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Super Monkey Ball 2

by Michael Cole - May 30, 2002, 9:52 pm EDT
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The original was great, but is the sequel worth owning as well?

Yes, yes it is. The single-player levels on the floor were much harder and more interesting than the original's, but that's just the start. Everyone knows the real juice of the game is in its mini-games. If you loved the original's, you'll go crazy their updates, and you might find one or two of the new ones worth your while.

With its 4-player simultaneous action, Monkey Target 2 had the most prominent update of the pack. The game is much more intense when four monkeys are competing for the same airspace, and since there is MUCH less downtime it is now perfect for a party. Besides the split-screen alteration, the biggest change is the implementation of tokens and stars for items and multipliers, respectively--bananas only give points now. The power-up obtained while flying is automatically used on the same turn. All of this, plus higher point values and varied target space makes for an almost completely new (and better) game.

My other favorite playable mini-game was Monkey Fight. While essentially the same as Super Monkey Ball's version, Monkey Fight 2 is more well-rounded and kept players' attention for a longer period of time. I found the arenas much more interactive, with more regulated power-ups and very dynamic aspects such as folding walls. An ultra-powerful spike fist power-up has been added as well as an endurance mode, but the game really is just a more refined Monkey Fight.

The other remakes had notable changes as well. Monkey Bowling 2 featured a secondary mode with obscure (and often dynamic) lanes to tease even the best Monkey Bowler. Each frame had a different setup. Monkey Golf 2 is a full-blown golf game, thought the basic idea and controls remain the same. Monkey Race now features even crueler items, such as rockets and a magnet-like item--both of which tend to cause a Fall Out. The tracks themselves are much harder, with one featuring horrible dead-ends! I wasn't too blown away by the latter two, but they were still fun. Fans of the originals should adore these remakes.

Sadly, I was less than content with the new mini-games. The Boating mini-game asked players to paddle down the river with L and R. I found the boat hard to control and constantly crashed into walls, though I may have been trying too hard. Aiming weapons, on the other hand, was next to impossible. It could be a fun mini-game, but I suspect that it will only be so for players of comparable skill level. Monkey Soccer and Tennis played like their Sega franchise equivalents, only with simpler mechanics and sluggish controls. I found them both frustrating and boring, honestly. Buy Mario/Virtua Tennis and one of Sega's soccer games if you're looking for a good time. It's sad, but true.

Despite the unimpressive new mini-games, Super Monkey Ball 2 is still a great game and will totally be worth the money when it comes out. Hopefully the mini-games unavailable at E3 will prove more enjoyable than Monkey Soccer! (ack)

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Genre Puzzle
Developer Amusement Vision
Players1 - 4

Worldwide Releases

na: Super Monkey Ball 2
Release Aug 25, 2002
PublisherSega
RatingEveryone
jpn: Super Monkey Ball 2
Release Nov 21, 2002
PublisherSega
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