Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD Reviews

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD is ranked in the 23rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
4 / 10.0
Jan 15, 2020

It's interesting to know that Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD is actually a remix or remake of the original, not a remaster, so why look more like a remaster? Neither graphically improved, nor added to the depth of gameplay. However, if you're looking for a multiplayer, fun, and family-friendly game like me don't miss the Banana Blitz HD.

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9 / 10.0
Dec 20, 2019

For what it is, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD knocks it out of the park. From the simplicity, approachability, and variability of the gameplay to the fun aesthetics and music, Banana Blitz HD has a level of quality and self-awareness that many games (especially those for younger audiences) lack nowadays. At the end of it all, this game is a complete joy to play, full stop.

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5.5 / 10.0
Dec 11, 2019

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD provides glimpses of the greatness but these are few and far between in a game that struggles to find a solid difficulty curve and provide much else outside of the core 100 stages.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 21, 2019

The premise is ridiculous but cute, and the action is certainly well-done with a nice fast and fluid feeling that Sonic the Hedgehog would approve of. It makes for a quick, entertaining diversion, though I do not know that it really has the depth in the single player to keep me coming back for more once I worked through the stages - but Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD is a blast with some friends if you enjoy some multiplayer shenanigans. It might be a bit more difficult to justify this release if it were a full sixty dollars, so ringing in at only two thirds of that price certainly helps. I do wonder if there were not better choices in the series to choose from that would not require a complete reworking of the controls, such as Monkey Ball Deluxe which had a lot more content available. Still, what we have here is definitely fun, even if it is in shorter bursts.

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Games Xtreme
Jamie Hendrix Roberts
Recommended
Nov 21, 2019

The levels themselves are really well designed, when you are going down a spiral hill at a ridiculous speed you need to take care that you don't go shooting off the side while collecting bananas as you go along. Its like most games, you pick up over a certain number of collectibles and you earn a life. When you start the game you just assume that the levels are quite easy and you'd be right at the start but then as you progress, not only does it test your skills, it also tests your patience.

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Nov 21, 2019

They really don’t make games like this one anymore. The game immediately connects you to another era, and gives you the chance to experience something that just doesn’t exist in today’s market. In doing so though, it serves as a demonstration of why games have moved away from so many of the design principles on display in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD. For some, this will be a fun and convenient way to revisit a beloved old game. For most though, the best case on offer is an auto-retrospective experience, unflinchingly showing you all of its best and most mediocre parts.

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6.5 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2019

Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz HD delivers an alright remaster effort with minimal changes and generally just a fresh coat of paint.

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Nov 13, 2019

Super Monkey Ball banana Blitz HD is too difficult to play due to the controls. It made me feel sick, and it lacks a lot of the fun extras that were a draw for the series, or at least what should be expected in one for the current generation of consoles.

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4 / 10.0
Nov 12, 2019

A disappointing package which fails to showcase the appeal of the classic series. Bad boss fights and bad mini games make this remake hard to recommend.

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5.8 / 10.0
Nov 12, 2019

Instead what we've got here is a HD misfire of a motion-control misfire from over a decade ago.

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GameGrin
Top Critic
6 / 10.0
Nov 8, 2019

While it's welcome to see one of Sega's most original IPs return to modern consoles, Banana Blitz HD is far from the series at its best and one that purists will find wanting.

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6 / 10.0
Nov 7, 2019

I would implore Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA to reconsider patching in motion controls for the title, to give gamer’s it’s respected experience that we all came to love on the Nintendo Wii, as it’s current bearings lack any posture to prop itself perfectly within the party gaming market. While I somewhat enjoyed the title, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD is worth checking out, purely for it’s nostalgia factor.

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Pure Nintendo
D. Crowley
Top Critic
5 / 10.0
Nov 6, 2019

If you're an avid fan of the Monkey Ball series you may find some entertainment here. Otherwise, I'd say you should pass, or wait until it's on sale as Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD is not the grand return of the series it could have been

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7.8 / 10.0
Nov 6, 2019

Although there are a few aspects I didn’t like, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD was a fun game to play for the first time. I’m not the biggest fan of the controls, as the wobble-camera made things a little confusing and frustratingly more difficult that it had to be, but the nostalgic gameplay left me with a smile – when I wasn’t shouting due to an unfair death or tumble. The Time Attack and Decathlon modes will keep you busy if going for the platinum, and allows you to prove you really do have the best handle on your Monkey Balls! The party games are a nice bonus but considering forty of them were removed, I wouldn’t consider this a multiplayer game anymore, you’ll get the most entertainment out of playing it on your own.

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7 / 10
Nov 5, 2019

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD is a solid remaster of a sub-par Super Monkey Ball title. The visual style works for the series, and most of the party games that were included represent the best ones from the original release. The online leaderboard integration for the Decathlon and Time Attack modes is a great addition. There are unlockable outfits, and even Sonic the Hedgehog has been added to the game. All of the original music from the Wii release has been replaced due to licensing issues.

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GameMAG
Top Critic
6 / 10
Nov 3, 2019

On the one hand, the game has lost its arcade drive and charm, on the other - it's still a good Monkey Ball, albeit not without drawbacks in the form of inappropriate bosses, wacky mini-games, outdated graphics and a little different cartoon style.

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7.5 / 10.0
Nov 1, 2019

While I’m sure there have been minor changes made from the original release, I still have to say this has been a rather fun experience, one that I’m glad that I didn’t turn down since it seems that this game is a small step in the direction of bringing the series back to life.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 31, 2019

Super Monkey Ball series is back and while it is not a new game, and it is certainly not the best game to remaster in the series, this is still an upgrade over the original solely based on the choice of better analog controls.

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6 / 10.0
Oct 31, 2019

I’m happy to report that the game is worth checking out. I was surprised with the quality of the game in terms of level design; it’s varied, challenging and feels like classic Monkey Ball. Unfortunately, the party games lack the quality and depth of its predecessors and due to this, I award the game a Thumb Culture Silver Award!

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