Sega Nerds

Review: Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Wii)

Posted by Graham. Filed under Nintendo Wii, Review, Video.

 

Super Monkey Ball has fast become one of Sega’s best loved franchises.  In the space of just 4 years, since the release of Monkey Ball on the GameCube, the franchise has spawned off a great sequel, was ported to other platforms with Deluxe packs (both games with extras), a fantastic portable version for the DS, its own Adventure title and now a (proper) third installment to the original game. Not too shabby considering how basic the idea behind the game is, it also goes to show that not everyone wants games with guns, swearing and violence. Me, personally, I like the guns- but I’ll never shy away from a new challenge.

So Sega kindly helped Nintendo out by releasing one of their most popular franchises on the Wii’s launch day.  But has the franchise run its course now?  Some people were not so keen on Monkey Ball Adventure - though the game was popular, many also felt that it just didnt keep the fresh feel the original two titles had- could a switch back to the original style of play keep the fans happy?

 Like the DS version Monkey Ball BB has a great ‘unique’ feature on offer that other consoles don’t have.  The remote (or Wiimote).  Of course we all know what the Wiimote is all about by now  and we all know what one can do with it….whch is what adds to the original novelty of the series.

The gameplay is - like all Monkey Balls- very basic, tilt the world (not the Monkey) causing the ball (in which the monkey resides) to roll.  And by tilting the world is the various directions, navigate the courses and reach the goal.  Well it sounds easy.  The great thing about the Monkey Ball games is that they are quite tricky.  I cannot get past one particular level on the DS version, and I thnk anyone who can is a gaming genius.

I can tell you instantly that this game is more fun and easier to play than the original games on the Cube, Xbox and PS2, just because of the Wiimote.  The Wiimote effectively symbolises the angle of the world. You hold the Wiimote flat (like you were pointing a normal remote at the TV) and the world will stay flat- and your monky won’t move.  Tilt the controller to the left or right- and the world tilts that way.  Tilt forward and back…well you get the idea.  Often on the console versions you felt that the gameplay was a little weird, because you were using a control stick and your natural instinct is that you are playing a normal 3D game, but the game plays very differently than say Mario 64.  With the Wiimote you almost feel as though you have total control over the world and the Wiimote is very accurate.

-Now I haven’t played Monkey Ball 2, and it’s been a while since I played the first game, but I do not remember there ever being a jump button in the game.  Banana Blitz does have a jump button.  This has added something extra to the gameplay, the levels now have  some new traps and gaps which are designed to be jumped over.  They also have platforms in some levels- which you need to hop up.  I can tell some people may not like this and will say it takes something away from the basic gameplay, but I think it really does add to it.
As well as the ‘new’ jump feature we now have Bosses with which to compete.  Oh I should have mentioned this before, Banana Blitz has a very basic storyline.  In a nutshell, the Monkeys have a Golden Bunch of Bananas and this Evil giant Gorilla with metal claws for hands (not sure of them- they never said in game or in the manual) steels the bunch of bananas and seemingly shared it amongst his Gorilla (and bizarrely other animals- bald headed eagle…?) breathren across the various worlds.  It is therefore up to you to complete all the levels in a world and then face the Gorilla boss at the end of it, beating a boss will win you back a single Golden Banana.  For some of the bosses you will find that the jump feature helps a lot, as you have to avoid their fire (be it giant snowballs or Rockets) and often the jump is used to kill the Gorilla- jumping on its head say, or hitting its belly button.

The first couple of bosses are quite easy, later bosses are pretty darn hard, as are the levels.  Its amazing how fresh and original the levels feel still, Sega have done a good job keeping new traps and levels fun.

As well as the main ’story’ mode Sega have brought back some great mini games, some of which you’ll recognise from the DS version.  There are 50 mini games in all and best of all they are all multiplayer!  Some of them are only for two people (like rock, paper, scissors) but many are for 4 players.  While the main game is played using only the Wiimote, some of the mini games are played using the Nunchuck attachment.  Not all of them though, but it can be a pain for the 4 player games that require them, as most people (at least in these early days of the Wii’s life) will only have maybe one or two Nunchuck attachments.

Still as I say not all the multiplayer games require the attachment, in fact most of them don’t.  But some of the truly better titles do need them, like Monkey Wars.  My personal favourite.  Its basiclaly the same as the DS version, but with better arenas, MUCH easier controls and vehicles.  Games like Monkey Wars show that the Wii really can do FPS shooters well.  It amazing really because the game plays the same as Red Steel, but is alot easier to control- something people complained alot about with Red Steel (though I still think Red Steel is one of the best FPS games I have played in a long time).

But like I say, most of the mini games can be played with just the Wiimote, and pretty much all of them are great fun, even with 1 player. Some of the games do only allow for one player at a time- I can tell you that only 7 out of the 50 are like this though, so do not panic.  The majority of the games are designed for simultaneous play.  The ‘alternating’ ttiles are games like Monkey Golf or Bowling - which like with Wii sports you cannot really have two or more people at the same time, it would be hard to see, and even harder to play-  due to the fact you really have to stand up to play the games properly- all 4 people standing up trying to hit a virtual Monkey Ball will a club would be annoying and potentially painful.

I should also point out that for some people the mini games may be easier to play than the main game.  You don’t need to rotate/ tilt the world to play the mini games.  They are all different (to a certain extent) but are also more straight forward.  Some are like the Wii Sports titles- where you just wave the Wiimote in front of the screen to hit a ball.  Others you hold the Wiimote and Nunchuck at different angles to move your character.  All the mini games are explained properly before you play them, so you don’t have to start and panic because you don’t understand the dontrols or premise of the game.

Though the mini games are just meant to be a fun extra, I have to say that in some ways I enjoy them more than the main game.  Don’t get me wrong I love the main game, but at times I get very frustrated with it and if it weren’t for the mini games to calm me down I reckon I wouldn’t play the game as much.

The graphics in the game look great, but they are sort of basic- but that is intended.  All the Monkey Ball games look very cartoony and have a very unique graphical palette.  Conmparing to the Cube, PS2 or Xbox version you may not immediately see much difference.  But there is.  The graphics are a hell of a lot smoother, there is no sight of jagged edges at all- which you can see on the last gen systems, not much- but they were visable, mainly when turning the world at sharp angles.  The animation is stiull great, the characters look funny (in a ‘HaHa’ way, not distorted like the programmers screwed up)

The worlds all look pretty sweet.  Again they are similar in aoppearance to the older games, but thats a good thing really- It’s Monkey Ball how we know and love.
Its just hard to fault the graphics in the game.  You won’t be blown away with incredible detail, but you definitely won’t be screwing up your eyes in disgust.

The music is good and sound effects too are good.  But they aren’t amazing.  Sone of the music in the levels is great, happy and complements the games cartoony feel.  But on a few stages I felt the music was a bit ‘urgh’ -it just didn’t feel right.  But with any simple game, you can’t really expect to be blown away by special sound and visuals, they are best saved for the intense action games, where people are shouting and bombs are going off around you- so you feel more involved.  Monkey ball isn’t like that and (hopefully) never will be.

I do however have a couple of comaplaints regarding the game. 

-There is no proper pause button.  You can press the ‘Home’ button on the Wiimote, but that never feels right to me.  I like a game to have a proper pause function.  Its not only when you need to pause the game- say if the phone rings or you need an urgent cup of tea- to freeze it, but you cannot quit a game and go back to the games menu screen.  A few times I selected the wrong mini game, but the only ways I could exit were to either go to the Wii’s main console menu (exit the game fully) or to wait until the mini game finished.  Both ways take far too long.  Its not like the WIimote doesn’t have enough buttons on it to have a pause button - in the games you may only use about two buttons (mainly A and B) the rest is done with the Wiimote or Nunchuck sensors.
-I find it very strange why Sega left such a basic concept out.  Maybe the game does have a pause button- but I cannot find it.  I even checked the manual - which didn’t mention anything.  Bizarre, very bizarre.

….Actually that’s about it for the complaints.  Other tahn that the game plays exceptionally well and is thoroughly enjoyable.

 Summary:

The single player is damn fun.  Possibly the best Monkey Ball so far, with some cracking levels to negotiate, but if you are (like me) a bit rubbish at the main game or get infuriated easily, then there are still the mini games.  Arguably this game is worth it just for the 4 player games.  Especially if you want to show off your Wii to your friends.  Guaranteed to have hours of fun with your mates, and even family. 

Unless you only like violent games or ones with really in depth story lines then I would say this is pretty much an essential purchase.  Great fun, hours of entertainment with single player and especially multiplayer games.

8/10