Here is my latest update, which includes the following enhancements/bug fixes:
Hey Lance,
Nice update. 
The boomerang uses a polygon collider and the paddle hand a box collider. I found when I used a polygon collider for it the boomerang would slide off of the hand.
I hadn’t thought about trying the particle effect on-top of the balloons. I may try that as I also just noticed from your earlier feedback I forgot to redo my vertical bricks.
Just wondering, have you tried using a circle collider for the boomerang? Whilst it may make collisions where the sprite isn’t effectively there, as it’s spinning this may not be noticeable and may prevent the boomerang from getting stuck. Just a thought.
Actually yes I did and I was able to still get it to be stuck, if you are near the bottom corner and move slightly away. I’ve expanded the polygon collider a little rather than it being so tight along the outline of the boomerang. It seems so far to be better.
hmmm… interesting… maybe need to tweak the collision detection mode to resolve that.
Oh well, as long as you have it working now I guess that’s the main thing. Still love the idea for this with the boomerang and balloons - nice idea
What can we expect in your next update then?
Probably as soon as I can work out an issue I’m having getting the damage particle to instantiate at the point where the balloon gets hit by the boomerang. It keeps doing the instantiation outside of the balloon rather than on it.
Could it be that your collider on the balloons are slightly larger than the sprite? Thus the point of impact is on the collider which is slightly further out?
Regarding the particles being behind the balloon, that should just be a case of changing the Z position of the instantiated particles, e.g. closer to the camera than the balloons.
The collider is actually around the border of the balloons. I’ll play with that thanks. Also I fixed the particles being behind the balloon by changing the sorting order to be higher. Yeah the z index would have also worked.
No worries, looking forward to your next update
Very minor update to the balloon damage effect position and hopefully fixed the issue of the boomerang getting stuck on the paddle hand.
I got to the second level - finally - lol…
Particles are looking good, now appearing on top of the balloons, they all appear in the same position though, did you not manage to get the point of collision, or didn’t it look right?
I don’t want to keep throwing feedback/suggestions your way if you want to move on to other projects, so feel free to tell me to shut up at any point 
One thing that might look nice on the balloons is if the particles were a little more varied, e.g. not all the same, perhaps different speeds and durations, so some would be shorter, some longer, some slower, some faster etc.
If you did manage to get the point of impact you could then position them closer to where the collision occured (+/- a little offset to put them “on” the balloon), but also the directions could be different that the particles flow in…
Again, just some thoughts
Oh I love the feedback! No I wasn’t able to get the particle effect to take place at the point of impact. I tried a number of things, but the particle effect never was consistent. For example hitting the first balloon it would appear a little away and below the balloon and then if you hit say the one to the far right it would appear a little away and above the balloon. I ended up throwing in the towel. I may come back again later and see if I can resolve it.
Varying the particle effect is a nice idea. I hadn’t thought about that.
I have some ideas of a few other things I’d like to implement, but I think for now I’ll table them and move on to Laser Defender. I already have some ideas there I’d like to implement in my version.
I hope to receive just as valuable feedback there from you!
For example hitting the first balloon it would appear a little away and below the balloon and then if you hit say the one to the far right it would appear a little away and above the balloon. I ended up throwing in the towel. I may come back again later and see if I can resolve it.
I’d probably need to actually see the behaviour you’re describing to fully appreciate it. I posted something ages ago, mainly for Laser Defender, so that people could get the point of impact for the paddle, here’s a link, it may be the kind of code approach you were already using;
Varying the particle effect is a nice idea. I hadn’t thought about that.
Little differences like that can make a big difference to the overall feel of the game. Also, variations on the audio, so for example changing the pitch to a random value between min / max values for each ricochet of the boomerang, or each pop of the balloons. The slight wobbly on the balloons when they are hit, which would cause the wobbles to all be animating at different times etc. Little touches which can make the overall aesthetic feel a little less static.
But these are all little things that you can add either as you go along, or afterwards when adding more polish to the game you are working on. Handy to consider them as you go along in case you do something which may make it harder, or just keeping a note of the ideas so you don’t forget etc.
have some ideas of a few other things I’d like to implement, but I think for now I’ll table them and move on to Laser Defender. I already have some ideas there I’d like to implement in my version.
Sounds like a plan, and well done again for making this version of Block Breaker truly your own
I hope to receive just as valuable feedback there from you!
If I see people ask for feedback I try to offer it, I sometimes drop the odd suggestion in even if they don’t
It’s really nice to see students take the extra steps and have that “wow, I didn’t think I’d be able to do that” kind of moment when they stray just a little bit (or a lot) from the main course content. It’s a fantastic way to learn and to push yourself, so if I am able to be apart of that, for anyone, by making the odd suggestions that that makes me happy too
Wow that is fantastic. I will definitely keep a reference to this as I’m sure it’ll come in handy with other games as well. Your feedback/suggestions are extremely valuable, so I greatly appreciate them.
Happy to help and we’ll done again with your game Lance
I felt I needed to implement some of the additional ideas I had, so here is a new version with the following features:
Hey Lance,
Nice update!
The point-of-contact particles is a really nice addition, and I like the audio you’ve added too as the gas escapes. There also appears to be a little randomness in the speed of the particles that appear which is nice, so each damaged balloon doesn’t look the same.
I, finally, got to level 2 and saw that you’ve also rotated the texture on those vertical walls, again, it really looks good, well done.
I’ve yet to see a power-up but I will play some more and maybe I’ll find one.
Your game is really coming along nicely, well done for continuing to refine and improve
Thanks for the feedback Rob. Nice job getting to level 2. Once on that level, you’ll see a bonus item move across the top of the screen. If you hit it you’ll get some additional points. The power-ups are hidden within certain balloons. You have to hit the right ones to reveal them. Good luck!
Sounds to me like I need more practice! Will play some more this morning