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This thread has been linked to the game 'Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz'.
Super Monkey Ball has always been one my favourite games on the Nintendo Gamecube proving a great challenge when it came to the single player mode, and a right laugh with a bunch of friends. It required a steady thumb and a lot of patience. Ever since the Wii was first announced people immediately thought it seemed ridiculous not to transfer the series over as it seemed perfectly suited to the new controls. Well Sega did come through and deliver what is yet another great if flawed Monkey Ball game.
The idea of Super Monkey Ball is to guide your monkey in his ball through numerous obstacles and through a goal. It’s that simple. What Sega decided to do is keep everything of the old games intact but also throw some new ideas in as well and I have to say they blend in perfectly. The first thing added to the gameplay is the ability to jump. While it does make the game a little easier being able to jump large areas out of the way, it does allow unbelievable shortcuts to take place. The next is in the form of new monkeys and their abilities. The original four return for one more go but Doctor and YanYan are new to select in single player mode. As well as this each monkey now has his or her own stats when it comes to speed, jump height, power and so on which makes for picking the right monkey for certain levels a good idea. It adds a nice element of strategy to the game not found in previous games. Boss stages are also new to the game and make for a pleasant break from the usual point A to point B where instead the goal is defeat a giant enemy by smacking its weak point. Surprisingly these levels feel as if they’ve been part of the series for years and don’t simply feel tacked on.
Handling your monkey couldn’t be easier. Tilt the control the direction you want to go and press the A button to jump. That’s it. It does feel incredibly weird at first and hard to control, but after an hour or so you’ll pick it up, dodging bumpers and jumping up steps like second nature.
While hardcore gamers will complain at the fact single player goes for an easier unlimited continues approach, others will rejoice at the thought of being able to come back and retry certain levels that had you gritting your teeth as many times as you need. What is there in the main game is quite a long lasting affair that consists of eight worlds containing eight floors, a bonus stage and a final boss. There are also a further two hidden worlds that similar to Master mode in previous games require an earth shattering amount of skill to obtain. It is a fair number but given the choice it would have been appreciated to have more floors for the sacrifice of some of the average mini games.
One big mistake is the absence of multiplayer when it comes to the main game. Some of the greatest moments occurred when racing for the goal with three friends competing too but sadly that isn’t possible any more. Why Sega thought it a good idea to exclude it I don’t know as it would have added drastically to the games lifespan.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz states it has 50 mini games to play and while it isn’t an overstatement, the quality of some of them leaves a lot to be desired. That said when Monkey Ball delivers a competitive frantic game it really does shine. Games like Hammer Throw and Hurdle Race really prove the Wii is the place for multiplayer gaming. One game that had me and my friends laughing in particular was called Monkey Ball which is a great point-and-shoot mini game where the aim is to hit numbered balls in order before the others do. However there are quite a lot of average to borderline boring games littered around. Main culprits include Rock Paper Scissors Attack (which is exactly as it sounds) and Monkey Darts (which just doesn’t work very well at all.)
Those wondering if old classics return will be happy and also disappointed by what is here. Race is there and better with the Wii remote which is a nice surprise. However bowling and fan favourite target have also made the cut, yet they are nothing compared to their Gamecube counterparts with few options and lacking any depth whatsoever.
I guess that is where many of the mini games fail is in their depth and it’s a shame because this could have been something special with more care. What may seem like a great selection quickly turns into shallow, passable fun. Out of the games available only around half lead me and my friends to try them again which is not too good at all.
Super Monkey Ball looks great on the Wii and while it does seem a little basic at first glance, will quickly grow on you and make you realise its better suited to the game’s style and character. The game displays impressive enough looking environments that are almost cel-shaded at points giving a more cartoony look than before. Music is something of a mixed bag though. Some levels are good and others tend to get annoying after hearing them over and over. The announcer is back too as are more monkey sounds coming out from the Wii remote as well as on screen.
Banana Blitz is a worthy addition to the Monkey Ball series. The single player is still as fun as ever and some mini games can be great with your friends. It may feel slightly more restricted than the first and second game with fewer single player floors and it would have been preferred to have six to twelve strong party games rather than the fifty mediocre on offer here. By no means perfect but still worth a look.
80%
The idea of Super Monkey Ball is to guide your monkey in his ball through numerous obstacles and through a goal. It’s that simple. What Sega decided to do is keep everything of the old games intact but also throw some new ideas in as well and I have to say they blend in perfectly. The first thing added to the gameplay is the ability to jump. While it does make the game a little easier being able to jump large areas out of the way, it does allow unbelievable shortcuts to take place. The next is in the form of new monkeys and their abilities. The original four return for one more go but Doctor and YanYan are new to select in single player mode. As well as this each monkey now has his or her own stats when it comes to speed, jump height, power and so on which makes for picking the right monkey for certain levels a good idea. It adds a nice element of strategy to the game not found in previous games. Boss stages are also new to the game and make for a pleasant break from the usual point A to point B where instead the goal is defeat a giant enemy by smacking its weak point. Surprisingly these levels feel as if they’ve been part of the series for years and don’t simply feel tacked on.
Handling your monkey couldn’t be easier. Tilt the control the direction you want to go and press the A button to jump. That’s it. It does feel incredibly weird at first and hard to control, but after an hour or so you’ll pick it up, dodging bumpers and jumping up steps like second nature.
While hardcore gamers will complain at the fact single player goes for an easier unlimited continues approach, others will rejoice at the thought of being able to come back and retry certain levels that had you gritting your teeth as many times as you need. What is there in the main game is quite a long lasting affair that consists of eight worlds containing eight floors, a bonus stage and a final boss. There are also a further two hidden worlds that similar to Master mode in previous games require an earth shattering amount of skill to obtain. It is a fair number but given the choice it would have been appreciated to have more floors for the sacrifice of some of the average mini games.
One big mistake is the absence of multiplayer when it comes to the main game. Some of the greatest moments occurred when racing for the goal with three friends competing too but sadly that isn’t possible any more. Why Sega thought it a good idea to exclude it I don’t know as it would have added drastically to the games lifespan.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz states it has 50 mini games to play and while it isn’t an overstatement, the quality of some of them leaves a lot to be desired. That said when Monkey Ball delivers a competitive frantic game it really does shine. Games like Hammer Throw and Hurdle Race really prove the Wii is the place for multiplayer gaming. One game that had me and my friends laughing in particular was called Monkey Ball which is a great point-and-shoot mini game where the aim is to hit numbered balls in order before the others do. However there are quite a lot of average to borderline boring games littered around. Main culprits include Rock Paper Scissors Attack (which is exactly as it sounds) and Monkey Darts (which just doesn’t work very well at all.)
Those wondering if old classics return will be happy and also disappointed by what is here. Race is there and better with the Wii remote which is a nice surprise. However bowling and fan favourite target have also made the cut, yet they are nothing compared to their Gamecube counterparts with few options and lacking any depth whatsoever.
I guess that is where many of the mini games fail is in their depth and it’s a shame because this could have been something special with more care. What may seem like a great selection quickly turns into shallow, passable fun. Out of the games available only around half lead me and my friends to try them again which is not too good at all.
Super Monkey Ball looks great on the Wii and while it does seem a little basic at first glance, will quickly grow on you and make you realise its better suited to the game’s style and character. The game displays impressive enough looking environments that are almost cel-shaded at points giving a more cartoony look than before. Music is something of a mixed bag though. Some levels are good and others tend to get annoying after hearing them over and over. The announcer is back too as are more monkey sounds coming out from the Wii remote as well as on screen.
Banana Blitz is a worthy addition to the Monkey Ball series. The single player is still as fun as ever and some mini games can be great with your friends. It may feel slightly more restricted than the first and second game with fewer single player floors and it would have been preferred to have six to twelve strong party games rather than the fifty mediocre on offer here. By no means perfect but still worth a look.
80%
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Super Monkey Ball has always been one my favourite games on the Nintendo Gamecube proving a great challenge when it came to the single player mode, and a right laugh with a bunch of friends. It required a steady thumb and a lot of patience. Ever since the Wii was first announced people immediately thought it seemed ridiculous not to transfer the series over as it seemed perfectly suited to the new controls. Well Sega did come through and deliver what is yet another great if flawed Monkey Ball game.
The idea of Super Monkey Ball is to guide your monkey in his ball through numerous obstacles and through a goal. It’s that simple. What Sega decided to do is keep everything of the old games intact but also throw some new ideas in as well and I have to say they blend in perfectly. The first thing added to the gameplay is the ability to jump. While it does make the game a little easier being able to jump large areas out of the way, it does allow unbelievable shortcuts to take place. The next is in the form of new monkeys and their abilities. The original four return for one more go but Doctor and YanYan are new to select in single player mode. As well as this each monkey now has his or her own stats when it comes to speed, jump height, power and so on which makes for picking the right monkey for certain levels a good idea. It adds a nice element of strategy to the game not found in previous games. Boss stages are also new to the game and make for a pleasant break from the usual point A to point B where instead the goal is defeat a giant enemy by smacking its weak point. Surprisingly these levels feel as if they’ve been part of the series for years and don’t simply feel tacked on.
Handling your monkey couldn’t be easier. Tilt the control the direction you want to go and press the A button to jump. That’s it. It does feel incredibly weird at first and hard to control, but after an hour or so you’ll pick it up, dodging bumpers and jumping up steps like second nature.
While hardcore gamers will complain at the fact single player goes for an easier unlimited continues approach, others will rejoice at the thought of being able to come back and retry certain levels that had you gritting your teeth as many times as you need. What is there in the main game is quite a long lasting affair that consists of eight worlds containing eight floors, a bonus stage and a final boss. There are also a further two hidden worlds that similar to Master mode in previous games require an earth shattering amount of skill to obtain. It is a fair number but given the choice it would have been appreciated to have more floors for the sacrifice of some of the average mini games.
One big mistake is the absence of multiplayer when it comes to the main game. Some of the greatest moments occurred when racing for the goal with three friends competing too but sadly that isn’t possible any more. Why Sega thought it a good idea to exclude it I don’t know as it would have added drastically to the games lifespan.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz states it has 50 mini games to play and while it isn’t an overstatement, the quality of some of them leaves a lot to be desired. That said when Monkey Ball delivers a competitive frantic game it really does shine. Games like Hammer Throw and Hurdle Race really prove the Wii is the place for multiplayer gaming. One game that had me and my friends laughing in particular was called Monkey Ball which is a great point-and-shoot mini game where the aim is to hit numbered balls in order before the others do. However there are quite a lot of average to borderline boring games littered around. Main culprits include Rock Paper Scissors Attack (which is exactly as it sounds) and Monkey Darts (which just doesn’t work very well at all.)
Those wondering if old classics return will be happy and also disappointed by what is here. Race is there and better with the Wii remote which is a nice surprise. However bowling and fan favourite target have also made the cut, yet they are nothing compared to their Gamecube counterparts with few options and lacking any depth whatsoever.
I guess that is where many of the mini games fail is in their depth and it’s a shame because this could have been something special with more care. What may seem like a great selection quickly turns into shallow, passable fun. Out of the games available only around half lead me and my friends to try them again which is not too good at all.
Super Monkey Ball looks great on the Wii and while it does seem a little basic at first glance, will quickly grow on you and make you realise its better suited to the game’s style and character. The game displays impressive enough looking environments that are almost cel-shaded at points giving a more cartoony look than before. Music is something of a mixed bag though. Some levels are good and others tend to get annoying after hearing them over and over. The announcer is back too as are more monkey sounds coming out from the Wii remote as well as on screen.
Banana Blitz is a worthy addition to the Monkey Ball series. The single player is still as fun as ever and some mini games can be great with your friends. It may feel slightly more restricted than the first and second game with fewer single player floors and it would have been preferred to have six to twelve strong party games rather than the fifty mediocre on offer here. By no means perfect but still worth a look.
80%
The idea of Super Monkey Ball is to guide your monkey in his ball through numerous obstacles and through a goal. It’s that simple. What Sega decided to do is keep everything of the old games intact but also throw some new ideas in as well and I have to say they blend in perfectly. The first thing added to the gameplay is the ability to jump. While it does make the game a little easier being able to jump large areas out of the way, it does allow unbelievable shortcuts to take place. The next is in the form of new monkeys and their abilities. The original four return for one more go but Doctor and YanYan are new to select in single player mode. As well as this each monkey now has his or her own stats when it comes to speed, jump height, power and so on which makes for picking the right monkey for certain levels a good idea. It adds a nice element of strategy to the game not found in previous games. Boss stages are also new to the game and make for a pleasant break from the usual point A to point B where instead the goal is defeat a giant enemy by smacking its weak point. Surprisingly these levels feel as if they’ve been part of the series for years and don’t simply feel tacked on.
Handling your monkey couldn’t be easier. Tilt the control the direction you want to go and press the A button to jump. That’s it. It does feel incredibly weird at first and hard to control, but after an hour or so you’ll pick it up, dodging bumpers and jumping up steps like second nature.
While hardcore gamers will complain at the fact single player goes for an easier unlimited continues approach, others will rejoice at the thought of being able to come back and retry certain levels that had you gritting your teeth as many times as you need. What is there in the main game is quite a long lasting affair that consists of eight worlds containing eight floors, a bonus stage and a final boss. There are also a further two hidden worlds that similar to Master mode in previous games require an earth shattering amount of skill to obtain. It is a fair number but given the choice it would have been appreciated to have more floors for the sacrifice of some of the average mini games.
One big mistake is the absence of multiplayer when it comes to the main game. Some of the greatest moments occurred when racing for the goal with three friends competing too but sadly that isn’t possible any more. Why Sega thought it a good idea to exclude it I don’t know as it would have added drastically to the games lifespan.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz states it has 50 mini games to play and while it isn’t an overstatement, the quality of some of them leaves a lot to be desired. That said when Monkey Ball delivers a competitive frantic game it really does shine. Games like Hammer Throw and Hurdle Race really prove the Wii is the place for multiplayer gaming. One game that had me and my friends laughing in particular was called Monkey Ball which is a great point-and-shoot mini game where the aim is to hit numbered balls in order before the others do. However there are quite a lot of average to borderline boring games littered around. Main culprits include Rock Paper Scissors Attack (which is exactly as it sounds) and Monkey Darts (which just doesn’t work very well at all.)
Those wondering if old classics return will be happy and also disappointed by what is here. Race is there and better with the Wii remote which is a nice surprise. However bowling and fan favourite target have also made the cut, yet they are nothing compared to their Gamecube counterparts with few options and lacking any depth whatsoever.
I guess that is where many of the mini games fail is in their depth and it’s a shame because this could have been something special with more care. What may seem like a great selection quickly turns into shallow, passable fun. Out of the games available only around half lead me and my friends to try them again which is not too good at all.
Super Monkey Ball looks great on the Wii and while it does seem a little basic at first glance, will quickly grow on you and make you realise its better suited to the game’s style and character. The game displays impressive enough looking environments that are almost cel-shaded at points giving a more cartoony look than before. Music is something of a mixed bag though. Some levels are good and others tend to get annoying after hearing them over and over. The announcer is back too as are more monkey sounds coming out from the Wii remote as well as on screen.
Banana Blitz is a worthy addition to the Monkey Ball series. The single player is still as fun as ever and some mini games can be great with your friends. It may feel slightly more restricted than the first and second game with fewer single player floors and it would have been preferred to have six to twelve strong party games rather than the fifty mediocre on offer here. By no means perfect but still worth a look.
80%