Super Monkey Ball 3D

 3DS
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Mar 27, 2011
User Score
5.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 43 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 43
  3. Negative: 13 out of 43
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  1. christine-999
    Oct 24, 2014
    2
    Play Monkey Ball 2 on Gamecube and then tell me this adds up in anyway. This version of the game is possibly the worst game I have ever played. I beat the main game in half and hour and the rest is so terrible I got rid of it immediately after. This is worthy of complaining to Sega....shameful and do not waste your money if you are over the age of 5.
  2. Human111
    Sep 21, 2011
    1
    Oh crap. I accidentally put 10 instead of 5.5 (5). Well there now they even each other out. Read my actual review if you want an in depth look in the game. Yeah. . . .
  3. Para-Dox
    Mar 28, 2011
    8
    An good choice for a game to get with the 3DS. The game is challenging, but not as hard as the originals on Gamecube. The two other mini games are quite fun.
  4. koolkris200
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    this game is fun because you get you have that motion control capabilities.and you can pick from 16 cars and 6 characters and go in circles you also can have lots of fun in battle mode and race in fun races for hours
  5. BlogDog123
    May 25, 2011
    5
    The gameplay that Monkey Ball that has made it so "good" (tilting a stage to roll your ball-encased monkey to the goal) gets old, and the two minigames are complete rip-offs of Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart.
  6. MJ_Luigi_9
    Mar 11, 2019
    7
    This game is alright, however it is lacking a lot of content that other games in the franchise had. This game is worth $20 and can be a fun time.
  7. Wormoid
    May 7, 2011
    6
    Generally Super Monkey Ball boasts fun family games and nice multiplayer games. Not much more, especially presuming the lack of storyline length and really any depth.
  8. Jellyape
    Apr 5, 2011
    6
    The game is fun, very fun, but over in about 2hours. The 3D is fantastic but melts your eyes (this is why Nintendo say only have it turned on for 15mins at a time) I actually had to alternate 3D on and off to stop my eyes from exploding. The controls are amazing, both the circle pad and gyro controls are very precise and the gyro controls calibrate each time you use them so there's noThe game is fun, very fun, but over in about 2hours. The 3D is fantastic but melts your eyes (this is why Nintendo say only have it turned on for 15mins at a time) I actually had to alternate 3D on and off to stop my eyes from exploding. The controls are amazing, both the circle pad and gyro controls are very precise and the gyro controls calibrate each time you use them so there's no issues there. The main game has 8worlds and is very easy. The other mini games I found are good enough to be worth my time though, the monkey fight is a dumbed down smash bros that plays ok but is ridiculously easy (my first time playing I finished with 143 bananas,while all 3 computers had 0) and the monkey ball kart I found painful to play the drifting is poor, and when you get hit by a weapon you stop for a ludicrous amount of time. On the upper hand though the courses are fine. If you like repeatedly playing a few levels to better your score this is a good game for you otherwise, pick it up if you find it really cheap it is fun but its not worth the money 3ds cost right now.… Expand
  9. skyminster
    Jan 6, 2016
    6
    Super Monkey Ball 3D is a disappointing game filled with flaws and a moderately sized dosage of crap, but it still manages to be briefly decent with the underwhelming Challenge mode. I wouldn’t recommend buying this, but it isn’t the worst game in the world. Just don’t play Race or Fight mode.

    57/100 (rounded to 6/10).
  10. WhiteTalpa
    Jan 13, 2013
    5
    This game was ok... there is nothing much more to say. The new features which they added (mario kart clone) were bad, but the main campaign was good but just nothing special.
  11. unddr
    Nov 2, 2013
    4
    Gráficamente el juego es increíble y hace que logremos olvidar lo malo que es en realidad. El problema llega en la dificultad del juego, que es muy pobre incluso jugando con el giroscopio los niveles son muy sencillos y nada innovadores, cosa que se extrañó realmente en esta entrega.
    Pasar el juego no te lleva ni un par de horas por lo que recurres rápidamente a los minijuegos, pero es    Gráficamente el juego es increíble y hace que logremos olvidar lo malo que es en realidad. El problema llega en la dificultad del juego, que es muy pobre incluso jugando con el giroscopio los niveles son muy sencillos y nada innovadores, cosa que se extrañó realmente en esta entrega.
    Pasar el juego no te lleva ni un par de horas por lo que recurres rápidamente a los minijuegos, pero es aquí donde todo se torna gris: todos ellos sin excepción son malos, llenos bugs y nada divertidos, la música es siempre la misma por lo que suele fastidiar y el gameplay es un caos total, absolutamente nada responsivo. Sin duda este juego es un intento fallido de repetir la grandiosidad de Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz y la complejidad de las primeras entregas, haciendo de este un juego mediocre, fácil y sin sentido con minijuegos absurdos, aburridos y repetitivos que lo empeoran aún más.    … Expand
  12. knifeandfork
    Jul 17, 2013
    6
    As in any other Super Monkey Ball game, you roll a ball to the goal in short stages. The gameplay is fun, but it is so easy it'll be over in an hour. Seriously? An hour! It's a shame because this is otherwise the most fun monkey ball yet. Typically, super monkey ball games usually contain six party games as well, but here there are only two. One is a fun but short-lived racing game, andAs in any other Super Monkey Ball game, you roll a ball to the goal in short stages. The gameplay is fun, but it is so easy it'll be over in an hour. Seriously? An hour! It's a shame because this is otherwise the most fun monkey ball yet. Typically, super monkey ball games usually contain six party games as well, but here there are only two. One is a fun but short-lived racing game, and the other is a fun but short-lived fighting game. On top of the already too short main mode, the absence of many minigames ruins Super Monkey Ball3D. Just this for thirty-five pounds?… Expand
  13. Skywire01
    Nov 7, 2013
    7
    Although this game is cheap for an average of $15, it does have a lack of several abilitys. This game only has 3 modes to play. Fight, race, and get you monkey to the goal. The challenge (goal) game is fun and has added the new "world" idea to the game, but is not challenging at all. The fight is much like Super Smash Brothers and the Race is exactly like Mario Kart. You aren't in you ballAlthough this game is cheap for an average of $15, it does have a lack of several abilitys. This game only has 3 modes to play. Fight, race, and get you monkey to the goal. The challenge (goal) game is fun and has added the new "world" idea to the game, but is not challenging at all. The fight is much like Super Smash Brothers and the Race is exactly like Mario Kart. You aren't in you ball at all during these 2 games. Monkey Ball 3D does all kill some of the fun out of multiplayer also. It is terrible how this game only has 3 modes, because you get bored in a matter of 5 10 min. This game has a whole new idea though, if some gamers like that. Instead of saying "fallout" it says "out of bounds" which many gamers think it stupid. Although this game is exciting and can be fun at some points, it should of included all 15 minigames and new unlockable characters like the past games had, meaning its a new version of Monkey Ball some people wanted to look up to… Expand
  14. IcedCoffee
    Apr 22, 2014
    5
    A mediocre, bargain bin title at best, that is one quarter traditional, fun Monkey Ball and two quarters bland and forgettable. This game could have easily been one of my favorites for the 3DS system, having the developers devoted more of their time to expanding the blatantly short, but fantastic Monkey Ball mode, as opposed to tacking on a soulless kart racer and an uninspired fighter.
  15. spinnes
    Jul 6, 2015
    6
    The game is fun since you can use the motion control, otherwise is very easy, the minigames that should prolongue the game are very boring, the kart is broken and the fighting is just not interesting, the game is just not that fun...
  16. GamecubeLover
    Jul 27, 2016
    6
    I thought this game would be the savior of super monkey ball while his games were still good but not as good as they USED to be and this one let me down but the game is okay.
  17. MrTacoBob
    Sep 16, 2017
    7
    I wish this game was better. I thought it would be amazing but, it was a bit of Super Monkey Ball and a bunch of other decent minigames. This is not really a Super Monkey Ball game.
  18. Masterfoods
    Aug 13, 2019
    2
    Traditional Monkey Ball levels are rather uplifting with motion controls, but are mostly short, underwhelming and repetitive, making the measly half-an-hour completion time all the more alleviating. The additional "Monkey Race" and "Monkey Fight" modes are just clunky Mario Kart and Smash Bros. clones. Just an abhorrent game overall.
  19. KrakenOfPepsi
    Jan 12, 2020
    3
    Dull graphics, forgettable music, painfully mediocre level design all come together to create yet another nail in the coffin for the Monkey Ball series. If the Banana Blitz HD remake didn't come out I would recommend this game over the original Banana Blitz purely so you could avoid the agony of using motion-controls or the anguish caused by those unfair and lacklustre boss fights, but nowDull graphics, forgettable music, painfully mediocre level design all come together to create yet another nail in the coffin for the Monkey Ball series. If the Banana Blitz HD remake didn't come out I would recommend this game over the original Banana Blitz purely so you could avoid the agony of using motion-controls or the anguish caused by those unfair and lacklustre boss fights, but now that the remake is out I see little reason to play this game. It is just an overall downgrade of Banana Blitz, with worse controls, graphics, performance, level design and less modes and characters. Not to mention that Banana Blitz is arguably not even worth playing on its own to begin with, neither of these games even come close to touching the original two Monkey Ball games. This game is unbelievably dull and boring, and I stopped playing before I could finish the third world. Not worth picking up even if you're a Monkey Ball fan and or find it cheap.… Expand
  20. Psychie
    Jan 2, 2020
    4
    This game is limited. Too limited. This game is easy. Too easy.
    This game is bland. Too bland.

Awards & Rankings

57
#57 Best 3DS Game of 2011
16
#16 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2011
27
#27 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
55

Mixed or average reviews - based on 57 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 57
  3. Negative: 16 out of 57
  1. DailyGame
    Dec 12, 2011
    65
    It's tough to recommend this game to newcomers to the Monkey Ball world based on the two rough game modes, and the otherwise decent Challenge mode likely isn't long enough to justify the high price tag of 3DS titles. The use of 3D is novel, but completely unnecessary – as we've all played these games at home since the Gamecube launch.
    Read full review
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 20, 2011
    62
    Technically sound, but the gameplay is way too easy and unimaginative. [May 2011]
  3. GamingExcellence
    Aug 7, 2011
    57
    Overall, there's just not enough content in Super Monkey Ball 3D to justify the purchase. The only mode worth playing is Monkey Ball, and although it is fun, it doesn't last very long. Both the 3D effect and motion sensor controls work great, but they can't be used at the same time. And no online functionality really strips the game of any prolonged use. Unless you're a Super Monkey Ball fanatic, this one's a pass.
    Read full review
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