2021 serves as the 20th anniversary of the Super Monkey Ball franchise, so Sega is going all out with Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, which is a curated remastering of the best parts of the series’ first three titles. It’s a little strange since the third title in the series, Super Monkey Ball Deluxe, already put together the content of the first two games into one compilation, but this new offering puts an even fancier bow on top of a package that should be pretty familiar to fans of the series.
Super Monkey Ball has always been an extremely simple game at its core: Players tilt the world rather than directly controlling the character in order to collect bananas and make it through an exit before time expires. It’s as good as it ever was and each level has different missions attached to it that range from collecting a specific number of bananas to finishing within a specified time limit, so simply clearing a stage isn’t the only goal. Add in robust online leaderboards and there’s plenty of replayability to be found in its 300 or so stages.
Those that are familiar with newer Super Monkey Ball titles, such as 2019’s remastering of Banana Blitz or Super Monkey Ball 3D, will be in for quite the shock as Banana Mania is far harder than the series’ recent offerings. Once you inevitably die enough times, the game will prompt you to use the helper function, which gives players tips on how to complete the stage along with the ability to use slow motion. This is a fantastic compromise compared to skipping levels as it teaches players how to overcome some notoriously tricky parts and will help them better their playstyle until they can finish these stages legitimately. Pushing forward and getting better is when the gameplay truly starts to feel rewarding.
Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio also went all out for unlockable content as there are 13 playable characters, eight special modes (that range from 46 stages from Super Monkey Ball Deluxe to unlocking a course filled with original levels), a jump ability that can simply destroy some courses, and plenty of customization items that can be bought via in-game points. There are also frames that you can buy for the surprisingly in-depth photo mode that has been added as well, which is another nice touch.
The coolest of these are the characters from other Sega properties, such as Sonic, Kiryu from Yakuza, and Jet Set Radio‘s Beat as the bananas are replaced with items from their respective games. These new characters are fantastic additions since it’s neat to see such a varied and iconic lineup. But they can’t be used in the party mode, so, as unfortunate as it is, don’t expect to see Miles “Tails” Prower playing Monkey Bowling.
Banana Mania‘s party mode is the most disappointing part of the package. The problem isn’t the selection of games, as it thankfully includes all 12 original minigames such as Monkey Target and Monkey Tennis; the problem is the lack of any online play. It’s especially a bummer during a pandemic as it’s harder than ever to get four friends around to play. These offerings are still a solid diversion in 2021, but not being able to play online with others dates what is otherwise a solid modern update.
Whether you’re a die-hard veteran or someone looking to give the series a shot for the first time, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania serves its purpose as a content-rich, if familiar, package filled with its share of high points. There are some diminishing returns as some levels have been recycled for 20 years and the lack of online multiplayer limits the appeal of the great selection of party games, but the core formula of rolling around and collecting trinkets still serves this updated compilation of a compilation quite well.
SCORE: 7.5/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7 equates to “Good.” It’s a successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
