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Get your Banana Blitz fix...fifty consecutive days in a row
The first Super Monkey Ball featured six mini-games in addition to the main game; the second upped the ante with twelve. These little diversions are what make SMB such a wonderful party game, and as such, Sega has decided to throw somewhere around fifty into the upcoming launch title Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz. Our dear friends at IGN apparently had the moxie to convince Sega to give them an early run-through...of every single one. That's right; over the next fifty days or so, IGN will unveil a video and hands-on impressions of one of the mini-games found within. The first game covered was Ring Toss, which seems enjoyable enough. Check it out daily for more! Seriously. Fifty.
Partial Wii launch lineup revealed
According to numerous reports, Nintendo Power has confirmed six Wii launch titles: Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors (Square Enix) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Nintendo) Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Nintendo) Rayman Raving Rabbits (Ubisoft) Red Steel (Ubisoft) Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Sega) While this list will surely double -- or even triple -- in size as we draw closer to the console's launch, one game that will likely slip out of the launch window is Super Mario Galaxy. Link and Samus will just have to hold it down until the plumber returns in 2007.
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Fresh dose of Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
Worthplaying.com has posted a mess of new screenshots of Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz for Wii. Visually, the game is underwhelming, appearing only slightly crisper than past GameCube installments of the series. Of course, SMB: Banana Blitz's trademark isn't looks, but quirky motion-controlled gameplay, including the new 'flick-jump' ability. Party on.
Wii impressions: Monkey Ball (minigames)
Behind doors at the SEGA booth, we got to check out three of the promised 50 minigames that will be included in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz for the Wii. The three games we tried out are very simple and intuitive: Darts -- Hold A to grab a dart, push forward and release to throw. Then go play real darts. Hurdles -- Shake nunchuk and Wiimote furiously, occasionally press B to jump. Try not to feel ridiculous. Hammer Throw -- Spin Wiimote in the air, wind up steel ball and release some score-breaking distance. The games are extremely simplistic, both conceptually and artistically, but so goes the Monkey Ball franchise. SEGA is going for quantity on these minigames -- they could use more visual flair, but at least they've seemed to gotten the controls down.
Sega announces Monkey Ball for Revolution
Sega announced today that its popular Monkey Ball franchise would be hitting the Revolution in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz. The most notable new feature at the moment is the ability to make your monkey jump at anytime by flicking the Revolution's remote upward, assumably in the same manner as the Super Mario Sunshine mockup Revolution video demonstrates. The party games are making a full comeback as well, with players being able to use the remote in minigames such as "Whack-a-Mole." In the spirit of the announcement, news site 1up has posted a preview and small interview with Sega's Toshihiro Nagoshi. When asked about transitioning the game to the Revolution and utilizing the unique features of the remote, Toshihiro was obviously tight-lipped, what with E3 fast approaching, but did say "Once you get your hands on the game you'll realize how natural it feels...instead of tilting the controller lever, players will be tilting the controller itself to tilt the game board."
Super Monkey Ball rolls onto Revolution
Sega has announced Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz for the Nintendo Revolution. The next installment looks to return the series to its roots with classic action/puzzle gameplay. As expected, the Revolution's unique functionality will add a new dimension to the playing field, allowing players to control the game world by tilting the controllers. Also, for the first time, a jump-ability will be added to game, initiated by flicking the controller upward. As with previous SMB titles, party games will be one of Banana Blitz's biggest draws, and Sega has promised a huge library of dynamic mini-games designed with the Revolution in mind, including Whack-a-Mole and ring toss. [Thanks, Back_Lit]
Monkey Ball producer on DS design challenges
Let's face it. There are very few things more entertaining than an adorable monkey trapped inside a translucent ball. In fact, watching my monkeys roll wildly out of control through wacky landscapes is one of my favorite past times. I love pushing them down slopes, over hills and through tunnels, only stopping occasionally to taunt them with the promise of a fresh banana. And then there's the bowling... knocking down pins with my flailing monkey encased in a sphere is something I try to enjoy on a daily basis. I also enjoy playing the game, Super Monkey Ball. You may have heard of it. The DS version, entitled Super Monkey Ball Touch & Roll, is scheduled to ship sometime next week. Toshihiro Nagoshi, the game's producer, took time out of his simian schedule in order to update his 1up blog with a few reflections on developing the game's unique control system. Though the game's mechanics seem to be a good, intuitive match to the DS' unique abilities, Mr. Nagoshi notes that adapting it from the previous console versions wasn't entirely a walk in the park. "It is really tricky to create a solid control system for a user interface. First off, things don't always go according to plan - the execution and functionality doesn't always align with the concept. Often times, what you think is final and complete, isn't necessarily so. And as you work more on the functionality and execution of a concept, the more you end up changing it. So ultimately, that original idea gets changed in the end product."However, he also feels that the challenge ultimately benefited the game, with the team's trial-and-error approach eventually leading to a more refined control system. According to him, the secret is to always stay passionate and realize that there is always room for improvement. We'll see whether the design philosophy matches the game before the month is over.
Sega announces Super Monkey Ball Adventures
If there's one thing this current generation taught us, it is that putting monkeys in hamster balls is a great idea. Sega today announced another title in their Super Monkey Ball franchise, Super Monkey Ball Adventures, set for release Q3 2006 for the PSP, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo GameCube. This time out, in addition to 50 new 'classic' puzzle stylings, there will also be a story-driven platformer element to the game - our favorite simian protagonists will have to reform five feuding feral families, or "Monkey Ball Kingdoms." Sega also promises to bring 3 classic party games (our picks: Monkey Fight, Monkey Target, and Monkey Bowling) and 3 new ones (Monkey Kombat? Hey, we can dream). Super Monkey Ball Adventures is currently being developed by Traveller's Tales (Lego Star Wars). All previous Monkey Ball games - even the N-Gage one - had been developed by Amusement Vision. We're not sure why Sega decided to shift houses, but the screenshots released do look pretty. [Thanks, JamesO]
Super Monkey Ball to go bananas on the DS
When Super Monkey Ball came out as a launch title for the GameCube, it was a breath of fresh air for everyone who grew up loving Marble Madness. It was the perfect combination of puzzle game (hundreds of levels) and party game (the first edition had eight well-crafted games, including the infamous Monkey Target). Monkey Ball has since arrived on every home console, the GameBoy Advance, and even the N-Gage. And now Nintendo DS fans will get their chance to roll a monkey trapped in a ball off a cliff. In the latest issue of Famitsu magazine, Sega has announced that Super Monkey Ball will is bound for the Nintendo DS. (Update) A very kind Joystiq reader by the name of Ombre has given us a scan of the Famitsu article, so click here and enjoy. Thanks, Ombre.
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe arrives on PS2
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe has come to PS2. So get your monkeys and your balls ready! It's a little surprising that this is the first version of Super Monkey Ball to make it onto the PS2, but it is. A quick check of message boards has thrown up, among the usual juvenile mentality, seemingly genuine complaints about loading delays on the PS2 version. However, the concensus seems to be that if you've not played versions on other consoles, you probably won't even notice. There's also been a few comments on the graphics being low-res compared to the Gamecube and Xbox. The other genuine complaint is that copies are pretty thin on the ground. Folk who pre-ordered are being told they can't have their order. So the monkey is out there with his ball. You just have to hunt for him if you really want him.
