It is hard to believe that the Super Monkey Ball franchise has hit its 20th anniversary! I remember a few friends being absolutely in love with the original game back on GameCube and having a good time with its multiplayer modes. That being said I have never really played any game in the franchise outside of a few minutes here and there. When Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania was announced, and that it was compiling together over 300 levels from Super Monkey Ball 1, 2, and Deluxe, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally give the franchise a real try, and I am glad I did!

Story

Dr. Bad-Boon is up to his old tricks again and it is up to our Monkey heroes to stop him!

Gameplay

As someone who hasn’t frequented the Super Monkey Ball franchise, I wasn’t sure what to expect as I began my playthrough of the game’s story mode, which is pulled directly from Super Monkey Ball 2. After a few minutes of adjusting to the way the game controls, as you control the environment instead of the characters, I was able to start completing some levels. There is a good learning curve in getting your chosen monkey from the beginning of a course to the end of one, especially if you want to collect as many bananas as possible along the way. 

It really doesn’t take long for things to ramp up though, and I found myself failing courses quite a number of times before finally getting through. And of course, as you progress you get introduced to even more outlandish obstacles and traps to overcome. The problem-solving that Super Monkey Ball has you doing is quite intriguing to me, as sometimes the solution is as simple as going faster, while others require a more deliberate press of a switch and careful pacing. Regardless, getting to the end feels like an accomplishment, especially with the ever-present timer at the top of the screen ready to kill your run if you take too long. 

As you get further into the game you will be introduced to alternate exits for you to go after. These exits are typically harder to get to and will push your navigating limits to the test with either crazy traps or razor-thin pathways. The challenge involved to get to some is “bananas” (see what I did there?) and so far I have only accomplished a handful as I typically give up and go for the traditional exit. This does lead to a bit more replay value as you can always come back and try again at any time. Though to be fair, with 300+ levels and multiplayer modes to play, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is definitely not hurting for replay value!

Speaking of multiplayer, I have been having a blast playing the minigames with the kids. There are a number of games to choose from like pool, races, and even dogfighting. While the main game is great for its difficulty and the challenge maps test your abilities, multiplayer party modes are definitely where it is at in this household! By the way, for any of you out there who have younger kids wanting to play the main game, you can enable a helper mode that makes it far more approachable.

Visuals

Super Mankey Ball Banana Mania is a nice-looking game. Rather than an HD remaster of the older titles on which it is based, the game has been rebuilt from the ground up in the Unity Engine. While not as detailed as other modern games, I think the art style being used here is a perfect throwback to the original while still looking like something modern. Courses and backgrounds are eye-catching but not distracting and the feeling of speed as you send your Monkey flying down a course is represented well. I also really enjoy the ball in which your monkey is placed, as its 2-tone shell looks fun in motion.

Audio

The soundtrack for Banana Mania is also very upbeat and catchy, giving the game a fun vibe as you progress through it. And that title screen! What a song to get started on! Effects like bumping into walls or other objects also sound great. Nearly every voiced line in the game is presented in its original Japanese form, so that will either be a plus or annoyance based on your own personal tastes.

Replayability

As mentioned previously, there is a ton of content in Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania scattered across its story, challenge, and multiplayer modes. In addition to this, there are numerous cosmetic and unlockable items to earn by completing the game. This really encourages going back and collecting extra bananas in each course if you want to get some fun things. Then there are the online leaderboards you can compete in to get the best times worldwide!

What It Could Have Done Better

I think my only real concern about Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is with its optional DLC content. While the deluxe edition comes with everything out of the gate, I feel this should have just been the norm. Having extra cosmetics and tracks pieced out for additional downloads to base game owners on day 1 doesn’t really inspire a purchase. This is seriously a practice we need to move away from in the industry. It is also very annoying that you have to enable the game’s helper mode on every single individual level instead of it being a global setting.

Verdict

As a Super Monkey Ball newcomer, I have been having so much fun with Banana Mania and think it makes an excellent starting point for any newcomers to the series! You get challenging gameplay, loads of content, and a fun multiplayer mode all for a great starting price. Thanks to the game’s helper function it is also a game anyone can pick up and play, like my 4-year-old who is making steady progress through the story! Unfortunately, a number of extras have been taken from the game to be used as pointless DLC, but such is the world we live in at the moment. If you have ever been curious about the franchise, give this one a look!