Gaming Target - GameCube: Super Monkey Ball

Written by Jonathan Nicklas on June 27, 2001

First Impressions: The arcades feature a control setup of only a plastic banana. However, the Nintendo GameCube lacks one.

Sega's subsidiary, Amusement Vision, formerly known as AM4, is a welcome addition to the Nintendo GameCube's roster. In addition to the firm's ambitious Virtua Striker 3, the development studio's initial effort is Super Monkey Ball, an exclusive port of a puzzle game in arcades. Allegedly, according to reports, it bears a resemblance to Rareware's Marble Madness. Thus far, Amusement Vision's console track record is impeccable. A polished Daytona USA 2001 hit the Sega Dreamcast, and it furthermore integrated SegaNet support. At the E│ Exposition of 2001, Nintendo embarked on its buildup of publicity, and Amusement Vision's Super Monkey Ball was in playable form. Subsequently, it is evident in amidst the year 2000, Sega and Nintendo's collaborative instinct started.

Nintendo GameCube enthusiasts control a cute monkey in a plastic sphere. The arcades feature a control setup of only a plastic banana. However, the Nintendo GameCube lacks one. Subsequently, the analog stick is its substitute. Tilt it north and the playfield descends, and therefore the monkey rolls north downhill. Obviously, the other analog directions correspond. Additionally, the quantity of pressure is an integral variable indeed. The upshot of the release of the analog stick is the leveling of the playfield, and the monkey obviously stops. And of course, rolling over the edge of the landscape is quite possible. The objective of the offering is to collect as many Dole-licensed bananas from start to finish. If you finish a level, confetti drops. Otherwise, a time limit is existent. In addition, 100 bananas bequeath a life.

Levels usually have a theme, and different floors additionally. Typical checkerboards and other surfaces break apart, tilt, turn, and such. The three related monkeys available are Aiai (hero), Meemee (wife), or Baby (baby). However, Amusement Vision has yet to announce the prospect of attributes. And additionally, despite the bananas, с la Donkey Kong 64, Super Monkey Ball's likelihood of tedious gameplay is petite.

In terms of visuals, Super Monkey Ball is colorful and is running at 60 frames-per-second with high-resolution textures. The title is reminiscent to the arcades, although courtesy of the GameCube hardware, Amusement Vision implemented reflection mapping, transparency, and other newfangled effects. On an unrelated note, cooperative and competitive four-player split-screen modes are in the works.