Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania

 Xbox Series X
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
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  1. GameCritics
    Nov 12, 2021
    90
    Nostalgia and fond memories aside, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania delivers an experience that’s always been amazing, and now it comes complete with a fresh coat of paint and a bunch of extras. To any one who hasn’t yet tried these titles, I say… Go bananas.
  2. TheXboxHub
    Oct 18, 2021
    90
    Banana Mania is the ultimate Super Monkey Ball collection: the best levels, the best minigames and the best fun. But don’t let the cute graphics lull you into a false sense of security, even with the questionable quality of life improvements, it remains as tricky and as addictive as ever.
  3. Xbox Tavern
    Oct 4, 2021
    90
    All in all, it’s fantastic to see Super Monkey Ball back after all these years. This Banana Mania collection brings the classic games back to the fore, with hundreds of stages to play, a dozen mini games, lots of cosmetics to unlock and more. The gameplay is as challenging – and fun – as ever, and will no doubt garner a new audience of fans that still have youth on their side.
  5. Generación Xbox
    Oct 5, 2021
    88
    Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania brings the best of the franchise to a new generation. Same fun, only enhanced.
  6. SomosXbox
    Oct 5, 2021
    80
    Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is undoubtedly a great way to celebrate the two decades of existence of the franchise, offering such a complete experience that you can get tired of playing its levels and not finish it. This is perhaps its main flaw, that it's not a game that renews itself or changes its mechanics. If you are definitely not attracted to its premise from the start, this may not be the game for you. Its mini-games are great fun to play in meetings with friends.
  7. TrueAchievements
    Oct 5, 2021
    80
    It's hard to call this an absolutely definitive collection of these classic gaming curios when aspects aren't perhaps quite as authentic as they could be, but when there's so little in it for the most part (and when the aspects that have changed more notably are still great despite feeling different), Banana Mania stands as a feature-packed reminder that 'simple' and 'easy' are not nearly as interchangeable as a lot of people might think.
  8. Vandal
    Sep 30, 2021
    80
    This is a fantastic collection that not only fans of the franchise will enjoy, as it feels perfect for newcomers to find what the Banana Mania is all about.
  9. Xbox Achievements
    Sep 29, 2021
    80
    Expertly aping past glories, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is a definitive compendium of remastered classics, stuffed to the gills with bonus modes, extra characters, and party games. It is, without question, the most fun you can have rolling a monkey in a ball around a maze - that is an empirical fact. You’d be bananas not to buy it.
  10. GAMINGbible
    Sep 29, 2021
    80
    Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a fantastic puzzle game. It's endlessly replayable with plenty of levels and minigames. The multiplayer options are perfect party games, and the unlockable characters and cosmetics add depth to an already engrossing experience. While there are some frustrating moments and a lack of accessibility, I can safely say Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is one you won't want to miss.
  11. Cultured Vultures
    Sep 29, 2021
    80
    A fabulous collection of one of gaming’s most deceptively difficult games, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is pure, unadulterated fun.

Awards & Rankings

39
#39 Best Xbox Series X Game of 2021
73
#73 Most Discussed Xbox Series X Game of 2021

User Reviews

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User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 1 out of 6
  1. imoviesreview
    Oct 7, 2021
    9
    It's a great recreation of the the first 2 monkey ball games. I love the first 2 games, but pretty much nothing else in the series. This forIt's a great recreation of the the first 2 monkey ball games. I love the first 2 games, but pretty much nothing else in the series. This for the most part thankfully changed that. However, it's not prefect. The physics are not one to one. I can't blame Sega on that since I think it's just one of those things where even having one minor variable slightly off can really throw off the physics. So it is impressive that the game is close. But it does make a few stages really hard. I'm also not sure what to think of the removal of lives in challenge mode. On one hand, it removes one of it's appeal, but it also makes it more relaxing. Maybe an option would have been nice. Or at the very least, make the extra stages the reward for not falling out too much. But it does have all of what I love about the first 2 games. The extra stuff makes what already 2 great games in one even more great. I still had the same I had when I played the original games over a decade ago. And honest, I think that's what matter here!… Full Review »
  2. SuperkenGaming
    Oct 15, 2021
    7
    Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania
    This game will drive you bananas.
    Super Monkey Ball is a collection of over 300 remastered stages from    Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania
    This game will drive you bananas.
    Super Monkey Ball is a collection of over 300 remastered stages from Supermonkey ball, supermonkeyball, 2 and super monkey ball deluxe.. howere unless im missing it you don’t get to specifically choose each game, its all merged into one giant package…
    Theres a great amount of content here, from its story mode, to its charcters you can unlock from complete in game challenges, to mini games you can play with up to 4 players.
    I loved banana blitz, so I was excited to go back and see how it all started.. and well.. it started with tears…
    Banana Mania will have you raging.. this game is ridiculously frustrating to play through.. most courses in fact just seem down right unfair.. which is my biggest gripe with this game.. its more frustrating than it is fun.. I didn’t want to play over and over and over because I neverfelt like oh I almost had it, Instead I was mashing my head against the wall trying to get lucky… now there is a helper option here that highlights a path and you can make things go slowmo, which is very hepful in a handful of levels, but for the majority its pretty useless… thankfully you are able to spend your ocins on not only charcters, cosmetics, and even the ability to jump if youd like as there is no defaut jumping.. you can instead spend 2000 coints to skip a level… coins aren’t all too easy to come by though, this is about 8-10 levels completed worth of coins to be able to just skip one… and trust me yall, I was skipping… I was frustrated for most of my time here.. but I get it, that’s what monkey ball fans love, and to them I say – enjoy
    Theresa also12 minigames you can play here again either solor or with up to 4 people.. from racing compelte with 12 tracks and item drops to minigolf, tennis, soccer.. and theyre okay.. nothing amazing here.. you may have fun for a day or two with a friend.. but you wont be itching to play.. as all the modes just have a weird clunkyness to them that never make them feel quite fair or enjoyable while playing..
    Overall if you love punishing yourself, rolling a ball with a monkey inside through a hoop, youre in luck..
    But if youre looking for some casual fun time, look elsewhere
    I give Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania
    a 6.5/10    … Full Review »
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