1 to 4 local players
Available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
You can’t teach an old monkey new faces. But what if young chimpanzees could be taught to handle a camera in a 3D environment ?
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a skill game that pays tribute, 20 years on, to this little SEGA mascot locked in a plastic ball. 20 years ?! Already ?? As time flies, there is a chance that you may have played an instalment of Super Monkey Ball yourself. This Banana Mania instalment compiles levels from the first three entries in the saga. What particularly interests us is that here we have a good opportunity to learn to handle a key element of a good many video games : the camera.
Let’s start with a little description. The particularity of Super Monkey Ball is that you do not steer the character, but rather the environment around it. Our little monkey is therefore always locked in its plastic ball, which rolls down the slopes that make up each level. The aim is to reach a finish zone without falling into holes and while avoiding traps. A bit like the famous wooden labyrinth we all played with as children, in which you have to bring a steel ball to the exit by tilting the board, here it is by using the controller’s joystick that you manipulate the scenery. Easy ? Not always !
I enjoyed the shimmering atmosphere of the game and its deliberately overexcited tone. Yet you need to show restraint so as not to rush and risk having to start again at the top of the slope. The levels are short and can be replayed endlessly. This makes it a perfect ground for young children gradually discovering the world of video games to show dexterity. Frustration may be felt after several failures, but if it becomes too strong, it is always possible to switch mode and compete against each other, up to 4 players, in funny little games (ideal for short sessions).
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a fine, well-made tribute, offering a large amount of content (you can ignore the paid extras, which add little). It lets you train your dexterity and develop a skill that will be useful in many other games (moving the camera). But it also offers varied activities and the possibility of organising competitions among siblings (who finishes fastest, who catches the most bananas, etc.).
A few suggestions for things to reflect on around the game:
- If tension becomes too high after repeated failures, it is time to take a break. The frustration felt is just as real as in any other activity
- Set rules for playing together : the main mode is played alone, so do you pass the controller at the end of each level ? After each failed attempt ? Every three attempts ?
- The game’s soundtrack (music and sound effects) is quite typical of Japanese games. Which means potentially irritating for those around the player. Do not hesitate to ask for the sound to be turned down or off !
