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IGN Review of Super Monkey Ball 3D
After numerous iterations of the Super Monkey Ball formula, which got its start on the GameCube almost 10 years ago, AiAi and crew have had a bumpy ride. While none of their adventures since their console debut have quite stacked up to the original, Super Monkey Ball 3D is the closet this series has gotten to recapturing its former glory.
For those new to the whole rolling monkeys in balls scene, Monkey Ball 3D, like all its predecessors, is an action puzzler that has you controlling a ball containing a monkey of your choice. The object is to get your monkey to the end of the level without falling off the edge, all while collecting as many tasty, yellow bananas along the way as possible and within the allotted time limit. Monkey Ball 3D also brings back the series' light-hearted humor with hilarious character descriptions for each of the monkeys you can play as.
What this new version brings to the table is a brand new control scheme, utilizing either the 3DS' circle pad or gyroscope technology. While the latter is pretty worthless (as tilting the system around screws up the 3D effect), the circle pad is a dream come true, providing the definitive control set-up and allowing you to control your monkey ball with tighter precision than ever before.
There are also new objects and surfaces to interact with, such as sticky surfaces to slow you down or bumpers to knock you off the stage and into oblivion. These things are a great touch, and provide an extra challenge for you to consider when racing your way to the goal.
Although there are 80 levels to monkey around with (72 traditional courses and eight bonus ones), you'll find you roll right through them pretty quickly. Of course, it's the kind of game that you can replay ad nauseam (and it's a fun concept, so you probably will), so this isn't the biggest deal in the world, though I do wish it had been longer. I was also pleased to find that there are no recycled courses in this one-- they're all brand new and some of the later level designs are really cool and fun to maneuver.
One sizable downgrade is that Monkey Ball 3D comes with only two additional modes, rather than the cornucopia of mini-games these titles usually offer. Gone are Monkey Target and Monkey Billiards-- the only remaining remnants of these fun extras are Monkey Race (a fun Mario Kart rip-off with tighter controls than previous attempts the series has made at monkey racing) and Monkey Fight (a Smash Bros. rip off with clunky controls where you try to knock the 'nanas out of your opponents in an attempt to be the monkey with the biggest bunch when the timer runs out).
Although Monkey Fight is fun in a silly, button-mashing sort of way, it's ultimately too random to really get into (winning comes down to smacking the monkey with the most bananas right before the timer runs out). Monkey Kart is much better, though still lacking in level selection and with some inherent problems (like not being able to pause during a race or being logged out after every race you partake in). That said, while the other two modes are nothing special, that's not what you buy a Monkey Ball game. You buy it for some good ole fashioned monkey ball action, which this iteration has in spades.
THE 3D EFFECT
Like all 3DS games, Monkey Ball 3D can be played with the 3D slider turned off. However, to play this way wouldn't be doing the game justice. The 3D adds a huge layer of depth perception, allowing for tighter controls and fewer undeserved deaths than ever before. One of the better examples of applying 3D to gameplay of any of the launch titles I've seen so far.
©2011-03-25, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved
For those new to the whole rolling monkeys in balls scene, Monkey Ball 3D, like all its predecessors, is an action puzzler that has you controlling a ball containing a monkey of your choice. The object is to get your monkey to the end of the level without falling off the edge, all while collecting as many tasty, yellow bananas along the way as possible and within the allotted time limit. Monkey Ball 3D also brings back the series' light-hearted humor with hilarious character descriptions for each of the monkeys you can play as.
What this new version brings to the table is a brand new control scheme, utilizing either the 3DS' circle pad or gyroscope technology. While the latter is pretty worthless (as tilting the system around screws up the 3D effect), the circle pad is a dream come true, providing the definitive control set-up and allowing you to control your monkey ball with tighter precision than ever before.
There are also new objects and surfaces to interact with, such as sticky surfaces to slow you down or bumpers to knock you off the stage and into oblivion. These things are a great touch, and provide an extra challenge for you to consider when racing your way to the goal.
Although there are 80 levels to monkey around with (72 traditional courses and eight bonus ones), you'll find you roll right through them pretty quickly. Of course, it's the kind of game that you can replay ad nauseam (and it's a fun concept, so you probably will), so this isn't the biggest deal in the world, though I do wish it had been longer. I was also pleased to find that there are no recycled courses in this one-- they're all brand new and some of the later level designs are really cool and fun to maneuver.
One sizable downgrade is that Monkey Ball 3D comes with only two additional modes, rather than the cornucopia of mini-games these titles usually offer. Gone are Monkey Target and Monkey Billiards-- the only remaining remnants of these fun extras are Monkey Race (a fun Mario Kart rip-off with tighter controls than previous attempts the series has made at monkey racing) and Monkey Fight (a Smash Bros. rip off with clunky controls where you try to knock the 'nanas out of your opponents in an attempt to be the monkey with the biggest bunch when the timer runs out).
Although Monkey Fight is fun in a silly, button-mashing sort of way, it's ultimately too random to really get into (winning comes down to smacking the monkey with the most bananas right before the timer runs out). Monkey Kart is much better, though still lacking in level selection and with some inherent problems (like not being able to pause during a race or being logged out after every race you partake in). That said, while the other two modes are nothing special, that's not what you buy a Monkey Ball game. You buy it for some good ole fashioned monkey ball action, which this iteration has in spades.
Like all 3DS games, Monkey Ball 3D can be played with the 3D slider turned off. However, to play this way wouldn't be doing the game justice. The 3D adds a huge layer of depth perception, allowing for tighter controls and fewer undeserved deaths than ever before. One of the better examples of applying 3D to gameplay of any of the launch titles I've seen so far.
©2011-03-25, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved