Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumbleis the next game in the long-loved series, and it’s clear that it takes the best of the traditionalSuper MonkeyBall formula and shakes it up with modern capabilities. For instance,Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble’s Battle Modelets players compete with up to 16 players for the first time in online multiplayer. It could be the perfect recipe for a lot of chaotic fun, but a lot of elements such as level design go into making such game modes the best they can be.
Game Rant recently spoke withSuper Monkey Ball Banana Rumbledirector Daisuke Takahata about Battle Mode from a design perspective. Takahata also discussed how the game is designed to “give everyone a chance to win” while still appealing to hardcore fans.
Battle Mode
SinceSuper Monkey Ball Banana Rumble’s release announcementearlier this year, there’s been a lot to look forward to. In particular, many fans may be most curious about the various Battle Mode games. Takahata explained how Battle Mode compares to previous mini-games in the franchise, including physics to standardize ball-rolling behavior across game modes (which gives everyone a chance to learn maps, playstyles, and more).
“Previous mini-games were individual experiences that were completely separate from Adventure Mode. By contrast, the Battle Mode in this game shares the same controls and techniques found in Adventure Mode—it’s all related in its design. However, the maximum number of players has been increased to 16 and the environment has changed significantly.”
Takahata also spoke about how the developers wanted to give all players “a chance to win” via theonline multiplayermatchmaking process, where sometimes casual or more experienced players could find themselves competing. It’s not fun, after all, if a game such as Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble was designed to give blanket newcomers or longtime fans the advantage. As such, positioning and certain level design elements (like the help floors in Races or golden robots in Robot Breakers) were added to adjust gameplay proportionately. This might seem geared toward newcomers, but there are still a lot of things factored in for traditional fans. For example, they may have a leg up on other players when considering how things like an opponent’s position come into play:
“One of the most exciting aspects of this game’s Battle Mode is that not only your own controller but also your opponent’s position and movement will affect your operation and the outcome of the game. Therefore, the obstacles in the race stages have been placed in such a way that players can attempt to attack the stages from various paths. Of course, everyone has their own “strong points” and “weak points,” so we encourage you to challenge yourself and see which route you can take.”
New and old fans alike will be able to check out all of these adjustments whenSuper Monkey Ball Banana Rumblereleases, in just a few short days as of this writing.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble
WHERE TO PLAY
Let the Rumble Begin! Join AiAi and friends in Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, where you and up to 16 players can compete online across multiple game modes as you aim to become Top Banana! You can also work together with your favorite bunch in 4 player cooperative mode, or slip into a wonderfully crafted story in the all-new Adventure Mode experience!Drop into online multiplayer for up to 16 players or local multiplayer for up to 4 players.Rally up to 3 of your friends and slip into a wonderfully crafted story in Adventure mode as AiAi and the gang journey to seek out 7 mysterious artifacts that are said to be the key to locating The Legendary Banana in 200 all-new stages!Show off your style! Customize your character and monkey ball with over 300 stylish items to choose from.Experience thrilling gameplay that is easy to pick up and play, yet challenging and fulfilling to masterUse the new Spin Dash that allows players to sprint past rivals or create new shortcuts to victory!
