Time to go bananas with this fun and adorable game, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania! It’s an entirely entertaining game, no matter the game one may choose from at the very start. There are six monkeys to choose from at the very beginning. Each is designed so cutely and adds to the fun of this game! I can honestly say no matter the time of day as there will always be time for some bright, cheerful monkeys and a bunch of banana collecting fun!
When one starts the game, there will be a variety of options. Each allows you to play the game a little bit differently or add on some wonderfully new styles to your monkey team. The first option would be to start the game alone, as a single-player game. You would be playing the main game, where you go through many different challenges on your very own and play the story straight through. On the other hand, if you have some others who want to play, there is always the party game option. This is where you can enjoy playing with four extra players and see who comes out on top. I always felt that a game alone is fun, but with others, it’s even better!
Oh yes, it doesn’t just stop there! Maybe by chance, you aren’t with friends or family and still want to be challenged by others, well there is the option to play against others from all over the world. Another feature I’ve always loved in games because there is someone out there that will push you a bit harder to be the best! This game never keeps you from challenging yourself or many others, that is for sure.
In addition to the ability to play in any game mode, you would like. There is also what I find enjoyable within a game, the ability to customize your character. This is available once you earn points to purchase some new editions for each character or whom you want to dress up. Yet, this can be done with each amount of reward earned from the levels you were playing through. Keep every character designed and looking the way you want them to. It’s another great way to show off your personal preference while in games with others and just for your enjoyment. Plus, the purchases don’t just stop at what you can add to your monkeys, but also the ability to purchase other Sega game characters, such as Sonic and Tails.
Even with all the purchases, you can buy, the game just starts you off with six cute monkeys. These cartoon characters are named AiAi, MeeMee, GonGon, Baby, YanYan, and Doctor. These characters are already available to play, and you don’t need to worry about buying them. In addition to the option of character choice, there is one positive note worth mentioning. You need not worry about which character you should be, as they are possessing the same capabilities while playing the game. So no one character is stronger or powerful than the next. This makes for fair gameplay, no more fighting over who you want as it’s the skills you possess that make for who will come out as the winner in the end.
From my first experience, I couldn’t stop playing! Once I turned the game, started right into the story mode. I was hooked on the cute sounds which makes me think of Pokémon characters or even that of a game called Bust-a-Move. I kept thinking to myself, will Pikachu be appearing on-screen too? Nevertheless, I still adored the cute sounds and music in the background, very upbeat and competitive but not overly annoying to cause a loss of concentration.
The game’s main objective is to get to the goal, but of course, the less time used the better. Yet, there is also that thing about bananas, like in this game’s title, Banana Mania. This is where you can rack up some more points by collecting these bananas through each stage.
The first world’s stage was quite simple as in many games, always are. However, it does start to get a bit trickier and difficult to accomplish. You best believe that each level will have you focusing and working to move around the obstacles and collect everything without fail. It can be a simple as aiming towards the goal and ending the stage or going above and beyond to collect every banana as possible. Don’t worry, it isn’t set in stone how you play or how fast you are! Having fun is all you need to achieve from this game.
Talking about the levels, well there are so many to roll around. Many can be tricky while others not so much. It varies and even mentions on top if it’s simple or difficult. Plus, with a view of the world-mapped design when choosing the next stage, you can get an idea of what to expect. Also, for some simple stages, many of those bananas are located in tricky places. Making them be a bit complicated to grab. You might find yourself heading to the goal and skipping them entirely or if you are spontaneous and want to take on this challenge, no matter how many times you play the stage. I must applaud you for doing so!
One thing I did want to point out since I spoke much about the stages and their difficulty is how these appear. Each of the stages you enter is floating in the air. Yes, up in the air, attached to nothing. So at any chance, you rotate too quickly or go too fast, which might mean a big FALL OUT, or in other words GAME OVER! However, to win the game you need to rotate and move perfectly inside the level. Pay attention to the curves coming up, the pace you are moving at, and pay attention to what is going on with the unique stage obstacles you may face.
There was an issue I did have with the game. No, it’s nothing too horrible, and of course, it’s my own opinion. However, watching the replays, either winning at the goal or falling out of the stage is still quite entertaining, but sometimes it can be a bit redundant after a while. Especially if you are doing it every time you start the game. I felt that even for a short stage or just a mistake made in the same area, the action replay can be a bit much.
At least there is a solution! Just with one push of the button, you can quickly bypass the replay. I just wish that in the settings, there was an option to turn this action replay off. It would even be nice to just turn it off completely or set it up that one may keep the winning goals replayed, but not the epic fails. Again, this is just my opinion, but it doesn’t reflect everyone’s feelings. So don’t let that scare you, it still is quite a fun and lively game.
Lastly, I want to mention that this is a great game to keep one’s mind occupied as there are many levels to roll through, many challenging stages, and much fun for everyone to monkey ball-around in! Friends, family members, and everyone all over the world can enjoy this game together. It’s nothing less than brilliant!
