Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz

 Wii
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Nov 14, 2006
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 53 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 53
  3. Negative: 0 out of 53
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  1. GameTrailers
    72
    The infrastructure stands and the game is fun, which is most important. But the additions can grate, and most of the minigames strike out, though multiplayer anything that requires people to make foolish gestures has some merit.
  2. 1UP
    70
    Come for the intricate and frequently difficult single-player mode; stay for the entertainingly goofy minigames guaranteed to hook your most obstinate nongaming loved ones.
  3. Edge Magazine
    70
    The rethink has inspired some of the most cunning, least arbitrary Monkey Ball level designs since the first game, and though Banana Blitz is the model of accessibility, it’s also plenty tough enough. [Christmas 2006, p.85]
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  5. games(TM)
    70
    The Wii Remote is so responsive that you'd notice little difference if you wired electrodes to your cerebellum and played the game through force of will alone. [Christmas 2006, p.136]
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  6. Gamestyle
    70
    Rolling about collecting bananas and teetering along slender ledges is as daft and fun as ever. Whilst it may lack the challenge of its predecessors, the novelty of the Wii's well suited tilt controls - coupled with some lovely level designs - make this an entertaining launch title.
  7. PALGN
    70
    There isn't anything particularly new here, but using the Wii controller feels so intuitive that Banana Blitz quickly becomes a highly enjoyable experience.
  8. Boomtown
    70
    It presents a good learning curve for those unaccustomed to the Wiimote, and stays true to the tried-and-tested Monkey Ball formula.
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  9. Nintendic
    70
    If you’re looking for just a single player experience, knock off [10 points] on the final score. If you’re looking for both a single and multiplayer experience, then this is the game for you.
  10. Jolt Online Gaming UK
    70
    There isn’t anything to say about the multiplayer mode apart from “avoid”. Single player though is still good fun, and perhaps more importantly it is simple, which should help it appeal to the masses who can look past the sickeningly cute graphics and sounds.
  11. Game Informer
    68
    Ultimately I came the realization that, at the end of the day, I would have been happier playing this game with a conventional analog stick.
  12. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    65
    So long as you stick with the multiplayer, this game is a decent monkey-filled ball. [Dec. 2006, p.116]
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  13. WHAM! Gaming
    63
    It’s a big improvement over the previous game in the series, the ill-conceived “Super Monkey Ball Adventure,” and it’s another solid showcase for the Wii.
  14. Yahoo!
    60
    It's disappointing that the few effective minigames are piled under a heap of mediocrity.
  15. Deeko
    60
    While the multiplayer party games are fairly fun, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz's single player mode suffers from a serious imbalance teetering between average and mediocre, which results in a title that is hardly a rightful heir to the successful simian puzzle/platformer series.
  16. Eurogamer
    60
    As much as novelty value can be a good thing during the launch of a new console, the unavoidable conclusion is that Super Monkey Ball is more fun on a joypad on the GameCube than in this flawed experiment.
  17. VideoGamer
    60
    The standard tilting-world stages are fun, although they'd arguably work better with a standard GameCube controller, but the mini-games only really serve as something else to put on the back of the box.
  18. Thunderbolt
    60
    The problem is that such controls aren’t finely tuned enough for the task at hand; the sluggish response times, awkward camera angles, and limited movements kill much of the potential fun.
  19. GamePro
    55
    Sega should seriously consider monkeying around with the formula because it's starting to feel incredibly stale.
  20. NintendoWorldReport
    55
    Had this game been packaged with the system instead of Wii sports, there would be many confused owners. At least developers will know how not to use the Wii remote's features in the future.
  21. GameCritics
    50
    There is simply no way to play this game comfortably while turning and moving forward.
  22. Gaming Age
    50
    Between odd design choices, forced motion control and a number of questionable mini-games, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz doesn't exactly live up to the series' standards. However, some of the mini-games are pretty cool, if a bit shallow.

Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best Wii Game of 2006
5
#5 Most Discussed Wii Game of 2006
16
#16 Most Shared Wii Game of 2006

User Reviews

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User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 89 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 89
  3. Negative: 28 out of 89
  1. Ducky418
    Oct 20, 2010
    6
    Super Monkey Ball is actually worse with the Wii controls than with the regular controller. As always, you tilt the course around to try andSuper Monkey Ball is actually worse with the Wii controls than with the regular controller. As always, you tilt the course around to try and get your monkey to the goal. In this game, they incorporate boss battles and have fifty minigames to play. The main game itself is still a lot of fun and the tilting works okay, if a little tricky. What drags it down is the terrible boss battles that have no right to exist in this kind of game and by far are the most frustrating part of the game, except for the minigames. Out of the fifty minigames included, maybe five of them are fun to play due to absolutely terrible controls and lack of sophistication. The new Monkey Ball can be fun at times, but due to some major annoyances brings the series way downhill.… Full Review »
  2. AntonBalck
    Jun 9, 2008
    5
    It wasn't that bad the first few days, but its weaknessess soon showed up. The main game is too easy in the beginning, too unfair andIt wasn't that bad the first few days, but its weaknessess soon showed up. The main game is too easy in the beginning, too unfair and difficult in the end and overall too shallow and stale. Graphics and sound are hardly memorable and controls and physics just don't at all work how you'd wish them to.

    There's a giant pile of minigames, which can provide some multiplayer fun, but most of the games suffer from serious control problems or bad design.    … Full Review »
  3. NatalieS.
    Jan 27, 2008
    4
    Between the eye scorching colours, annoying sound fx, inadequate controls, strange games and unoriginal, sonic-like feel, the game proved to Between the eye scorching colours, annoying sound fx, inadequate controls, strange games and unoriginal, sonic-like feel, the game proved to be a big disappointment for me. Sega tried to make a sonic-like game and it feels just as such, except without the fun platform games, adventures and good controls. Its level-games strive to resemble Mario Galaxy but when the controls fail to respond to the user's attempts and the screen spins out at a nauseating speed, you can see just how, well, out of control it is.… Full Review »
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