Summary
- The Super Monkey Ball series has seen a variety of entries across different consoles, but some are much better than others.
- The best Super Monkey Ball games offer challenging, cleverly designed levels, tight controls, and a diverse variety of fun party games.
Monkey see, monkey do, monkey roll! 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Super Monkey Ball has been around since 2001, initially launching for arcades before hitting the GameCube a few months later. The series quickly became one of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Sega's most iconic properties thanks to its brutal difficulty, maze-like obstacle courses, and en𝕴dlessly replayable party modes.
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Over the years, more than a dozen titles have launched on various platforms, some of which are much better than others. If you're looking to get started with the Monkey Ball series, which games should you play? And which should you skip?
Updated on July 9, 2024, by PJ Molloy: Super Monkey Ball is back! After years of remakes and remasters, Sega finally launched a brand-new game in the form of Banana Rumble. But how does this new entry compare to the others?
For this list, we're only ranking the console games. Arcade machines and mobile games don't qualify.
13 ಌ Super Monkey Ball Jr. 🎐
An Impressive Tech Demo, But Frustrating To Play
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Console(s) |
Game Boy Advance |
|---|---|
|
Launch Date |
November 20, 2002 |
Super Monkey Ball Jr. is nothing short of a technical marvel. Most aspects of the first GameCube game are here, including the levels, music, voice acting, and minigames. Plus, the simulated 3D gameplay is beyond impressive for the hardware. It's a miracle it runs on the Game Boy Advance at all.
Unfortunately, the perks come at a grave cost. The physics are, quite frankly, awful. You never truly feel in cꦺontrol, discouraging you from collecting hard-to-reach bananas and making the advanced stages infuriating. Sadly, Super Monkey Ball Jr. bit off more than it could chew, making it difficult to recommend to anyone besides those curious about its technical prowess.
12 🃏 Super Monkey Ball 3D 💙
Goodbye, Challenge. Hello, Mario Kart Clone
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Console(s) |
Nintendo 3DS |
|---|---|
|
Launch Date |
March 27, 2011 |
At first glance, Super Monkey Ball 3D appears to get everything right. The controls are fine, the visuals are nice, and the environments are creative. The biggest problem is the level d🎶esign. Many stages have railings along the edges that prevent you from falling off, robbing the game of the arcade-style challengꦫe the series is famous for.
As for the party games, Monkey Race and Monkey Fight have been entirely reworked to resemble Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros., respectively. The results are shallow imitations♋ that fail to enhance or ev🗹en use the core Monkey Ball gameplay. Overall, the 3DS entry lacks everything that makes the series special, resulting in a derivative and boring experience.
11 Super Monk൲ey Ball: Banana Blitz 🥂
Motion Controls And Jumping Make An Odd Combo
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Console(s) |
Nintendo Wii |
|---|---|
|
Launch Date |
November 19, 2006 |
Banana Blitzꦰ is arguably the most divisive game in the series. To its credit, it has a few redeeming qualities. The music is incredibly catchy, the new art style is adorable, and the addition of bosses is a nice touch. However, two aspects really bog the game down: the motion controls and the jump button.
The motion controls don't allow for the precision needed to navigate narrow paths and tight corners, leading to many unfair deaths. The jump button helps a little but feels more like a bandage for a fundamental design flaw than something that actually enhances the gameplay. If you're interested in this game, you're better off playing the remaster.
10 Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll ℱ 🌱
One Step Forward And One Step Back
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Console(s) |
Nintendo Wii |
|---|---|
|
Launch Date |
February 9, 2010 |
The second Wii entry tries to innovate upon Banana Blitz to very mixed results. On the one hand, the jump mechanic is gone, and the muℱsic and visuals are exceptional. On the other hand, the motion controls are still there, along with the option to play with a Wii Balance Board, which is somehow even worse.
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However, there's a larger issue here. Step & Roll dramatically tones down the difficulty to compensate for the less precise control scheme. While this makes the motion controls more tolerable, it does so at the cost of the series' identity as a challenging arcade-style experience. It's better than Banana Blitz, albeit ever so slightly.
9 Super Monkey Ball Adv🍒entur🌳e
Introducing Sandbox Exploration To Mixed Results
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Console(s) |
GameCube, PlayStation 2, PSP |
|---|---|
|
Launch Date |
August 1, 2006 |
Super Monkey Ball Adventure swaps the series' traditional arcade-style format for sandbox exploration. You roll the monkeys around semi-open worlds to grab collectibles and complete objectives, similar to collect-a-thons of the era. You can even unlock new abilities to expand your moveset.
While the concept seems interesting on paper, the execution is hit-or-miss. In these types of 3D platformers, the moveset should feel liberating to make exploration fun. Super Monkey Ball's gameplay is a bit too limiting for these kinds of environments, leading to a tedious experience overall. There are definitely fun moments here, but Monkey Ball and open-world levels aren't exactly a match made in heaven.
8 Super Monkey Ball🉐: Banana Blitz HD
A Solid Remaster With Much Better Controls
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Console(s) |
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows |
|---|---|
|
Launch Date |
October 29, 2019 |
This is 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:how you do a remake. Banana Blitz HD fixes 🐼many issues from the original while adding new features and characters. First, you can finally play with a traditional control scheme. So long, motion controls! The movement is significantly more precise, allowing you to enjoy the level design without worrying about unfair deaths🦩.
Not only do all playable characters return, but you can even play as Sonic the Hedgehog for the first time in the series. While the levels aren't quite as good as the GameCube titles, Banana Blitz HD is a decent entry and miles ahead of the Wii original.
7 Super𝄹 Monkey Ball: Ba🎀nana Splitz
A Wonderful Hidden Gem
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Console(s) |
PlayStation Vita |
|---|---|
|
Launch Date |
October 23, 2012 |
Banana Splitz is widely considered the most underrated game in the series. The main game is exactly what you'd want from Monkey Ball, featuring over 100 new mazes and a pretty satisfying difficulty curve. While you can play using motion controls, you can turn them off completely in favor of the joystick.
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As far as minigames go, Banana Splitz has some interesting ideas. The standout is the new Love Maze mode, in which you must control two monkeys at a time without moving them too far apart. Overall, it's a fun and underappreciated entry that all Monkey Ball fans should consider trying.
6 Super Monkey Balไl: Touch & Roll 🌟
A Great Way To Play Monkey Ball On The Go
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Console(s) |
Nintendo DS |
|---|---|
|
Launch Date |
February 21, 2006 |
Touch & Roll is kind of like Super Monkey Ball's greatest hits. The levels mostly come from the first two GameCube games, and they work surprisingly well on the DS. The 3D environments blend well with the 2D sprites, and the animations are brimming with charm and personality.
Ultimately, your enjoyment will depend on whether you can stomach the touch controls. Overall, they're shockingly responsive and allow for the precision needed for the tougher mazes. If you don't mind playing with a stylus, Touch & Roll is a fine way to take Monkey Ball on the go and a 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:great addition to your DS collection.
Personally, I find that using the stylus gets a bit un♕comfortable after a while. Thankfully,𝔍 some mods let you map the touch controls to a 3DS circle pad, which makes for a much better experience.
5 🎃 Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania 🌼
A Loving Remake Of The First Three Games
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Console(s) |
Ninte⛄ndo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows |
|---|---|
|
Launch Date |
October 5, 2021 |
As far as remakes go, Banana Mania pulls out all the stops. Every level from the first two games and Super Monkey Ball Deluxe is here with dazzling new visuals. Every playable character from the series' history returns, in addition to many guest characters like Sonic, Tails, and Kazuma Kiryu from Yakuza. You can even play as a Sega Dreamcast.
Now for the downside: the physics and controls aren't a one-to-one recreation of the original games. Fortunately, they're close enough that you probably won't notice unless you know the GameCube titles like the back of your hand. If you're looking to revisit these classics, Banana Mania is a great way to do it.
4 🅘 💎 Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble
Reviving The Series After A Long Hiatus
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Console(s) |
Nintendo Switch |
|---|---|
|
Launch Date |
June 25, 2024 |
Check out our 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:review of Banana Rumble to learn more!
After 12 years of 🃏no🧸 brand-new Monkey Ball game, Banana Rumble hit the Nintendo Switch to prove that the series is still fantastic. On top of a charming art style and fully animated cutscenes, this entry knocks it out of the park with a top-tier single-player mode featuring challenging, well-designed mazes.
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The biggest new addition is the Spin Dash, which gives you an instant burst of speed. Luckily, it feels less like a gimmick and more like a useful tool for speedrunners. That said, not everything is perfect. The multiplayer modes, in particular, are lacking. But don't let that discourage you from playing what is otherwise an outstanding game.
