Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble Reviews

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble is ranked in the 60th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
80 / 100
Jun 24, 2024

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is the return to form that fans have been waiting for. Courses develop in their complexity in order to create the best single-player campaign since the sophomore release. While the multiplayer portion includes new minigames, it struggles to maintain the same level of engagement and longevity as the originals. Despite that, the dedication to improving the franchise’s gameplay mechanics ensures it’s a significant addition for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

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7.5 / 10.0
Jun 24, 2024

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.

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Jun 24, 2024

Sometimes a niche series like this that’s been around for decades can become comfortable catering to longtime fans. Banana Rumble avoids that pitfall by instead giving new players all the tools they need to understand each challenge. Casual multiplayer modes, as light as they may be, bring some extra appeal for that crowd. On the other end of the spectrum, the spin dash is a powerful tool for veterans who want a new way to push their skills to the limits. Whether you’re a longtime spectator or a seasoned speed demon, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble saves a seat for you at the party.

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Evan Norris
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Jun 24, 2024

Banana Rumble doesn't unseat the original Super Monkey Ball or its sequel, but it gets closer than you'd think.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jun 24, 2024

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is yet another success in Sega’s platform party game series.

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VGC
Top Critic
Jun 24, 2024

As the first entirely new Monkey Ball game in 12 years, fans of the series will at least be happy to have a selection of new stages to play through. Performance issues and a relatively sparse multiplayer offering prevent it from being considered among the best the series has to offer, however.

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4.5 / 5.0
Jun 24, 2024

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is another exhilarating platformer from Ryu ga Gotoku Studio. Though some of the later levels can be less than pleasant, the majority of the game is a blast and will have you on the edge of your seat in the best way possible.

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Jun 24, 2024

Banana Rumble is the first all-new Super Monkey Ball game in a long time, and it proves that the series still has more arcade thrills to provide. The new Spin Dash mechanic is an excellent addition and opens up some very neat possibilities. Unfortunately, some technical issues and a few tedious stages somewhat hurt the overall experience, but there is otherwise a lot to appreciate here.

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