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Super Monkey Ball 2
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| Description:
The GameCube's best kept secret is back: Super Monkey Ball 2 is full to the brim with more maze-puzzlin' action and multiplayer fun than you can shake a rhesus monkey at. Regarded by some as the best GameCube game around--until now--the original Super Monkey Ball was a typically bonkers Japanese take on the arcade classic Marble Madness, in which you have to guide a marble around a maze within a time limit. Except in this case the marble has got a monkey in it, and it's the maze you tilt and control rather than the ball. Super Monkey Ball 2 doesn't really deviate from this original idea, instead offering over 100 new stages and a story mode (although whether you enjoy a tale featuring a quartet of flying monkeys, a bad guy called Dr Bad-Boon and the magic word "Ei-Ei-Poo" will pretty much depend on your age and/or blood/alcohol level). The single player mazes are as insanely challenging as before but in truth some of them are a little more gimmicky and rely more on luck than judgement when compared to those in the original. The real lasting appeal with Super Monkey Ball, though, is its multiplayer modes, and here the sequel is a definite improvement--there are a whopping 12 different party games to play, including Monkey Tennis, Monkey Baseball, Monkey Shot, Monkey Soccer, Monkey Boat Race and Monkey Dog Fight. It might sound silly, but even one quick go reveals this to be one of the most addictive and fun games released for years. --David Jenkins
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5/5 |
Great
(September 01, 2006) |
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What people need to keep in mind is that Super Monkey Ball is a bit of light-hearted fun. Saying that, some stages can keep you rigid with tension and then overcome by the euphoria of finally completing them. I have SMB1, but it remains very much unplayed in contrast to its sequel. If the cut scenes annoy you in story mode, then you can just skip them. In addition, the excellent party games have brightened many rainy afternoons. Superb level design coupled with tight controls; in my eyes, this game does no wrong. |
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1/5 |
Disapointing
(May 05, 2005) |
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i honestly thought this game was not a good sequal to the best game ever smb2 has mazes where you cannot do skillfully really early on it stops you from getting far in the game as its all a load of fluke and rubbish really dont buy unless you want a very annoying single player game and a poor mulitplayer game rubbish! |
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5/5 |
SMB2: Brilliantly Addictive
(December 30, 2004) |
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Super Monkey Ball 2 is the follow up to the highly successful original Gamecube game, and it makes all the right moves in being as addictive, and fun, as before.
The formula here hasn't been changed much, but it would have been nigh on stupid to have done so. The simple, addictive, and often highly frustrating gameplay is what makes SMB2 work, and with 150 odd new levels it will keep you busy for a very long time. However long you spend on the single-player mode will often depend on your patience levels, but the new story mode offers the chance to choose different levels when stuck.
Add to this a multiplayer mode which cannot be beaten for it's light-heartedness and simple, uncomplicated mini-games, you have a cracker of a game. Arguably the best mini-game from SMB was monkey target, and this has been improved with the ability to have multi-players taking flight at the same time. Throw in some new yet still addictive games like monkey soccer and monkey tennis, along with old favourites such as monkey billiards, SMB2's multiplayer mode succeeds, and succeeds well.
The flaws to this game are minor, but they are noticeable. The difficulty has a tendency to fluctuate wildly, and many levels leave luck as the deciding factor as to whether or not you will succeed, as opposed to raw skill. This will probably determine the condition of your joypad after playing SMB2.
This game deserves 5 stars for the levels of replay value and fun to be had from it. Although not perfect, its one of the best on the system. A definite must-have. |
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4/5 |
Fantastic sequal, many months of fun to be had!
(September 14, 2004) |
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I agree that this sequal is a mixed bag. I dont however think that it deserves scores as low as 2 stars. That would be a great insult to a class game. Basically if you loved the first one you will be delighted an disappointed with this at the same time. It improves on the original in some aspects but others are worse. 1 Player:
The story mode is very mad and completely insane. But if you take it for what it is it is very funny in a stupid kind of way. Its definately challenging but the progression is odd due to the mixed difficulties found. And it is basically just a vamped up practice mode. Its also annoying that the levels concentrate more on luck rather than pure skill. However you cant accuse it of being a rehash of the original, due to this different focus it appeals to a different audience or people wanting something slightly different.
In single player the unlockable mini games you have to unlock will be fun for a while but you will get bored in no time. The lifespan of the single player game is about 2 weeks. Which is average for games now so this is fine. Multiplayer This is where the games real longevity is. I bought this game purely because you can player monkey target with 4 people at once rather than taking it in turns like in monkey ball 1. This for me warrents the price tag. Me and my mates STILL play monkey target despite having this game for about 2 years now! Nothing like coming home drunk and having a good monkey sesh til the wee hours! The monkey billiards has more options now (such as classic pool, and a points based japanese 9 ball), which is nice but to be honest i prefer the original as does my girlfriend. Most of the other mini games are ok for a few games but thats all. They're nothing fantastic. If you have some mates who like gaming its essential you buy this game. Monkey race, Monkey Target and Monkey fight are worth the money alone. In 4 player its the best fun you'l ever have! |
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3/5 |
it's just not quite as super...
(June 29, 2004) |
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Having spent countless hours of my life playing Super Monkey Ball with my boyfriend and increasing numbers of our family and friends (we're running out of non-gaming people to convert!), I was ecstatic to learn that there was a sequel, and promptly bought it for my boyfriend's birthday. I hate to admit that after playing it for a few days we lost interest and switched back to its prequel.
The main game has some improvements, most notably the fact that while the levels are divided into 10 groups, you can play the levels in each group in any order, so once you get stuck on one you can try the others and come back to it later. The attempt at a storyline, however, is pretty dismal; it's painfully silly and adds nothing to the game. The difficulty seems badly pitched; judging by the levels I've played I can't imagine that I'll ever finish it.
I'm disappointed with the minigames too. I was delighted to learn that there were more, and that monkey billiards and monkey golf (my favourites) were back in what were claimed to be improved versions, but I found the new games utterly unengaging, and wasn't impressed with the new Monkey Billiards at all; monkey physics seems to have changed and shots that would have worked in the original MG now don't, and vice versa.
The biggest disappointment for me, though, was the new Monkey Golf. I was a big fan of the first version (though I've never managed to finish the 18th hole!). The new one is far to close to 'normal' golf for my liking, and has lost all the simplicity and quirkiness of the original.
If you liked the expert stages of SMB1, this is the game for you; if not, stick with the first version! |
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