Super Monkey Ball 2 (GameCube) Preview

By James Temperton 15.02.2003

WHO'D HAVE THOUGHT it, eh? To be truthful when we first saw shots of the original Super Monkey Ball we didn't think all that much in fact it was only until we played it that we became trapped in its plastic ball of glory. Frustrating, odd, crazy and most of all fun are the words associated with Super Monkey Ball, that urge to try just one more time knowing that the completion of this area will put you one step closer to being a monkey master, this is what made the original so great and it is still present in this sequel.

The basic premise remains the same: tilt the floor to guide the monkey (in a ball) to the goal before the time runs out, simple, well no actually and this this time round its a whole different ball game. The entire game has been tweaked to perfection, every small problem has been solved and new ideas have been added to beef up the game in both single and multiplayer.

Screenshot for Super Monkey Ball 2 on GameCube

Just in case you found the original game a stroll in the park SEGA have cranked up the difficulty to new levels of frustration. The game starts of difficult and gets more and more so throughout, until at points some of the floors seem impossible and to be honest some of them just about are!

Screenshot for Super Monkey Ball 2 on GameCube

If we had one problem with the original it would be the graphics they were a bit on the simplistic side and this has also been addressed in SMB2. The backgrounds are more vibrant and things move about in an attempt to distract you from the task in hand. The floors themselves can ripple, fold, expand, undulate, roll and bend in very conceivable way and without a hint of slowdown.

Screenshot for Super Monkey Ball 2 on GameCube

It is also now possible to play a story mode whereby you have to help your fellow monkeys get their 'nanas back after an evil ape steals them from your village, and to help you with your quest your monkey will be given magical powers, but we haven't the faintest idea as to how this will work. But it wasn't just the single player modes that made the original an instant hit, oh no it was also a multiplayer phenomenon.

Screenshot for Super Monkey Ball 2 on GameCube

Final Thoughts

We all had a favourite out of the original six and all of these have been improved upon greatly. But now you've got even more modes to entertain you and your mates. Monkey Rafting, Tennis, Shot, Soccer, Baseball and Monkey Dogfight all offering countless hours of mayhem. This is how a sequel should be done it should be beter than the original in every way possible and it would seem that many developers could do to take a leaf out of Amusement Vision's book, great stuff!