Super Monkey Ball Deluxe
Encyclopedia
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe is a party video game made for the PlayStation 2
and the original Xbox
developed by Japanese game developer Sega
, the creators of Sonic the Hedgehog
, and is the fourth entry in the Super Monkey Ball
series of games. It is the first game in the main Super Monkey Ball series to be available on Xbox and Playstation 2 but not on Gamecube. It contains 114 levels from Super Monkey Ball
1 and 149 levels from Super Monkey Ball 2
as well as 47 levels unique to the game, making a total of 310 levels. The game is also notable for its large number of customizable party mini-games, many of which are unique to Deluxe.
The Xbox game gained platinum hits status and the PS2 game gained Greatest Hits status which is only given to games that have reached considerable sales milestones. The game was quite well received, attaining admirable scores on aggregate review sites GameRankings and Metacritic
. Critics have praised the simple yet challenging gameplay and mini-games, but criticised its dated sound and graphics, and its similarity to the first two games in the series.
, the player must navigate a ball across many puzzling courses within a time limit, usually 60 seconds. The controls are very simple: the player uses the directional analog stick
to move the entire floor in order to guide one of four anthropomorphic monkey
s (encased in a large clear ball) towards the goal, while avoiding hazards and obstacles (for example, moving platforms, mazes, ramps). Collecting banana
s scattered throughout the stage raises the player's score, and awards extra lives. If the monkey ball falls off the edge of a platform or the time runs out, the stage ends and the player loses a life. If the player reaches the arch-shaped goal, the player advances to the next stage. Higher levels have a greater challenge and complexity: most of the levels in Story Mode are characterised as Beginner, Advanced and Expert.
.
The plot involves the games four protagonists Aiai, Meemee, Baby and Gongon who embark on a quest to stop the antagonist, Dr Bad-Boon, and his Assistant, from stealing all the bananas on Jungle Island.
Story Mode consists of ten worlds, each of which contains of 20 levels, but only 10 levels are required to be completed in order to advance to the next world. Players are allowed to select and complete levels in a world in any order they wish. A story cut-scene is played upon completion of a world. Unlike in Challenge Mode, the player has infinite lives.
Practice mode allows players to practice any of the unlocked levels from Story Mode or Challenge Mode. Whether failed or completed, the stage will replay indefinitely until the player quits.
around a course in their monkey balls and collect power ups to disrupt the opposition. The player wins by being the first to cross the finish line. This game mode can be played to up to 4 players. You can race on a single course on One Course Race Mode and you can enter a series races in the Grand Prix Mode. The player can also try to get the best time on a track in Time Attack
Mode.
where the player has to remain on the stage to win. Player can also collect power ups that make knocking the opponent off the stage easier.
. The player will eventually come across a landing pad where different areas of the platform have more points. The player can then land his/her monkey by turning their monkey’s glider back into a monkey ball and they will be given the points allocated by the area that they have landed.
shooter game
. The player must shot as many flying insects as they can while avoiding the missiles headed their way. The player can also find various bonus items either inside a ball or held by an enemy. In multiplayer mode, the winner is the player with the most points at the end of the stage.
game on a small field, played for 60 seconds each half by default. There are 4 team types: normal, offensive
, defensive and handicap
. The game also includes Tournament and Penalty Kick Shootout
modes.
-type game for two players, Monkey Baseball has one player as batter
with an oversized baseball bat, and another as "pitcher
", who throws the entire monkey in its ball towards the batter. Instead of fielders, the pitch has a number of "pockets" at the edges which determine the effect of a successful bat (foul
, out
etc.), and "jump fields", which go up to block the ball from going in the pockets. The distribution of pockets and jump fields is determined randomly by a roulette at the start of the innings. A Tournament mode is also available.
game for up to four players. The rules are largely the same as ordinary tennis. Depending on the return from the other player, the player may see a Smash Mark displayed on their side of the court. If the player stands on this mark hitting the ball, there will be a much more powerful return. A Tournament mode is available.
. This game can be played for up to 3 players. The different rules that these party games can be played are US Nine-ball, JAPAN
Nine-Ball, Eight-ball or Rotation. One player can also play Tournament
mode where the player plays a series of games incorporating each rule system against the computer. Each player turn uses the cue ball to knock coloured monkey balls into pockets. Which coloured balls that the player can pocket depends on which rules that players are using. If the player pockets the cue ball or hits the wrong coloured ball first then the player is given a foul, giving the opponent an advantage. If a player pockets the correct coloured ball the player is given another shot instantly.
.
it has an average score of 81/100 for the Xbox version and a 78/100 for the Playstation 2 version. Another review aggregator website, GameRankings, gave similar results, with the Xbox version scoring an 80.48% and the Playstation 2 version scoring a 77.48%.
Gamespot
gave the both versions of the game 7.9/10 commenting that: “The Monkey Ball series has always been about establishing a whimsical, energetic feel, and that still comes across in Deluxe.” 1UP
gave the Xbox release of the game a B+ has citing that: “If you enjoy and are up for the challenge, the adrenaline rush and controller-clutching is all yours”. Eurogamer
, which gave the game a score of 8/10, noticed that the game’s Story Mode is easier and the mini games are unlocked by default, which they think is: "the developer's determination to open the game up to a much larger audience." As a port of its previous games, Gamespy
considers it as: “the "Director's Cut" of the series, crammed with bells, whistles, and other trinkets of awesomeness.” giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars for the Playstation 2 version of the game. G4TV, which gave the game a score of 4/5 for the Xbox version, have commented that the game provides a lot of content for its retail price, expressing that it is “A whole lot of monkey balling to be had for your buck”.
Critics have commented on the lack of online functionality as a missed opportunity, especially when it comes to multiplayer in the mini games. IGN
, which gave the game an 8.4/10 on the Xbox, have said that: “It boggles the mind to think of the possibilities of online Monkey Ball tournaments and leaderboards.” This publication has also criticised the sound effects, that they are “almost abrasive and will quickly annoy anyone within hearing distance who isn't playing.” Gamespot has criticised the game’s graphics as they “don't feel as crisp as they did when they first arrived on the GameCube”. Critics have deemed the Playstation 2 version of the game as inferior to the Xbox. Gamespy said the Playstation 2 release “suffer from the frankly ridiculous load times and slowdown”. G4TV
have also commented that the game doesn’t offer anything for fans of the Super Monkey Ball series, stating that: “If you’ve played it before on GameCube, you’ve seen it all before”.
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and the original Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
developed by Japanese game developer Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
, the creators of Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog may refer to:* Sonic the Hedgehog , a video game series released by Sega starring its eponymous mascot** Sonic the Hedgehog , a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega** Sonic the Hedgehog , a 1991 platform game developed by...
, and is the fourth entry in the Super Monkey Ball
Super Monkey Ball (series)
The Super Monkey Ball series is a series of arcade platform games developed by Amusement Vision and distributed by Sega. It features 4 characters : AiAi, MeeMee, Baby and GonGon...
series of games. It is the first game in the main Super Monkey Ball series to be available on Xbox and Playstation 2 but not on Gamecube. It contains 114 levels from Super Monkey Ball
Super Monkey Ball
Super Monkey Ball is an arcade platform game developed by Amusement Vision and published by Sega. The game debuted in Japan in 2000 as an upright arcade cabinet called Monkey Ball and was released the following year as one of the launch titles for the Nintendo GameCube.-Modes:Super Monkey Ball...
1 and 149 levels from Super Monkey Ball 2
Super Monkey Ball 2
Super Monkey Ball 2 is the second installment in the Super Monkey Ball series developed by Amusement Vision. It is the first installment to have a storyline and to be released solely on a home console.-Levels:...
as well as 47 levels unique to the game, making a total of 310 levels. The game is also notable for its large number of customizable party mini-games, many of which are unique to Deluxe.
The Xbox game gained platinum hits status and the PS2 game gained Greatest Hits status which is only given to games that have reached considerable sales milestones. The game was quite well received, attaining admirable scores on aggregate review sites GameRankings and Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Critics have praised the simple yet challenging gameplay and mini-games, but criticised its dated sound and graphics, and its similarity to the first two games in the series.
Gameplay
The gameplay is largely the same as the first two in the series. Much like the classic arcade game Marble MadnessMarble Madness
Marble Madness is an arcade video game designed by Mark Cerny, and published by Atari Games in 1984. It is a platform game in which the player must guide an onscreen marble through six courses, populated with obstacles and enemies, within a time limit. The player controls the marble by using a...
, the player must navigate a ball across many puzzling courses within a time limit, usually 60 seconds. The controls are very simple: the player uses the directional analog stick
Analog stick
An analog stick, sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joystick, consisting of a protrusion from the controller; input is based on the position of this protrusion in relation...
to move the entire floor in order to guide one of four anthropomorphic monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s (encased in a large clear ball) towards the goal, while avoiding hazards and obstacles (for example, moving platforms, mazes, ramps). Collecting banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s scattered throughout the stage raises the player's score, and awards extra lives. If the monkey ball falls off the edge of a platform or the time runs out, the stage ends and the player loses a life. If the player reaches the arch-shaped goal, the player advances to the next stage. Higher levels have a greater challenge and complexity: most of the levels in Story Mode are characterised as Beginner, Advanced and Expert.
Story Mode
Story Mode is one player only, and features the same story mode featured in Super Monkey Ball 2Super Monkey Ball 2
Super Monkey Ball 2 is the second installment in the Super Monkey Ball series developed by Amusement Vision. It is the first installment to have a storyline and to be released solely on a home console.-Levels:...
.
The plot involves the games four protagonists Aiai, Meemee, Baby and Gongon who embark on a quest to stop the antagonist, Dr Bad-Boon, and his Assistant, from stealing all the bananas on Jungle Island.
Story Mode consists of ten worlds, each of which contains of 20 levels, but only 10 levels are required to be completed in order to advance to the next world. Players are allowed to select and complete levels in a world in any order they wish. A story cut-scene is played upon completion of a world. Unlike in Challenge Mode, the player has infinite lives.
Competition Mode
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe also features a multiplayer mode known as Competition Mode, which allows up to four players to compete against each other on any of the maps unlocked in Challenge Mode. The same rules from the single-player Story Mode still apply. The number of bananas a player collects determines which player is victorious.Practice Mode
Practice mode allows players to practice any of the unlocked levels from Story Mode or Challenge Mode. Whether failed or completed, the stage will replay indefinitely until the player quits.
Challenge Mode
Challenge Mode consists of 240 levels separated into the three sections based on difficulty level. Beginner difficulty has 40 stages, Advanced difficulty has 70 stages, Expert difficulty has 100 stages, and Master difficulty has 20. Each difficulty level also has 20 bonus stages (with the exception of Master difficulty, which only has 10). Players are given 3 lives and 5 continues with which to complete every level in their chosen difficulty. This mode can also be played with up to 4 players.Party Games
Players can compete in a selection of mini-games known as "party games". All games are up to 4 players (which may include CPU controlled characters) and the player(s) may choose any of the four main monkey characters to play. Unlike previous iterations of Super Monkey Ball, all Party Games are unlocked and available to play from the start. Available party games in Super Monkey Ball Deluxe are listed below:Monkey Race DX
In Monkey Ball Race DX, the monkeys raceRacing
A sport race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock or to a specific point. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time...
around a course in their monkey balls and collect power ups to disrupt the opposition. The player wins by being the first to cross the finish line. This game mode can be played to up to 4 players. You can race on a single course on One Course Race Mode and you can enter a series races in the Grand Prix Mode. The player can also try to get the best time on a track in Time Attack
Time attack
A time attack is another term for time trial. The term is commonly used in Japan for individual time trial events for motor vehicles that involves a vehicle running around the circuit in lieu of a qualifying lap and the term is widely adopted outside the country for tuner event and...
Mode.
Monkey Fight DX
The aim of Monkey Fight DX is to knock off all the other monkeys in a stage. The Monkeys have extendable boxing glove to knock out other monkeys on the platform. The two modes are Normal mode where you get points for knocking monkeys out of the stage, and Survival ModeSurvival mode
Survival mode is a video game mode in which the player must survive by keeping their character alive or preventing the enemy from reaching a certain location for as long as possible, while the game sends waves of enemies to the player that become stronger with each subsequent wave. Another variant...
where the player has to remain on the stage to win. Player can also collect power ups that make knocking the opponent off the stage easier.
Monkey Target DX
The aim of Monkey Target DX is to a land on the target at the bottom of a steep ramp, scoring as many points as you can. The player rolls their monkey down a ramp to gain speed and momentum. When the monkey rolls off the ramp the player can open the monkey’s ball which now acts as their gliderHang gliding
Hang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies a light and unmotorized foot-launchable aircraft called a hang glider ....
. The player will eventually come across a landing pad where different areas of the platform have more points. The player can then land his/her monkey by turning their monkey’s glider back into a monkey ball and they will be given the points allocated by the area that they have landed.
Monkey Boat
In Monkey Boat the monkeys use their Monkey balls as boats. The player can race on a single course in One Course Race Mode, race a series of races in Grand Prix Mode, or try to get the best time in a course in Time Attack Mode. The player must control the paddling of the boat to successfully move. The player can also set power ups in the course to sabotage their opponent with traps and weapons.Monkey Shot
Monkey Shot is in the style of an old-school arcadeArcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
shooter game
Shooter game
Shooter games are a sub-genre of action game, which often test the player's speed and reaction time. It includes many subgenres that have the commonality of focusing "on the actions of the avatar using some sort of weapon. Usually this weapon is a gun, or some other long-range weapon". A common...
. The player must shot as many flying insects as they can while avoiding the missiles headed their way. The player can also find various bonus items either inside a ball or held by an enemy. In multiplayer mode, the winner is the player with the most points at the end of the stage.
Monkey Dogfight
Monkey Dogfight is a multiplayer combative game where the player must target and shoot the other players. The player's chosen monkey flies around a large plane using "wings" crafted from its monkey ball split in half. Ordinary bullets or lock-on missiles may be used to lower the enemy's health. When a player loses all their health they respawn from the starting position. While each monkey has unlimited lives, the player who scores the most hits against other players is declared the winner.Monkey Soccer
In the style of traditional 2-player soccer video games, Monkey Soccer is a five-a-sideFive-a-side football
thumb|240px|alt=Men playing football on artificial grass pitch.|Five-a-side game on astroturf pitch.Five-a-side football is a variation of association football in which each team fields five players , rather than the usual eleven on each team. Other differences from football include a smaller...
game on a small field, played for 60 seconds each half by default. There are 4 team types: normal, offensive
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
, defensive and handicap
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...
. The game also includes Tournament and Penalty Kick Shootout
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
modes.
Monkey Baseball
A baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
-type game for two players, Monkey Baseball has one player as batter
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
with an oversized baseball bat, and another as "pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
", who throws the entire monkey in its ball towards the batter. Instead of fielders, the pitch has a number of "pockets" at the edges which determine the effect of a successful bat (foul
Foul ball
In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that:* Settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base, or* Bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or...
, out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
etc.), and "jump fields", which go up to block the ball from going in the pockets. The distribution of pockets and jump fields is determined randomly by a roulette at the start of the innings. A Tournament mode is also available.
Monkey Tennis
A singles or doubles tennisTennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
game for up to four players. The rules are largely the same as ordinary tennis. Depending on the return from the other player, the player may see a Smash Mark displayed on their side of the court. If the player stands on this mark hitting the ball, there will be a much more powerful return. A Tournament mode is available.
Monkey Golf DX
The rules of Monkey Golf DX are similar to Mini Golf. The player aims the monkey ball into a hole in each course. If the ball goes out of bounds the player takes a one shot penalty and will take his next shot in the same position. If the player has taken 10 shots on a hole then the player does not finish the course and receives 10 points. This party game has two modes: Stroke play and Match play. In Stroke play you play all the holes (9 or 18) and aim for the lowest score. This mode can be played up to 4 players and each player takes their shots in turn. Match Play involves two players playing a course for the lowest amount of shots and the player who wins the hole will obtain the points. The player who wins the most games is the winner.Monkey Bowling
The style of Monkey Bowling DX is similar to Ten Pin Bowling. This party game can be played up to 4 players. You can play Normal mode or two additional sets of rules: 9 Pins and Strike. The 9-pin rule is where there will be one pin missing in each lane. The missing pin will be counted towards the players score and where the missing pin is placed will vary in each frame. Strike Rule has ten pins for each frame but you’ll only have one throw each frame in a 20 frame game. There is also Special mode where each of the lanes will be oddly shaped. Challenge mode lets you select pin arrangement and give a limited number of tries to knock all the pins down.Monkey Billiards DX
The style of Monkey Billiards DX is similar to the game BilliardsBilliards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
. This game can be played for up to 3 players. The different rules that these party games can be played are US Nine-ball, JAPAN
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Nine-Ball, Eight-ball or Rotation. One player can also play Tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
mode where the player plays a series of games incorporating each rule system against the computer. Each player turn uses the cue ball to knock coloured monkey balls into pockets. Which coloured balls that the player can pocket depends on which rules that players are using. If the player pockets the cue ball or hits the wrong coloured ball first then the player is given a foul, giving the opponent an advantage. If a player pockets the correct coloured ball the player is given another shot instantly.
Characters
Aiai
Aiai is the main protagonist in Super Monkey Ball Deluxe, and the only playable character in Story Mode. He is Meemee’s future husband, and the future father of Baby. Aiai is obsessed with bananas and doesn’t usually think about anything else. He is the leader of the main group of protagonists, on a quest to defeat Dr Bad-Boon and reclaim all the stolen bananas.Meemee
Meemee is another playable character in Super Monkey Ball Deluxe. She is Aiai’s future wife, and the future mother of Baby. Meemee is in love with Aiai, but Aiai is more interested in bananas than her, which upsets her. Meemee is nice to everyone on Jungle Island, and adorns herself with flowers that have a pleasant aroma.Baby
Baby is a playable character in Super Monkey Ball Deluxe. He is Aiai and Meemee’s son, who has returned from the future to stop Dr Bad-Boon’s plot to prevent his parents marrying. Baby rarely cries, but when he does, he cries with the loudest voice on Jungle Island which only Meemee can stop.Gongon
Gongon is Aiai’s former rival, turned best friends. Gongon has unruly behaviour, but puts a great deal of faith in his friendship, which makes him a trustworthy ally. Gongon trains every day to become the strongest monkey in the world.Dr Bad Boon
Dr Bad Boon is an evil, genius scientist from the future. In the future world, he fell in love with Meemee and asked her to marry him. However, Meemee was already married to Aiai and had Baby. Subsequently, Dr Bad Boon went back in time before Aiai and Meemee were married, and tried to keep them from marrying. He formulated many evil plots to separate Aiai and Meemee, but they have always failed. Dr Bad Boon has gained a bad reputation throughout Jungle Island, and has rapidly become the island’s most hated ApeApe
Apes are Old World anthropoid mammals, more specifically a clade of tailless catarrhine primates, belonging to the biological superfamily Hominoidea. The apes are native to Africa and South-east Asia, although in relatively recent times humans have spread all over the world...
.
Dr Bad Boon's Assistant
Dr Bad Boon’s Assistant is the nameless assistant to Dr Bad Boon. No matter how badly Dr Bad Boon treats him, he remains loyal to Dr Bad Boon. He has a frightening demeanour, but in reality he is an incredibly shy creature.Critical Reception
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe has been given positive reviews, particularly for the Xbox version of the game. On the review aggregator website MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
it has an average score of 81/100 for the Xbox version and a 78/100 for the Playstation 2 version. Another review aggregator website, GameRankings, gave similar results, with the Xbox version scoring an 80.48% and the Playstation 2 version scoring a 77.48%.
Gamespot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave the both versions of the game 7.9/10 commenting that: “The Monkey Ball series has always been about establishing a whimsical, energetic feel, and that still comes across in Deluxe.” 1UP
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
gave the Xbox release of the game a B+ has citing that: “If you enjoy and are up for the challenge, the adrenaline rush and controller-clutching is all yours”. Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
, which gave the game a score of 8/10, noticed that the game’s Story Mode is easier and the mini games are unlocked by default, which they think is: "the developer's determination to open the game up to a much larger audience." As a port of its previous games, Gamespy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
considers it as: “the "Director's Cut" of the series, crammed with bells, whistles, and other trinkets of awesomeness.” giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars for the Playstation 2 version of the game. G4TV, which gave the game a score of 4/5 for the Xbox version, have commented that the game provides a lot of content for its retail price, expressing that it is “A whole lot of monkey balling to be had for your buck”.
Critics have commented on the lack of online functionality as a missed opportunity, especially when it comes to multiplayer in the mini games. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, which gave the game an 8.4/10 on the Xbox, have said that: “It boggles the mind to think of the possibilities of online Monkey Ball tournaments and leaderboards.” This publication has also criticised the sound effects, that they are “almost abrasive and will quickly annoy anyone within hearing distance who isn't playing.” Gamespot has criticised the game’s graphics as they “don't feel as crisp as they did when they first arrived on the GameCube”. Critics have deemed the Playstation 2 version of the game as inferior to the Xbox. Gamespy said the Playstation 2 release “suffer from the frankly ridiculous load times and slowdown”. G4TV
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
have also commented that the game doesn’t offer anything for fans of the Super Monkey Ball series, stating that: “If you’ve played it before on GameCube, you’ve seen it all before”.