The last mainline Super Monkey Ball game was Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz on the PlayStation Vita, released in 2012. Since then, the series has only seen a couple of remasters, compilations, and a Peggle-inspired mobile game. As a result, fans hoping for a proper modern entry were understandably excited when SEGA announced Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble as a Switch exclusive earlier this year, and they had good reason to be.

At its heart, Super Monkey Ball is an arcade and party series, not known for mechanical overhauls between games or an overarching story to evaluate and dissect. When someone is coming to a new Super Monkey Ball game, they may not necessarily be looking for something that is going to challenge their perception of the franchise; rather, they are likely seeking some old-fashioned, chaotic fun, with maybe a few minor twists and turns. This type of player is in luck because Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble sticks the landing when it comes to the chaotic fun the series is known for.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble Is a Fantastic Return to Form

2021's Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania was a fairly successful remastered bundle of the first three Super Monkey Ball games, though it didn't enjoy a universally positive reception. Some of the most common criticisms of the game revolved around its physics engine, with detractors arguing that the titular monkeys felt unnatural to control compared to the franchise's original releases.

This same criticism cannot be leveled against Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble. Every monkey moves exactly how players would expect them to, in accordance with their respective speed, brake, weight, and spin stats, which can dramatically alter gameplay. For instance, a heavyweight monkey like GonGon will be slower but easier to turn and control compared to a light monkey like Baby, who is faster but harder to maneuver. These stat distinctions make for solid variety while allowing players to modulate the difficulty level and tailor their approach to different levels.

With each character controlling so differently, a Super Monkey Ball newcomer may have an easier time with a slower, heavier character than a lightweight, speedy one.

Regardless of which monkey someone is playing, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble can get very tough, very fast. Whether playing solo or in one of Banana Rumble's massive multiplayer matches, players will quickly learn that the game isn't shy about testing their skills. Balancing on guardless platforms, landing with pinpoint precision, and hitting big jumps at high speed can all take a bit of getting used to, but after getting familiar with how the game's controls and physics work, it feels natural and satisfying.

Anyone familiar with Super Monkey Ball knows that the series isn't about just getting from point A to point B in the safest or most logical way possible. Super Monkey Ball is about exploiting each level, figuring out novel shortcuts, wondering "Can I make that jump?" and often realizing yes, you can. Super Monkey Ball is about outsmarting the game, using powers of observation and spatial reasoning as much as accuracy and reaction speed.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Banana Rumble is how natural this process of exploitation feels. During Adventure Mode, it feels completely natural to ignore the most obvious path to the finish line, instead choosing to bump, balance, and fly through improbable trajectory after improbable trajectory, no matter how much more difficult this was than the normal route. Taking these risks can be immensely rewarding, even when it results in reducing a level clear time by just a few seconds, because it makes players feel like they did something they weren't supposed to do. It's this degree of freedom that makes Super Monkey Ball among the best of its genre, and Banana Rumble has a firm understanding of this.

What Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble Brings to the Table

At its core, Banana Rumble isn't a major departure from Super Monkey Ball tradition—it's more of a refinement of what has always worked for the franchise, honing in on important aspects like predictable physics and fun party gameplay. That said, Banana Rumble is an evolution of Super Monkey Ball in a few key ways.

Mechanically, the most obvious change from older Super Monkey Ball games is the addition of the Spin Dash, a charge-up move on a short cooldown that allows players to boost themselves in a chosen direction. Spin Dash is helpful and sometimes essential for making certain jumps and getting ahead during races, but it also plays a key role in the aforementioned process of exploiting levels and optimizing clear times: Spin Dash can be used to gain airtime by slamming into short guard rails or minor irregularities in level geography, making it a key tool for those looking to create shortcuts on the fly.

Content is where Banana Rumble becomes a bit of a mixed bag. The return of local multiplayer on regular Adventure Mode courses is more than welcome, allowing players to get more mileage out of these levels. Beyond that, Banana Rumble also includes fully animated cutscenes that tell the story of Adventure Mode. While most players won't be coming to Banana Rumble for a gripping narrative, the story is worth pointing out as a missed opportunity. The story and presentation of the game are somewhat bland and uninspired, standing in stark contrast to the unapologetic, glittery absurdity of something like Super Monkey Ball 2's campaign. With such a silly premise and the studio's penchant for over-the-top storytelling, it would have been nice to see a bit more personality and flair in Adventure Mode.

Local and online multiplayer with up to 15 other players is also a great deal of fun and appropriately chaotic, with every game mode offering something unique. The multiplayer game modes include plenty of variety as well:

• Monkey Race: a Mario Kart-inspired arcade racer
• Banana Hunt: a race to collect as many bananas as possible
• Ba-BOOM!: a game of hot-potato, where passing bombs to other players is the goal
• Goal Rush: a team-based competition designed around rolling through various goal posts
• Robot Smash: two teams compete to deal damage against large robots, rewarding expert use of the Spin Dash

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of Banana Rumble is the complete absence of mini-games from older Super Monkey Ball entries. Party games like Monkey Bowling and Monkey Target, which are so central to the series' identity, are nowhere to be found in Banana Rumble. The new multiplayer modes are all enjoyable in their own right, but long-time fans may feel justifiably let down by the removal of these legacy activities.

Aside from the removal of classic mini-games and a milquetoast story mode, the only real demerit that can be leveled against Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is performance. The game's framerate can stutter quite a bit on some levels, making for some nauseating visuals that are exacerbated by the high-speed gameplay and camera movement. This could very well be fixed in an upcoming patch, but it is worth noting, particularly for players who suffer from motion sickness.

None of these issues should be deal-breakers, especially for those who are already Super Monkey Ball fans. Banana Rumble truly understands what makes the Super Monkey Ball series tick, giving players the same sense of intense, exhilarating thrill and wholesome fun thanks to its no-frills chaos. With polished fundamentals, Spin Dash, and online multiplayer, it's easy to see Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble fostering a strong community of players for years to come.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble will be available on Nintendo Switch on June 25, 2024. Game Rant was provided a Switch code for this review.