bit-tech Shopping: Sega Super Monkey Ball (GC)

Rating: 8

Time with product: 4 Days

Strengths: You can't beat the premise

Weaknesses: weak soundtrack

Summary: I discovered this game and it's sequel in a double pack last year and just recently got around to playing it. Super Monkey Ball is one of those games I play every once in a while but will squeeze every last ounce of enjoyment possible from it. It has my ideal game design. It's easy to learn and the fun/challenge comes from being able to complete levels on skill and experience. I think Sega could have put more effort into a memorable soundtrack as the one here is pretty uneventful. I don't have any real problems with the game, I wasn't put off by the difficulty like most others were, it just made the game more addictive to me.

Rating: 6

Time with product: 6 Months

Strengths: Innovative gameplay, well-designed tracks/arenas, great graphics

Weaknesses: Short single player mode and not enough variety in multiplayer.

Summary: This game is great for a weekend or weeklong rental. More than that, though, and you are wasting your time. The puzzles are fun and challenging, although the single player aspect of the game could have been longer. The multiplayer mini-games are great to play with your friends for a night or two. I would recommend picking up either Super Monkey Ball 2, also for gamecube, or Super Monkey Ball Deluxe for PS2 or XBox.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 2 Years

Strengths: Good puzzles and lots of them. Lots of extras. Multiplayer.

Weaknesses: Eyestrain and annoying in-game ads.

Summary: Think Marble Madness in reverse, and with cute monkeys.In Super Monkey Ball, you maneuver a monkey in a rolly ball around an obstacle course, collecting bananas and making your way toward the exit. In actuality, you are moving the entire environment, not the monkey, but however you think about it, it works. It's like one of those labyrinths with a marble. It's extraordinarily simple and yet it becomes a hard and complex game.Super Monkey Ball is not a cakewalk. You'll have your work cut out for you. Some of the puzzles seem unforgiving. But Super Monkey Ball manages to make a difficult puzzler with mechanics that could be frustrating into an addictive game. This game definitely has that "one more try" pull to it, and you'll continue to try again without wanting to break your Gamecube.Super Monkey Ball is one of the few games that gives me a headache. I don't know if it's eyestrain, or dizzyness, or what. The game is not choppy; the framerate and the graphics are great. But something about it makes me ill after awhile. I try to play in small doses.The one constant annoyance with the game is that it was sponsored by Dole, the company best known for pineapples. Every banana has the Dole logo texture-mapped on to it. It's distracting and annoying. I wouldn't complain if they gave the game away, but I did pay for it.Super Monkey Ball has a lot going for it. Lots of stages, lots of extras, unlockable bonus games, and cute monkeys. It's a great puzzler and a party game, too. There's lots of variety and lots of challenge. Dramamine not included.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 8 Months

Strengths: Addictive, 4 player multiplay, good control & physics

Weaknesses: Gets extremely hard

Summary: Super Monkey Ball is kind of like Marble Madness brought into a 3D game and is done very well by Sega. You control a monkey in a ball with the GameCube's analog stick and will have to steer him though levels while collecting bananas and break the finish line before the time runs out without falling over the edge. The GameCube version of Super Monkey Ball also includes a a bunch of mini games which are not in the arcade version of the game Monkey Race, Monkey Fight, Monkey Target, Monkey Billiards, Monkey Bowling, and Monkey Golf which will add alot of replay value to the game as you will still be able to enjoy playing them on multiplayer long after you are finished with the single player mode. I would suggest Super Monkey Ball to anyone that has enjoyed games such as Marble Madness in the past or likes arcade games.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 3 Years

Strengths: Addictive, fun, and full of variety.

Weaknesses: Gets hard quick.

Summary: What sort of games do you like? Puzzle? Action? Sports? Monkey Ball's got you covered. With a great main game and six fleshed-out minigames, you'll be playing Monkey Ball alone and with friends for a long time. The main game has you rolling a monkey in a ball through about 100 courses, from a starting point to a goal. These range from very simple to hard as all get out, and because of that, hardcore gamers will be in heaven. Even casual gamers will have a great time on the early levels, and will probably have a great time learning the later levels and trying again and again to beat them... unless they frustrate easily. And if that's not enough, there's also six minigames. Bowling, Golf, Billiards, Fight, Race, and Target (which is a Pilotwings sort of game that has to be played to be understood). Each of these can be played with multiple players, so if you've got friends, this can be a great break from your usual Smash Bros. sessions. Unless you're completely opposed to action games, SMB and its sequel are highly recommended.