Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble Reviews
Honestly, I would recommend it to players who want to get into the franchise and don't know how to do it, and although it gets difficult as you go through the levels, at least there is a help mode to guide new players. As for veterans of the saga, they will enjoy it just as they did with the Gamecube classics.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Banana Rumble shows the value of adding a new spin on a tried-and-true formula. This series has wallowed in its past for a long time, so I'm glad to see the new Spin Dash mechanic propel it into new and exciting places. As far as Super Monkey Ball sequels go, this one is easily the top banana.
The glory days of Super Monkey Ball may be far behind, but Banana Rumble is a new beginning. Tight stage design, responsive controls and an appealing aesthetic make it one of the series' best in years.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble from Sega is a good game that brings more of the same Monkey Ball fun with its single-player experience, but switches it up in a fun way with its online gameplay modes. It’s a solid party game that needs more baking on the server side but delivers when it counts.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble maintains the series’ iconic arcade fun while bringing fresh new elements to enhance the game like never before.
Though it does little to stray from the formula, Banana Rumble is a worthy original entry in a series that has somehow survived decades on a fairly simple concept. With a worthy Adventure Mode full of fun stages and addictive challenges, some great inclusions for approachability, a healthy suite of unlockables and some amusing, if not particularly compelling, multiplayer Battle modes, this is a decent overall package for Monkey Ball vets and newcomers alike.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble's offerings are exactly what you'd expect, a fun and bananas time that is easy to pick up and hard to master. The new gimmick of the spin-dash feels quintessential and juices the experience of working through 200 arcade levels just that little bit more. Though there's room for improvements with online matchmaking and some levels perhaps being a bit too hard for hard's sake, there are just as many quality additions in gameplay assistance tools and the ability to doll your monkey up in dozens upon dozens of cute fits. There's no monkeying around here when it comes to quality- Super Monkey Ball as a franchise remains the belle of the ball.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is certainly perfect for passing the time and fans of the series will be happy to have 200 new levels, but 12 years after an unreleased chapter one would have expected a more lively revival in every aspect.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Banana Rumble doesn't unseat the original Super Monkey Ball or its sequel, but it gets closer than you'd think.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble sticks to its roots a little too closely, with its multiplayer mode coming off as more of a bonus than the main attraction. Those that don’t mind the same old song and monkey dance will have fun, but don’t expect anything revolutionary.
For a series that has struggled to recapture the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of that first title from a few decades ago, it’s great to see that with Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble the developers have landed on what might be a strong future direction for the series. Banana Rumble in itself is a little undercooked overall, but it’s still pristine Monkey Ball action, backed by manic good fun multiplayer, and hopefully will be backed up with a second game that more completely executes on the potential.
Overall, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble is a pleasant experience. The story may be disposable, but the levels feature some ingenuity that makes good use of the current physics system without feeling unfair. The number of levels will please fans who love the challenge. While the minigames aren't anything fresh, the presence of multiplayer just about everywhere marks a good step forward for the series. Hardcore fans won't see this as besting the original games from all those years ago, but they will still have a good time with this entry. We're hopeful that Banana Rumble marks the start of new games in the series.
The failures of Banana Mania have not been repeated, and the high skill ceiling of the spin dash combined with the extensive replayability of the optional objectives means that I am probably going to be playing this game for the next twenty years just the same as the GameCube classics. Even as the modern descendant of Super Monkey Ball's original developer Amusement Vision, Ryu ga Gotoku Studio has outdone themselves here. This is not simply a return to form; this is proof of the bright future that Super Monkey Ball might have.
With its brilliant stage designs, adorable presentation, and welcome new ability, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is the most amount of fun I've had monkeying around since the original debuted. 🐵
A remarkable return of Super Monkey Ball, in a new adventure full of short and fun challenges. It is virtuoso in accessibility but does not renounce an increase in difficulty for those who want the best scores. An adventure that can be shared with more players.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Even if it does feature some technical and design issues, namely the wonky framerate, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble‘s core gameplay loop is still really fun. There’s tons of content, the Sega crossover characters are actually worth checking out, and the quickly beatable levels are perfect for a portable like the Switch. It doesn’t exactly push the franchise forward in any meaningful direction, aside from its multiplayer, but as a quick pasttime to play on your Switch for a few minutes at a time, it’s ain’t half bad.
Even though I haven’t had much experience with the series prior to playing Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, I had a fun time with this game thanks to its simple yet challenging 200 levels. Having the various accessibility modes was also helpful for me given that I’m not particularly good at platformers. More than the solo experience though, Banana Rumble shines in multiplayer. The 16-player Battle Mode is nice to have, but its local co-op feature is what makes it worth checking out for Switch owners as it is definitely a great match for parties. Overall, this game should be worth a look for both long-time fans and those who are new to Super Monkey Ball like me. This Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble review was made with a Switch game code provided by the publisher.
"Old monkey learned new tricks!"
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Can we conclude in this Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble review that it's a fun game? Absolutely! The game retains the timeless charm that has kept the franchise alive for years. That said, it’s essentially more Monkey Ball. This is no punishment, but it’s a recipe we’ve seen before. Online play is remarkably simple, a notable achievement for a game on the Nintendo Switch. However, this also brings its own issues, especially considering we can go online with sixteen players. This leads to serious framerate issues that somewhat undermine the game. Additionally, the camera sometimes causes problems. Nevertheless, in solo mode, it’s a fantastic experience, and if you’re not too concerned about the details, local multiplayer is definitely worth trying. Don’t be fooled by the game’s cute appearance, though. Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble will push you to your limits if you want to see everything the game has to offer, and that’s exactly how we like these kinds of games!
Review in Dutch | Read full review
After more than twenty years, the original outings on GameCube have finally found a worthy successor. Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a rousing return to form for a series that had been struggling to find its footing. While it doesn't quite reach the highs of the first two games, mainly due to performance inconsistencies and lacking multiplayer, I still really enjoyed myself. Above all else, it feels great to be excited about Super Monkey Ball’s future again.