How do you play Keep It Up!? A first-run guide

What is the objective?

Keep the balloon airborne while your test subjects move through the laboratory. The official description allows hands, heads and other body parts to keep it up. This is a physics game: moving through the room and protecting the balloon happen at the same time.

The official premise includes incineration on failure and a shared team consequence when lives run out. See balloon rules for the boundary between confirmed rules and details that still need an in-game check.

What should you check before the first run?

1. Install the demo from the official Steam page. Follow the demo download guide if you cannot find it.
2. Compare your PC against the listed system requirements. The minimum specification is not a frame-rate guarantee.
3. Open the game’s own control settings. The Steam page lists full controller support, but this guide does not claim a verified default keyboard layout.
4. If playing together, check that everyone is using the same current demo and can hear the team’s calls.

How should a beginner team coordinate?

A useful starting plan is to give one person the balloon call and another the route call. These are flexible responsibilities, not classes built into the game. Swap when the situation changes.

Use short calls such as “mine”, “yours” and “wait”. Avoid sending every player after the same falling balloon while leaving the next section unseen. This is editorial advice, not a tested solution for a specific room.

Only want one small hint?

Before moving, agree who is looking at the balloon and who is looking ahead.

Where should you go next?

Use the scene guide to recognize a fan, spike or laser scene. Read online co-op basics before inviting friends. This site does not assign invented room numbers to promotional screenshots.

What is this guide based on?

The official Steam page and its screenshots, checked 22 October 2026. Planning suggestions are labeled; this is not a claim of a completed hands-on demo walkthrough.