The game features 12 party games for up to four players to enjoy, including:Īs you’d expect, they’re just as addicting as ever. The Super Monkey Ball series has always been known for its over-the-top mini-games, and Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is no exception. Still, revisiting these Gamecube classics was undoubtedly my favorite part of Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania‘s package. However, it is worth noting that some stages get recycled throughout all three games – albeit with a fresh coat of paint. I’ve always preferred the original two releases over Super Monkey Ball Deluxe because they feature a more natural difficulty curve and more interesting stage designs. The main game also includes a challenge mode featuring every level from Super Monkey Ball and Super Monkey Ball 2. But before you know it, they begin to resemble sadistic, Rube Goldberg-esque machines designed to chew you up and spit you out. At first, the stages are straightforward enough. And that’s what Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania delivers in spades. After all, nobody is playing Super Monkey Ball for the story it’s all about the challenging gameplay. Of course, they’re silly and would look right at home in a children’s show, but that’s no big deal. To do so, you’ll have to make your way through 100 challenging courses, collect billions of bananas, and die many, many, many times in the process.Įach chapter kicks off with a brief animated cutscene to set the stage for the new area. Doctor Bad-Boon is up to no good, and you’ll have to foil his evil plans. ![]() It’s essentially a remastered version of 2005’s Super Monkey Ball Deluxe. Story Mode is essentially the heart of the package. After that, it’s off to choose your game mode and get rolling. The main game allows you to choose from AiAi, Doctor, MeeMee, Baby, and the rest of the series’ colorful cast of characters. Upon booting up Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the various game modes available. But after spending an hour toiling on one challenge, I promise you’ll be glad the feature is there, too. Does it feel cheap? Sure, just a little bit. Thankfully, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania allows you to spend the points you acquire when you finish stages and mini-games to skip these courses. Some stage designs are downright diabolical, and completing them can require just as much luck as skill. No matter how well you’re doing, chances are you’re going to hit a roadblock at some point. Then, before you know it, you’re confronted with labyrinthine gauntlets where you’ll have to navigate moving platforms, ride paper-thin rails while avoiding whirring engines, falling boulders, and all sorts of other hazards as you tumble to the goal. The beginning courses are deceptively easy, lulling you into a false sense of security. And if you fall or time runs out, you’ll have to start the course over from the very beginning. Each stage is teeming with hazards and other pitfalls designed to send you hurtling into the abyss below the map. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, not exactly. Instead, you’ll use the left analog stick to tilt the entire stage, which will cause the ball to roll across the environment. But there’s a catch: you don’t control your monkey directly. Your objective is to guide a monkey trapped in a bouncy rubber ball to the stage’s exit. If you’ve somehow never played a Super Monkey Ball game before, here’s the rundown. Featuring enhanced visuals, a dozen mini-games from throughout the series’ history, new game modes, and more, it’s packed with plenty to keep fans of the series busy. Developed by Sega’s Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, it’s an HD update of the first three games in the series: Super Monkey Ball, Super Monkey Ball 2, and Super Monkey Ball Deluxe. But the fact that there’s been a sequel or port for nearly every year since its inception is a clear testament to the series’ impressive staying power.Įnter Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania. ![]() Of course, not every entry in its long-rolling history has been the ripest banana in the bunch. Even Nokia N-Gage users (all two of them!) got to join in on the fun in 2003 with a port of Super Monkey Ball. Now, 20 years later, the series has seen several sequels across many platforms. However, it wasn’t until a few months later, when the pinballing primates found their way onto the Gamecube, that its popularity exploded. Initially developed by Amusement Vision, the game made its debut in the arcades in the summer of 2001. ![]() I don’t know about you, but I almost can’t believe it’s been two decades since Super Monkey Ball rolled into our hearts. Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania Review: Rolling Into Nostalgia
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |