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Looking back at the near first full year of the Nintendo
Gamecube, there are a few games that stick out in your
mind. Retrospectively, the most unique games out there
were Pikmin created by Shigeru Miyamoto and Super Monkey
Ball developed by the masterminds at Sega. While the
name "Monkey Ball" might not be as recognized as a
Mario, it had to be the best sleeper of the year. Casual
proprietors quickly overlooked the original, as its
quirky grinning monkey was slapped inside a clear ball.
Reviewers and gamers who took a chance were rewarded
with one of the most enjoyable games of the year, and it
simply oozed with Sega magic. Now that our monkey balls
are publicly displayed *cough*, the follow-up title
picks up where the original left off... mind numbing
fun.
Monkey Nuts!
The original concept still is primarily the same. Roll
monkeys in glass balls through interactive levels. While
this concept may seem bland (a la Lemmings), I
found myself craving the game like crack on a Thursday
night. Even if you don't believe me about suffering from
Monkey Ball withdrawal, play it once and the complexity
in simplicity will hook you. Now, navigating our furry
friends throughout a level isn't as easy as it may seem.
Levels are somewhat daunting, complex and danger lurks
around every corner.
One of the most positive concepts of the game is the
actual learning curve. The first few levels really break
you in and just get you hooked. Consider this like a
drug dealer giving you a free sample. Once you are in
double digit levels, the action intensifies and becomes
nail biting difficult. While the levels never bring you
to the point of tossing your Wavebird into the next
room, it does provide for some sporadic use of adult
language (be sure to cover the kids’ ears after level
12).
Since Monkey Ball 2 is a near carbon copy of the
original, consider the game to be Super Monkey Ball v.2.
With a whopping 150 levels, this game will go the
distance and then some. And this is just the single
player mode. To be honest, MB2 is even better
than the first. Not only are the levels better designed
and complex, Sega has also incorporated a groovy
playback feature. Monkey Ball is a well balanced
puzzle/strategy game. If you are a fan of Pikmin, MB2
will be a sure fire winner. Each element of gameplay is
just brilliant. Controls are smooth and responsive, yet
simplistic and engaging.
 Now don't put all your monkey is one barrel. Sega has
also introduced us to a single player story mode which
borderlines the insanity of Eternal Darkness with
elements of whimsical Pikmin. I honestly thought that
incorporating a "story mode" would dull the game, but I
was quickly slapped up side the head with a glass ball.
The story line could only come up with someone as
twisted as Dr. Seuss... Kudos to Sega on the unique
story mode.
If the single player wasn't enough, the real meat of the
game lies within the constructs of the multiplayer
facets. The original sported one of the years best
"party games" and all the fun is back and better than
ever. The six mini games have been revamped and improved
(if you can believe that). Monkey bowling was
easily a fan favorite, and have to admit that I find
myself being sucked into it more than anything else in
the game. These mini games truly make Monkey Ball an
instant classic and ideal family/party game. I've yet to
find someone who didn't like playing in tandem.
While I was thoroughly impressed with the re-kindled
minis, Sega also threw in six new mini's which
are equally as fun. The new minis include: Monkey
baseball, tennis, soccer, shot, boat race and dog fight.
Admittedly, these don't quite have same impact as the
original six, they are still masterfully done. The mini
games in itself are well worth the price of admission
and the single player is just an added bonus.
Banana in yer eye!
While Monkey Ball 2 may not win any awards for graphical
brilliance, there is just something about the visuals
that really impress me. Graphics are well rendered,
crisp and classic Sega. The colorful backgrounds have a
nice depth to them and the attention to detail is
amazing. Things like the water effects are top-notch as
well as shadow and light effects.
Sure the poly count is low and the monkeys are a bit
low-res, the game runs tight and smooth at 60FPS which
keeps the game extremely fluid. When it comes down to
it, the graphics are basic, clean and get the job done.
It doesn't match the complexity of a "Resident Evil" or
even a "Mario Sunshine" it does tend to reward the
player with consistency and cheerful visuals.
If there was a looming negative, it would have to be the
somewhat enigmatic camera angles. For the majority of
the game, the camera smartly pans according to the
action; but at other times I felt it to be a bit
overboard. A prime example which would be the lava
levels and how it would try to "impress" you a bit too
much. Still, I never felt the camera angles hindered
gameplay. Oh, and high definition TV owners rejoice...
Progressive scan is in full effect.
When it comes to the audio portion of SMB2, one has to
question what Sega was thinking. I know Sega, and I know
what they want to achieve... arcade feel. While I see
where they were going with the soundtrack it is
uninspiring, dull, lifeless yet overly cheery. The music
was just way too sweet for my liking, and over
repetitive. I expected some sheik uber-techno or even
some Japanarock. The soundtrack pigeonholed itself to be
an arcade clone. With that said the sound effects were
also quite "cutesy" and fit the mood perfectly. If Sega
would have spent just a tad more time on the audio
aspects of the game, this could have been a near perfect
offering.
66 Says:
I guess I should have put this line in the intro, but
here it goes anyway... I'm a total Sega junkie and
fanboy. I admit it, and I don't care. Super Monkey Ball
2 is what all games within the genre should model
themselves after. It's a hands-down winner and although
the title of the game might deter tunnel-visioned
gamers; those who will take the leap and play it will be
rewarded more than those waiting for the next Final
Fantasy.
SMB2 is an instant classic that proves the integrity of
Sega as well as their commitment to the highest quality
games. And no Sega didn't pay me to say that...
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