Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania | PS/NSW/XB/PC | OUT NOW!

[ITSMILNER]

See a lot of moaning about the mini games but I’m keeping my pre-order as I have been wanting this for years hopefully any gripes get patched

[Drumstick]

See a lot of moaning about the mini games

Such as?

[ITSMILNER]

See a lot of moaning about the mini games

Such as?

Seems to be changes made to physics and the way certain mini games play, particularly Monkey Target being singled out. I’m hoping they are not awful as MT was my favourite mini game and the one I was most looking forward to playing.

This clearly isn't some cheap cash-in to make the most of assets lying around from Banana Blitz HD and it is undoubtedly the best Monkey Ball has been since it left GameCube, but it all comes back to the engine. The original's physics were so precise and as soon as you boot up Monkey Target in Banana Mania it's clear something is very wrong. You still roll off the ramp and use your ball as a set of wings as you glide your way towards the target but it simply doesn't feel right.
The movement is no longer an extension of the main game, it's loose and messy. Worst of all, the game doesn't rely 100% on physics and momentum. If you simply walk off the ramp as slowly as possible the game will play a launch animation as if you ran at full speed — you won't get very far but that animation is part of the problem. Even when running at full speed the jump off the ramp feels scripted, there's a moment where you have next to no control and it just doesn't feel good. The satisfying momentum is gone.

[ITSMILNER]

My copy has despatched

[RichardUK]

As long as I can play Monkey Target I'll be happy - so many great memories of playing that with mates at uni.

I loved playing that with my friends

[Fade]

Some people not buying this because the physics in Monkey target aren't the exact same as they were 20 years ago

And they wonder why Monkey Ball is such a neglected franchise.

If you want to play the exact same games from 20 years ago, Dolphin exists.

[ITSMILNER]

Yeah, all the complaints seem to be that it just feels off compared to the originals. I’ve not played the OG games for years so I’m hoping it feels fine, especially Monkey Target. I’m sure playing multiplayer with groups will be just as much fun as the OG game was.

[Drumstick]

£29.85 @ Base

[kazanova_Frankenstein]

I'm guessing a lot of the charm and attraction of this game is gone if you don't have friends to play it with?

[ITSMILNER]

I'm guessing a lot of the charm and attraction of this game is gone if you don't have friends to play it with?

The single player stuff is fun but yeah, this really shines in multiplayer with the mini games. I don’t think this has online which is a shame.

[kazanova_Frankenstein]

I'm guessing a lot of the charm and attraction of this game is gone if you don't have friends to play it with?

The single player stuff is fun but yeah, this really shines in multiplayer with the mini games. I don’t think this has online which is a shame.

Thanks - thats what i figured.

I played a little bit of one of them on Gamecube a couple of christmases ago. A couple of mates were over and it was excelent fun. Its the only exposure I have ever had to the franchise.

[ITSMILNER]

Copy arrived so I just fired it up for a quick look at it

Main game feels like I remember it being, no issues from me, game looks and plays great from the brief go I have had.

Mini games, these do feel weird, I just tried Monkey Target and the fact that you auto shoot off the ramp rather than go off using your own momentum of a tad annoying. My main issue tho is I can’t seem to control the monkey once in the air, in the OG games you would tilt the stick up and down to keep the monkey in the air but for some reason once I open the ball the monkey just descends to the water, I’m tilting the stick and it’s not making a difference! Not sure what’s up with that tbh, I must be doing something wrong but I’m trying to play it how i remember and it’s not working

[ITSMILNER]

Put more time into this last night and I'm getting used to the games and how to handle them. I'm actually able to reach targets in Monkey Target now

The Baseball game is still throwing me at the moment but i'm sure if I keep at it i'll get used to it. I also just bought the Classic Soundtrack and its perfect

[RichardUK]

Put more time into this last night and I'm getting used to the games and how to handle them. I'm actually able to reach targets in Monkey Target now

The Baseball game is still throwing me at the moment but i'm sure if I keep at it i'll get used to it. I also just bought the Classic Soundtrack and its perfect

Monkey target is definitely a lot different, I was a pro at it years ago on GameCube and could fly to the furthest targets but now I just drive bomb into the water, going down would normally create speed that you could use to get higher again but now you just seem to drop altitude

Also when stating the main levels the camera position seems to low that you can’t see the track fully

[ITSMILNER]

Put more time into this last night and I'm getting used to the games and how to handle them. I'm actually able to reach targets in Monkey Target now

The Baseball game is still throwing me at the moment but i'm sure if I keep at it i'll get used to it. I also just bought the Classic Soundtrack and its perfect

Monkey target is definitely a lot different, I was a pro at it years ago on GameCube and could fly to the furthest targets but now I just drive bomb into the water, going down would normally create speed that you could use to get higher again but now you just seem to drop altitude

This was my problem, when you first open your ball it’s like you need to keep a steady speed by tilting the left stick slightly back and forth. I still can’t manage to reach the targets at the end though.

[Herdanos]

Can somebody clear up the version differences for me?

At the moment, according to Deku Deals:

SMB Banana Mania is 34.99
SMB BM Anniversary Edition is 29.99
SMB BM Digital Deluxe Edition is 44.99

So is the anniversary edition slimmed down?

[ITSMILNER]

Can somebody clear up the version differences for me?

At the moment, according to Deku Deals:

SMB Banana Mania is 34.99
SMB BM Anniversary Edition is 29.99
SMB BM Digital Deluxe Edition is 44.99

So is the anniversary edition slimmed down?

Anniversary Edition is the physical release, better than the £34.99 edition

EDIT: the £34.99 digital edition is now £26.24 in the sale btw

[Qikz]

Got this in the steam sale and strawberry float this is good to play. Played through a bunch of the main story and did the Casual SMB1 challenge as well. Damn I love Monkey Ball.