off and collect carnival tickets.

Steam Page
Developer
Publisher
Release
February 21, 2020
6 years and 164 days ago
Steam Reviews
Mostly Positive59 reviews79.7%

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Game contextLatest: IGF Team
ContextThe evidence factors used to assess whether this game belongs on IndieGame.Fan.Status
Notes
Latest Contributor: IGF TeamEdit notes
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer.
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher.
The university program publishes the student production.
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Publisher statusHow the game's publishing relationship is classified.
Matching labels do not establish independent creator ownership.
Search Google: How is Up in the Air and SMU Guildhall funded?FundingThe known source of funding behind the game.
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Creative controlWho appears to retain creative control of the game.
The project was produced within a university program.
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Release statusWhether and how the game has been released.
The title released through the producing institution.

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About the Game

Up in the Air is a zany, open-world game in which you play a balloon dog exploring a demented carnival populated by crazy children. Players must use a variety of power-ups, from water balloons to ground pound, to fend the kids off and collect carnival tickets. Players can burn Big Weenie, knock over a castle, trap children in a cardboard jail, master hopscotch, become radioactive, turn off the sun, or get popped by a cactus. If they are particularly unlucky, they could even find the notorious child Chunkles and his gaping maw.

Key Features:

  • Open world sandbox-style gameplay set in an amusement park
  • An achiever's dream with dozens of challenging mini-games
  • Fun hidden puzzles and prizes throughout the park
  • Casual, silly gameplay and mild, subversive humor that will appeal to kids and adults

Notes:

  • Up in the Air is published by SMU Guildhall and developed a small student team at SMU Guildhall over a development cycle of 16 weeks.
  • Proceeds from your purchase of Up in the Air on Steam supports the students. They thank you for your support.
  • Additional development to extend the game is not currently planned beyond its academic completion.
  • Learn more at

A special note from SMU Guildhall:

Up in the Air is now free to play! The game was made by students at SMU Guildhall who are graduating in May, 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 outbreak. This is a difficult time for everyone. We decided to make Up in the Air and our other recent releases free for two reasons: 1) With a challenging job market, we wanted to show off the students' hard work to as wide an audience as possible. 2) Everyone stuck at home could use some fun, free entertainment.

If you are one of the gamers who supported our students and purchased the game, we thank you. Proceeds go directly to the students to help offset some of the extra development costs of making and publishing the game.