Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania

 Switch
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 38 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 38
  3. Negative: 8 out of 38
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  1. FoxyChalet
    May 26, 2022
    4
    Well some of the things are broken, baseball doesn't work at all. All of them are basically worse in every way than the GameCube games. The originals were a physics engine wrapped in a silly idea, this focused on graphics first and the gameplay is mediocre. Honestly I just don't play it.
  2. wxyboshy
    Oct 20, 2021
    2
    The following applies to every vanilla version of the game (including PC). I played and fully completed the original Super Monkey Ball 1&2 games on Gamecube.

    This games is just a lazy port from the raw data from the original games (mostly from Super Monkey Ball Deluxe) data into unity. - Controls suck, no precise/fine movement, no diagonals, no calibration whatsoever. I tried all the    The following applies to every vanilla version of the game (including PC). I played and fully completed the original Super Monkey Ball 1&2 games on Gamecube.

    This games is just a lazy port from the raw data from the original games (mostly from Super Monkey Ball Deluxe) data into unity.

    - Controls suck, no precise/fine movement, no diagonals, no calibration whatsoever. I tried all the mainstream controllers on switch (Joycons, pro controller, GameCube controller, some HORI pads) and they were all the same. This control scheme worked well for Banana Blitz, but not for the high demanding precision of the levels on SMB1&2.
    - Physics are simpler and slower, made for gyroscope controls. This simplifies a lot the strategy needed to solve some floors.
    - Difficulty is overall simplified by removing lifes&continues. I don't think this really matters, but it loses some of the replay value.
    - Lots of annoying long loading screens/prompts, even between floors.
    - The menu has a lot of stuttering and audio clipping when switching game modes. Some levels even have noticeable rendering distance of the elements in-game, even though it uses the exact same models and geometry from the original games. ​
    - New content feels more like a mod of some levels rather than... new content.
    - Most of the assets and engine are recycled from Banana Blitz HD, the developers were either in a rush or didn't even care. The new music is just a lame "remix" of the old music, and the "new sfx" is pretty much removing a lot of the original game sounds (no rolling ball, no hits/bonk, not even atmospheric sfx like rain).
    - Mini games don't even rely on the physics engine of the game, and feel very unresponsive and awkward looking. Some minigames are completely broken, like Monkey Target.
    - If you liked the original monkey ball games, then I would suggest to stick with the Super Monkey Ball deluxe mod for the Gamecube, or go for the PC version with the precise control and original sounds mod.

    This games feels more like a Unity fan remake preview rather than a AAA game. It may be fun and challenging to new players, but it could become extremely frustrating due to the low quality of the control scheme. That being said it's the best release of the series since Banana Blitz on the Wii, but lacks the love, polishing and finely-tuned gameplay the originals had.

    This game removed so much content and love, that it feels like the originals are the real remake. A simple port would have been much better.    … Expand
  3. D1st0rted
    Oct 8, 2021
    4
    I hate that I have to review this game as a middle of the road game but it is. I’m sorry but the physics are so different from the originals in the main game and especially in the mini games. Seeing money target has never felt so off and is a huge shame as it was the main reason I wanted this remake so badly. Compared to the originals this game is a shame. But I guess compared to otherI hate that I have to review this game as a middle of the road game but it is. I’m sorry but the physics are so different from the originals in the main game and especially in the mini games. Seeing money target has never felt so off and is a huge shame as it was the main reason I wanted this remake so badly. Compared to the originals this game is a shame. But I guess compared to other recently money ball games it’s the best in years. Which says something about the franchise.… Expand
  4. Nintenderek
    Oct 7, 2021
    4
    I was VERY excited for Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania going into this game releasing, but it ended up being extremely disappointing. In the main game, they've changed a lot of the music and the physics all feel wrong. It's a 60 FPS game, but feels like 30 FPS part of the time, not because of actual frame rate drips (the frame rate is actually pretty good) but because the physics are thatI was VERY excited for Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania going into this game releasing, but it ended up being extremely disappointing. In the main game, they've changed a lot of the music and the physics all feel wrong. It's a 60 FPS game, but feels like 30 FPS part of the time, not because of actual frame rate drips (the frame rate is actually pretty good) but because the physics are that bad. It's still very playable and can be fun at times and I think if this was someone's first Monkey Ball game, they might not mind, but in comparison to the original release it's a major disappointment.

    Speaking of the original release, the party games were one of the most important aspects of these games back during the Gamecube/PS2/Xbox Era. All those games are still here, but they've all been held back in one way or another, usually due to the physics or just bad game design. The most noticeable is Monkey Target, which in comparison to the original is almost unplayable. If Monkey Target is your main reason for buying this game, I'd stay away completely until perhaps there is a patch to fix it because as it is right now, I can't even get my monkey to fly half way to the target.

    The extra characters are nice, it's it's clear that the developers did care and put a lot of work into this game, which is what makes it even more disappointing how subpar the results are. I know Sega is capable of putting out better games than this and I'm not sure what went wrong in development, but it seems like they would have just been better off doing direct ports of the older games instead of trying to remake them from the ground up. I was super disappointed with my purchase of this game and if I thought there was any chance of me getting a refund, I probably would.    … Expand
  5. Tarrahubert
    Oct 10, 2021
    2
    This is the second monkey ball release on the new systems and once again they have failed to make story mode multiplayer which was always apart of the older games. Not worth it to just play the side games. Waste of money, absolute disappointment.
  6. LosePoolBandage
    Oct 14, 2021
    0
    Felt the need to create a Metacritic account so I could warn people how badly this game currently performs on Switch. I got the Digital Deluxe edition and was able to play this on October 1st and was so excited. Sadly, it was so inconsistent in its framerate and glitchy that this is the first-ever game I've refunded. Even AiAi's face during the load screen is oddly in a low resolution.Felt the need to create a Metacritic account so I could warn people how badly this game currently performs on Switch. I got the Digital Deluxe edition and was able to play this on October 1st and was so excited. Sadly, it was so inconsistent in its framerate and glitchy that this is the first-ever game I've refunded. Even AiAi's face during the load screen is oddly in a low resolution. Other reviewers have complained that the game does not have the exact physics of the originals, but it's not like Sega promised a perfect recreation. What Sega did promise was 60 FPS on Switch during the main game, but obviously didn't deliver. If you want to play this on a console, play it on anything but the Switch, I expect it to perform better on a Playstation or Xbox device.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

52
#52 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Nov 8, 2021
    85
    It is glorious. Maybe not perfect, but still very good. It has everything I loved from Banana Blitz HD, and little of what I didn't. I highly recommend checking it out if you're new to the series, or if you just want to see a Dreamcast in a ball. [Issue #56 – November/December 2021, p. 71]
  2. Nintendo Enthusiast
    Nov 1, 2021
    85
    Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania marks a return to form for the series, even if I am left hoping that we receive some substantial content updates in the near future to fill in gaps left from the originals. Fans who need an exact recreation of the originals or require challenge mode multiplayer might want to skip this one or wait for a deep discount, but those who just want to play Super Monkey Ball 1 and 2 again or the first time should absolutely pick this one up on Switch, especially if you enjoy playing on the go. While there is still a bit of work to do, Super Monkey Ball is back, and it’s a great feeling. I strongly recommend you don’t miss out on this one.
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  3. Switch Player
    Oct 26, 2021
    70
    Banana Mania takes the best Super Monkey Ball games and combines them into one solid package. Frustrations from those original games remain, and the lack of online play is a disappointment, but new options allow for a less stressful time.
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