Completely bananas!
Everything old is new again. At least that is how Sega wants it to be. It is still hard to fathom that the original Super Monkey Ball is now two decades old. So, it is only fitting that 20 years later we are getting the complete collection of the series original outings in one tight package. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania brings together over 300 stages and a dozen mini-games with some quality of life updates and extras tossed in to make it the ultimate Monkey Ball collection. While there is a lot of content here, some of the under-the-hood changes might upset fans of the original.
This collection includes Super Monkey Ball, Super Monkey Ball 2, and Super Monkey Ball Deluxe into one neat package tied together with a flimsy narrative that explains what is happening. There are over 300 stages to tackle from all three games with each one building up the difficulty while also sporting plenty of hidden challenges and tests to keep it entertaining.
MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $39.99
For anyone unfamiliar with the series the premise is pretty straightforward. Players tilt the level to guide their monkey, which is trapped in a plastic ball, to the goal while also collecting bananas along the way. It starts off simple enough with straight lines and minimal roadblocks, but quickly devolves into a hair-pulling exercise that will challenge even the most seasoned gamer. The game also tosses in secret exits as well as a time limit per stage. Collecting all the bananas while making solid time is always a challenge. Thankfully none of that is required to progress, but instead is there to make going back and perfecting levels enjoyable.
Progress in this collection is done in the form of coins that are earned to purchase new abilities and of course cosmetic items. Sega went all out on those with this entry bringing in other classic Sega franchises to spice up the fun. I mean when you can opt to play as Kiryu from Yakuza it automatically makes a game more interesting. These coins can also be used to purchase abilities which enhance the game play. Things like the ability to jump are included, which is crucial for making better time. It is a nice reward system that adds replay value to the abundance of levels.
There are also mirror versions of each level and a ton more to explore. The package is simply brimming with content. The quality of life features are nice with a helper function that showcases the ideal line (think a racing line in a driving game) and the ability to slow down time to react better. I do wish the game had a faster load so retrying stages moved a bit more seamlessly. Getting rid of the fly-by altogether upon fail for example would have gone a long way.
The downsides come in the form of the engine rebuild. This is not the same physics the game was originally built on. This means hardcore fans are likely not going to be able to exploit their previous tactics to achieve faster times. Instead, the whole thing feels very nuanced and different. The extra stuff is also locked behind paywalls. Things such as the special characters and soundtracks are things that have to be purchased, which is a huge bummer. Those are the things they focused on up to launch and to find out not having the deluxe edition means I didn’t have them out of the gate was a bummer.
The game runs smooth most of the time on Series X with a clean shiny look. The whole presentation is solid with the exception of retrying levels. The game just looks and sounds like a blast, which it is. Packing so much Monkey Ball history into one collection is really a treat for fans of the series.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is a solid collection that is worth dipping into for new and old fans alike. There is simple a staggering amount of content to be found and the nuanced new physics will only apply to hardcore fans of the original. While the interesting content might be locked behind a paywall there is still more than plenty in the vanilla version to keep players happy. Now let’s not go another 20 years without constant Monkey Ball. The gaming world is always better when AiAi and his crew are present.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
