Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania Reviews
It definitely eases you in, especially if you're a newcomer, but it's also surprisingly quick to lean into the stuff found in the compendium of stages from the first two GameCube outings.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania presents a classic Super Monkey Ball experience to the modern masses, and I'm entirely captivated by it. Roll on, oh mighty monkeys. Roll on!
It's hard to fault Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania for giving us exactly what it promises. It's a compilation of three older games with some gussied-up visuals and some nice new features. If you've never played the franchise before but were always curious, then this is probably the best place to start. If you're a longtime fan looking to re-experience some older Monkey mania, then it'll be exactly what you need. It's nothing more and nothing less.
Want to punch your friends in local multiplayer with a big boxing glove? Monkey Fight is right there, pal. This is not the straight port or remake of the original GameCube Monkey Ball I might have asked for, but it's a great game in its own right that brings to light a lot of what I loved about those earlier entries in the franchise. This is a lively, amusing video game that is stuffed with challenging marble-rolling stages, good-natured multiplayer games, and a lot of charm.
It’s a shame that the camera works against you at times, and pretty much all of the content here may be recycled from previous games, but that doesn’t stop Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania from being outrageously entertaining. Also, while the game’s premise is simple, there’s a great level of challenge here that will keep players returning time and time again to master all of the stages on offer. Throw in the party games that each offer their own unique take on Monkey Ball action, and you have a package that’s not to be missed by those who simply like to have fun.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is a great remake of some of the best Super Monkey Ball games ever made. There is a ton of content here and plenty of reasons to replay it whether it be to unlock all the content in the shop, set new best personal online leaderboard times, or sitting down to play the mini-games with friends locally. The only things that could’ve made it better was more online functionality and maybe some slight changes to the physics. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is a must for fans of the franchise and a great way to celebrate the 20th anniversary.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is the best of classic Monkey Ball with some fantastic new touches to keep things interesting, though accessibility takes a back seat in these remakes.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania isn't going to win any game of the year awards, but it's undeniably fun. While it's perhaps not the entry that will put the series back into the mainstream, fans of the original will likely have a good time and newcomers will see what the fuss is all about. While there are some questionable design choices, such as a finicky camera and microtransactions that feel out of place, this is an enjoyable adventure with AiAi and his friends.
Two decades later and this is still a unique and fun experience, especially when played with others, but as a single player experience it might not measure up to our fonder memories
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is undoubtedly a great way to celebrate the two decades of existence of the franchise, offering an experience so complete that you can get tired of playing at its levels and not finish it. This is perhaps its main flaw, which is not a game that renews or changes its mechanics. If you're definitely not attracted to its premise from the start, maybe this isn't the game for you. Their mini-games are great fun to play in meetings with friends.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is the kind of tragedy that Shakespeare himself would have written about. There is so much energy and passion that has gone into the game, and it is massive. We're talking dozens upon dozens of hours worth of raw content in there. The presentation is gorgeous too, and for the first hour or so I was hit by the most wonderful rush of nostalgia, reliving levels that had been etched into muscle memory from so many hours of play, back on the Gamecube. But then the more difficult levels hit and the controller hardware just wasn't up to the task like the Gamecube controller was. That was one thing. Worse, though, was that SEGA took these wonderful arcade experiences and made them... not arcade games anymore.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania offers a very entertaining experience for fans of team play with a variety of options and a return that is best for this title after years of frustrating experiences.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is a surefire sign that the series was and still is great to play. The change in game engine adds a vibrant coat of paint while tweaking the physics to a slightly faster alternative. However, this does not change the fact that some levels are too stuck in the past. Topped off with some very welcome accessibility options, this package is well worth playing even if the mini games and customization have some notable downsides.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is essentially a good-looking remake of Super Monkey Ball Deluxe with some nifty extras which is cool because that's an excellent game to bring back. So, if you're itching to master tricky levels then this package is sure to scratch.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a moment of stubborn insistence these games are dope, and it does everything it can to justify its stance. It’s the truth, after all, and it’s nice to see how gracefully Banana Mania achieves its goal. It’s a feel-good moment on the Super Monkey Ball timeline.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a roaring success and a fitting anniversary title for a mostly forgotten series. When it comes to fun, challenge, and charm, Banana Mania delivers in spades. It’s a crying shame about a lack of online, even if the leaderboards were a neat inclusion. I don’t think I have smiled, raged, paddied, and cheered this much in any other game this year. It’s a good time to monkey around, and I am excited to see what the future holds for the series.
A fabulous collection of one of gaming's most deceptively difficult games, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is pure, unadulterated fun.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania comes loaded with game modes that will keep us hooked for hours and hours, making it an incredible 20th anniversary tribute. The mini-games and multiplayer modes add even more replayability and fun. A game not to be missed.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Banana Blitz is a joyous celebration of what are still arguably the three best games in the series. There are a few slight performance issues and we have no doubt die-hards will argue about the overall feel, but there's a wealth of entertaining banana-hunting here regardless.
While not without its share of issues, you can’t say Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania doesn’t give you your money’s worth. With 300 stages to master and a wealth of modes and mini-games to enjoy, there’s more than enough monkey business on this disc to keep you rolling for weeks on end. However, if you never cared for the series before, then this collection probably isn’t going to win you over. Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a vibrant celebration of the series’ history that will test both your skills and your patience. But if you’re up for the challenge, don’t hesitate to add this to your PS5 library.