Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble Reviews
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a fantastic game whether you are rolling solo or with a party. From the Adventure Mode to the Battle Mode and a positive vibe soundtrack playing throughout, it’s a fun ride for all ages. Prepare that spin dash and roll out!
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is yet another success in Sega’s platform party game 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.
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.
Other than a few issues with the camera, which were able to be adjusted in the options, Banana Rumble provides a nearly endless amount of fun. The laughter of playing in split screen with a friend is perfection, and the challenge levels of the game itself are well-balanced. I was impressed at how in-depth the Adventure Mode can be, as well as the different assistance features and motion-sickness-reducing options. Whether someone has played a Super Monkey Ball game in the past or not, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is absolutely one that should not be overlooked by anyone looking for a cheerful, fun time.
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.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble maintains the series’ iconic arcade fun while bringing fresh new elements to enhance the game like never before.
Banana Rumble is fun. I love playing it. I thought I was mostly done playing it until, about 300 words into this review, something unexpected happened: I got The Itch. I’d beaten all the levels, but I wanted to beat them again. I wanted to take a crack at the missions, which I’d largely dismissed as frivolous on my first run. I wanted to go for some records in time attack, especially pre-release, when the sparse competition would all but guarantee me a spot in the top 5. (As of right now, 6:03 a.m. on June 23rd, 2024, I have Giant Bomb’s Dan Ryckert beaten by two seconds on the world 1 leaderboards. Dan, if you’re reading this: your move.) The game works, in all the ways I expect it to. Maybe not in all the ways I want it to, but so what? Banana Rumble doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be good. And for Super Monkey Ball, “perfect” and “good” are very nearly the same thing.
