​Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD Review

By Kevin Mitchell  |  Posted: October 30, 2019

Thirteen years after Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz's Nintendo Wii debut, the game returns in HD. The launch title introduced villain Captain Crabuchin, who steals the Golden Banana Bunch, prompting AiAi and family to recover it. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Masao Shirosaki have rebuilt the game in Unity for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

This remaster replaces the original's motion controls with traditional Super Monkey Ball mechanics. The Wii's 50 mini-games have been reduced to 10 party games optimized for standard controls. Monkey Target remains a favorite, though it doesn't match its excellence in earlier titles. Dangerous Route plays like a top-down version of the main game, with players controlling the monkeys directly. Monkey Snowboard suffers from poor collision detection with snowmen and walls.

While the GameCube originals are classics, remastering this lesser entry is an interesting choice. The new Decathlon mode challenges players to complete all ten party games, with scores posted to online leaderboards. Time Attack also features online rankings across three courses. Rather than direct character control, players tilt the world with the analog stick, managing speed and momentum. Stages include time limits, requiring careful balance between reaching goals and collecting life-giving bananas.

The main game features ten themed worlds, each containing eight puzzle stages, a bonus stage, and a boss. Unlike the challenging originals, many stages include safety barriers - a remnant of the Wii version's motion controls. While early stages are simple, later levels become more complex with optional shortcuts accessible via well-timed jumps. The fixed camera creates frustration in later stages, particularly when navigating narrow platforms. Stage 5 of Cobalt Caverns (world 6) proves especially challenging.

While banana collection remains optional, gathering 20 grants an extra life. Bonus stages focus purely on banana collection. Boss battles, new to the series, prove frustrating due to camera issues and precarious platforms. Each boss features a pink weak spot, requiring precise jumping to deflect objects or reach vulnerable areas. The locked boss-fight camera complicates navigation in typically small arenas.

The inability to switch characters mid-world disappoints, especially since each monkey offers unique stats for bounce, size, speed, and jump. Champion medals, earned by completing worlds without continues, unlock the final stages.

Simply Put

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD delivers a solid remaster of a mediocre entry. The visual style suits the series, and the selected party games represent the original's best. Online leaderboards enhance Decathlon and Time Attack modes. New features include unlockable outfits and Sonic the Hedgehog as a playable character, though licensing issues required replacing the original soundtrack.