Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble Preview - Fans'll go Bananas

No doubt Super Monkey Ball fans are chomping at the bit for Banana Rumble. After all, it's been too many years since we've had a mainline entry in the series. Fret not, for Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is coming this year.

Me, I've only played the first, but I remember enjoying it immensely as a kid. Playing Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble at Summer Game Fest brought me right back to my childhood, and it's just a pleasure to see the series retains its charm.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is Chaos

One notable difference between this entry and its predecessors is the inclusion of 16-player online multiplayer. Bots are optional too, and since I didn't have 15 other players with me, that's what I opted for. With that many monkeys, things go apeshit.

Admittedly, the Switch took a severe hit in performance with all 16 players on screen, and that is the only platform Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is launching on. Aliasing is very visible and FPS also takes a dive. 

It's not a deal breaker and is still playable, but combined with Nintendo Switch Online, I'm hoping things get ironed out before launch. Playing with that many NPCs is a fun time at least, and there are a plethora of game modes to choose from.

One, for instance, is a race akin to Fall Guys, wonky physics and all. Getting to the finish line with a bunch of monkeys bumping into each other is pure chaos, and it's sure to be a lot of fun. 

Each game mode sports a selection of different maps to keep things feeling fresh. All of these really take advantage of Super Monkey Balls' physics, so this ensured maximum chaos. The AI, by the way, was kind of ruthless, but that made it more fun. 

I did get properly thrashed in Banana Hunt mode, tasking players with collecting the most bananas in an arena-like level full of twists and turns. Keep in mind, your fun will be determined by how tolerant you are of lower frame rates and performance dips. 

Go on an Adventure in Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble

Players can express themselves with a plethora of characters. There are costumes, too, and I'm all about cosmetics. This will help differentiate multiplayer a bit and did I mention you can literally play as Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails? 

I also tried out the story mode, and as one might expect, it plays just like the others. Hey, I'm not complaining. The thrill of going as fast as possible to the finish and optimizing your run is what kept me hooked during the demo.

At its core, Super Monkey Ball is a simple concept and it executes that concept well. Banana Rumble will certainly entice players with frantic multiplayer action and its story mode. It might even be the catalyst that gets me back into the series after so long.