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by TheDCD on 04.06.11  Super Monkey Ball has already rolled its way to other platforms, including portables, so we knew it was only a matter of time before it eventually went into the third dimension on Nintendo’s fancy new handheld. And here it is, just in time for the system’s launch. Super Monkey Ball 3D is just about everything you’d expect from a Monkey Ball game, with uniquely designed mazes and some pretty cool 3-D effects. However, there’s really not much to it, considering that two-thirds of the game are built upon some tired modes.
The main Monkey Ball mode is vintage, classic Sega action. You choose your monkey of choice and roll from one point of each stage to another, collecting as much bananas as possible and going for the fastest time on each track. It gets tricky, especially in the later stages, when obstacles pop up and get in your way. However, you can always try again for a faster completion time, if you feel it isn’t quite up to your usual par. There’s nothing wrong with this main game. It looks great, even though there are times that the camera is tilted so low, you can’t quite see what’s going on. The 3-D effects are well done, the music is upbeat and lively, and there are plenty of monkey noises to appease fans of the series. The controls work very well, too. So it’s recommended, right? Not quite. Unlike previous Monkey Ball games, this 3-D rendition doesn’t quite boast a huge amount of extras. We could’ve easily sufficed with a Monkey Glide or Monkey Billiards game, but instead, Sega opted to include two separate modes, neither of them terribly original. The first, Monkey Race, is a kart racing game with up to eight players taking part in each circuit. There are nine tracks in all, and a variety of power-ups to use. It sounds like fun, but the game just feels plain wrong. First, the drifting mechanic is frustrating, as you have to go into a turn for the longest time just to get the benefit of the boost that follows. And even if you do achieve it, you’re not guaranteed that you’ll be facing the right way. As a result, you could easily lose your spot. The track design is questionable too, with drop-offs and sudden wall appearances that could easily cost you the victory. The other mode is Monkey Fight, and considering that there isn’t a Super Smash Bros. Brawl game in the works for 3DS (yet), Sega opted to include this mode. It’s four monkeys dueling it out on a stage with punches and other attacks, while picking up bananas to get the highest count on each stage. This game isn’t really that hot, as it’s lacking the technique of any of the Smash games. It’s quick, mindless fun, just don’t go into it expecting a quality addition to the series. It’s too short-lived for us.
Super Monkey Ball 3D could’ve easily been a huge hit for the 3DS, had Sega actually thought things through and included modes that not only took advantage of the technology, but were fun to play. Yet a frustrating kart game and a somewhat average beat-em-up fail to lend a hand to the strong single-player campaign. Maybe next time Sega should stick to the primate basics. The game will be a lot better off for it.
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