Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble Preview (2025)

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble blends classic mechanics and new additions to create something fun for both new and old fans of the long-running franchise. From Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio - the same developer behind the Like a Dragon series - and SEGA, the upcoming platformer is the first completely original mainline entry in several years following multiple remaster releases. Screen Rant recently got an hour of hands-on time with the title that gave a glimpse into its handling, storyline, and biggest changes.

Ever since making its mark as one of the most beloved Nintendo console launch titles in 2001, the Super Monkey Ball franchise garnered a passionate fan following that has only grown over the years. After a drought of original series content, players will finally have 200 chaotic new courses to roll around in this summer. Though the preview only covered the first handful of these, it still managed to showcase the game's fine-tuned physics, creative design, and powerful Spin Dash move well.

The Controls & Courses Of Super Monkey Ball

Rolling Out Smoother Than Ever Before

The preview consisted of the first two worlds of Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble: the lush, greenery-filled Banana Farm and the fantasy-inspired Rose Garden. The first world is fairly simple, serving as a sort of introductory set of courses to ease players into the series that slowly incorporates things like ramps and twistier routes. The second begins to add in more tricky elements aligned with the theme, like a hedge maze and drawbridges. The game will have 10 worlds total, though only five of them - the aforementioned pair, Floating City, Golden Temple, and Stone Valley - have been revealed so far.

Though these courses can be completed normally, many are also designed to have shortcuts for players to figure out that allow for portions to be skipped - the hedge maze, for example, can be almost entirely flown over with a strong enough Spin Dash. While there are features like this designed for speedrunning fans, there are plenty of options geared towards making things easier and more accessible too. This includes things like the ability to rewind specific parts of a stage instead of having to redo the entire thing, a checkpoint system, and guiding elements to show how to complete levels.

The handling in Banana Rumble feels clean and intuitive, giving the ability to stop on a dime and meticulously navigate tricky portions while freely controlling the camera. The Spin Dash is a standout addition, particularly for the character I chose, Doctor, whose stat for the skill is at the maximum. He was able to fly across huge portions of some courses, though it was also just as easy to push things too far and careen off the map; both scenarios were equally fun in their own way, and are a great encapsulation of the chaos the series is known for.

Characters & Customization

Selecting Stats & Unlocking Outfits

The game has seven characters to choose from, most of which like Aiai and MeeMee will be familiar to long-time fans. There's also new roster member Palette, an adorable red-haired monkey who's on a quest to find the Legendary Banana. The game's Adventure Mode follows her and the rest of the primate crew as they travel through different locales looking for relics called OOPArts necessary to locate the prized fruit, trying to reach them before another set of nefarious monkeys do to use for their own gain.

Similar to games like Mario Kart, each character has their own unique stats when it comes to things like speed and handling, as well as one specific to the power of the new Spin Dash move. Aiai's are perfectly balanced while the rest have more strengths and weaknesses, like GonGon whose larger weight gives him a knack for bumping around others in a competition at the sacrifice of speed. Players will also have a myriad of ways to customize both their chosen character and their ball, with the game offering a large number of unlockable outfits and ball designs.

Final Thoughts On Banana Rumble

Something For Fans Both Old & New

Unfortunately, the preview didn't give much opportunity to check out the game's robust multiplayer save for a race against a group of NPCs, but there will be plenty of options for fans to play together both in person and online. The game's Adventure Mode can be done in co-op with up to four players, and other competitive modes like races and battles can be done locally with two players or online against up to 15 others. There's also plenty for solo players to do on their own, like time trials or battling it out against NPCs.

This is a game that's easy to get into but difficult to master, and there seem to be a slew of secret shortcuts, unlockables, and courses to discover that will offer many joyful hours. The title has the potential to be very addicting - even the short time spent with it, it was very easy to fall into a loop of wanting to discover more efficient ways to navigate each course and beat personal bests. Players will be able to see everything Super Monkey Ball Rumble has to offer when it rolls out this summer.

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6 Images

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble

Action

Franchise

Super Monkey Ball

Platform(s)

Nintendo Switch

Released

June 25, 2024

Developer(s)

SEGA

Publisher(s)

SEGA

ESRB

E For Everyone