Topic: Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania

I'm so hyped for this, but a bit confused... It contains Monkey Ball 1, Monkey Ball 2 and Monkey Ball Deluxe which I never played but is described as Monkey Ball 1 and 2 plus around 50 bonus levels...?

That would be very weird and awkward to be able to play Monkey Ball 1 and 2 from the main menu but also from Deluxe, unless they're planning to just let you play the bonus levels in Deluxe... Has anyone played Deluxe and did Monkey Ball 1 and 2 have any additional changes to the standalone versions?

PS: This will play nicely with the GameCube Switch controllers! I don't have one yet but assuming they have same sticks?

Oh, I was confused by this too but in a different way. I thought Banana Mania was a new game and the remake was separate. I'll likely get it anyway as I've only played Monkey Ball 2 but I hope they make a new game soon as well, it feels like every other game released these days is a remake or remaster.

I'm assuming that the first two games will be their own things while Deluxe will just be the bonus levels, but I'll contact Sega about this and post update if I receive a response.

Yes, the Switch-themed GC controllers have the same sticks (including the C-stick!), warts and all. I've never used the original controller though so unfortunately I can't compare the quality.

Okay... I have never actually played Monkey Ball with a stick, but with motion controls.

Is the stick a bajillion times better?

@Kezza64 Monkeyball was one of those games where motion controls worked very well, bit the sticks work well too. Hopefully this will allow both.

I've wanted a Monkey Ball game.

Should I skip the one on eshop now, and wait for Banana Mania?

I don't think it's a collection of three games so to speak (y'know, where at the very start, you pick a game.) Instead it's more a compilation of all the levels. So it includes 1, 2 and the ones from Deluxe (hence it being touted.) They have obviously changed the presentation, but it looks like everything is selectable from one menu. So I do hope they include all the mini games from both games because whereas say 1 and 2 both had Monkey target, one did not replace the other and they worth worth playing in their own right.

This alone confirms this is a nearly to entirely complete package of the levels from those three games, and I imagine the minigames will be at least close to that (especially since half the minigames in Monkey Ball 2 are just 1's minigames with changes in aesthetic or levels).

I've never actually played Deluxe or all of the super secret extra levels of the first 2 games (though I did for the GBA version, of all games), so there's still new content for me to play regardless.

Oh also I just saw this about the jump they added:

Probably the best decision.

@kkslider5552000 SEGA totally 'get it'. Chuffed for newcomers (and I'm sure I'll get a kick out of jumping around like a loon haha). I mean, Dark Souls is a walking simulator compared to some of the levels. And if you can control yourself from screaming at the vertigo, you can handle anything Resident Evil throws at you hahah

Going to be honest with yall, I can't even remember how many years its been since I played a monkey ball game, But I'm totally up for this entery.

@Snatcher Me too. Is...is it October yet?

@Kezza64 I'm hoping the Gamecube adaptor works (I don't see any reason why it shouldn't.) But honestly, (and I don't sound this elitist about controllers usually lol) there is practically no deadzone on the left stick and the octagonal moulding allows you to lock forward which makes the game a joy to play. (Lord knows how PS2 and XBox owners fared...maybe that's why it didn't quite catch on over there!)

I will say one thing that seems a bit absurd...so this feels like another test game of a remake to see if there's still interest in new Super Monkey Ball games. That's my guess at least, that's how these things tend to work. But if that's true, it honestly seems like they remade Banana Blitz in order to see if there's interest for the remake people wanted to then see if there's interest in a new game. Which would be hilarious.

Happy this is coming out, honestly between myself, the fiancée and the oldest kid (he's five), this is gonna be a big hit in our household.

I had on the Direct again yesterday, it sounded like they were remastering the two games. I hope more details come out that clarifies things. Got really excited about this one as I love the Monkey Ball games.

@Snatcher Last year, got Banana Blitz HD as a gift from a friend. Before that, it was Touch & Roll on DS, and Step & Roll on Wii. Probably in the small group who liked Step & Roll, gave me a fun game to play with the Wii Fit board. Before Step & Roll, it was the original on GameCube and GBA one.

So until right now, I just assumed this game had confirmed online.

I swear I saw that confirmed but its not there? AFAIK.

The other things I've heard about don't seem like a big deal to me, but maaaaaaan. sigh This is the worst time to not have online.

I'm sad.

Got my digital deluxe version yesterday and the game is so good.

But some of the levels are so insanely brutal you could spend 10 years and still not beat a single one of them. Thankfully, the helper mode takes this into account and gives you double time, and hold R to enable slow motion, which makes it still pretty hard, but actually doable.

Without the helper mode, the game would become far too frustrating in the harder challenge levels and later levels and original levels (there's a separate mode to play 23 original levels unchanged, and they're BRUTAL).

I love it though. That helper mode makes those impossible stages actually playable, while still being extremely challenging. It feels so good beating one.

Mini games are excellent. But I do have one nitpick. One of the mini golf holes (Hole 18) is designed in such a way that, if you miss (and you will likely miss) you land underneath on a platform where you can't do anything except waste a putt knocking the ball back into position to try again. So one miss = 2 misses. A small complaint but, a complaint nonetheless. That's how it was in the original though so, I'm good with it.

The mini games are so fun though. Monkey Target, Monkey Bowling, Monkey Golf, they're all so fun.

I was going to get this...but forgot about Dread, so I dunno yet, maybe. I haven't played a GOOD Monkey Ball game at all now that I think about it. I can't remember which ones I played on the GCN, but the last one I played was 3D, and...yeah I didn't like it too much. 3DS just came out so I was constantly using the 3D...and the game's use of the 3D was...WAAAAAAAY too much, lol.

...Also...the staff credits...you see them...CONSTANTLY. It gets annoying, lol
...
Or was that a DS game...I dunno...

I brought this over Dread and so so happy with it. Honestly it's amazing. I've still got 1 & 2 on GC but this version is great. Turning the camera off imo makes everything feel better. And the Party games are a riot as they always have been.
I'll still be buying Dread, but having too much fun with this atm.

@Laserbeak1982 I’ll have to get this too I think. I bought dread this morning, but I have such good memories of the GameCube version.

I was playing this and for the first in years I felt like throwing my controller at the wall out of frustration.