In Sega’s sequel to the smash hit, Super Monkey Ball, Sega has returned to it’s roots in a big way. Keeping this new sequel simple, and true to the original, adding new characters, and a cute set of mini-games, this game is a home run for one of our childhood heroes. And by hero, I mean Sega of course.
The game play is the same as before. Using the accelerometer to guide the monkey in the huge hamster ball, you roll through level after stomach defying level, collecting bananas along the way. You have four choices in characters this time around. Each one with it’s own set of sound effects. I don’t really see any advantage here per character, but maybe there is one. The new levels that are in the sequel are fairly upfront. The graphics are the same cartoony monkeys and pretty realistic looking worlds. They are a little better here, but they still maintain their charm.
I was blown away by how fun the first 20 boards were. They were easy enough that I didn’t feel like I was going to pull out my hair, unlike some parts of the first one, and they were challenging enough that I didn’t feel like I was playing a game geared towards new borns. The mini games, a recent addition in the new update, were really fun to play as well. There is bowling, Monkey Target, and golf. The first and last are pretty easy to grasp just by reading the name, Target is a cool and interesting mini game, but it needs a little explaining.
Monkey Target is a game wherein you fire your Monkey of choice out of a circus styled cannon, and into the heavens. Once you reach wherever you were hoping to fall to, you tap on the ball, and it opens like a big poke-ball hang glider. You use the accelerometer to steer towards an island target. Once you get near the ground, tap the ball again to once again become a monkey hamster fusion, and roll across the target. It sort of reminds me of playing bocci ball. You get three shots and if one sucks, you can always try to knock it into a better position. If you get some bananas along the glide in, this will boost your point total in the end. This game is fun, but just like the rest of the mini games, needs a local leader board at the very least. Just to see if you can beat your girlfriends top score to earn you some brownies that you bet her. I mean you didn’t wanna do her laundry anyway today right?
In the end this game is a solid addition to the Sega line up and they have a lot to be proud of. At this moment, this game sells for $5.99 USD, at that price, I’d give it a shot, if for nothing else, the mini games are awesome for waiting for the bus. I only have a few minor complaints. One, this game should come with a free motion sickness patch for me, and anyone like me. Two, some slightly more realistic rails in boards, and lastly, the aforementioned leader boards. All in all I give this game a 9 out of 10. It’s a solid game that I can’t help but giggle while playing. It’s addictive, even if I do get motion sick sometimes.
Game rated on a ten point scale.