Super Monkey Ball Touch & Roll
Score: 60% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Sega Developer: Sega Media: Cartridge/1 Players: 1 - 4 Genre: Puzzle/ Action
Graphics & Sound: There’s something about monkeys that automatically raises my interest in something. Games, movies, C-SPAN… throw a monkey in and I’m interested. First released on the GameCube, the Monkey Ball series has been one of the more interesting ones to come out of Sega in recent years. Of course, the concept isn’t all that original since the games are more or less a variation of Marble Madness; but the inclusion of monkeys just makes the games so darn appealing. Now if only the gameplay followed suit. The jump to the DS doesn’t hurt the game’s looks much. Then again, the game’s console visuals were never that complex to begin with. Presentation is bright and colorful. There isn’t much in the way of detail, but that isn’t such a bad thing since it helps keep the framerate smooth and stutter free. Framerates are an annoyance in most games, but in Monkey Ball, a choppy framerate could spell disaster (of course, the same goes for controls… but we’ll get to that later). Sound is just as bright and cheerful as the graphics. There’s nothing especially remarkable to listen to, but it fits the game – which is about all you could really ask for.
Gameplay: Super Monkey Ball Touch & Roll is really just a “touch” variation of the same games that have appeared on other consoles – so it should be familiar territory. Perhaps too familiar, since nearly everything found in Touch & Roll has been ripped straight from the console versions. So, other than the new, touch-based controls, there isn’t much new ground broken. Touch & Roll’s main challenge mode offers up 100 mazes, which are broken up into groups of ten. Completing groups unlocks additional levels, each with a higher difficulty than the last. The object of each of the timed mazes is simple; guide your monkey in a ball to the goal, while collecting bananas. A simple concept made difficult because you’re not really controlling the ball, but rather the entire board. Tilting the board causes the ball to begin rolling in that direction, making Monkey Ball more of an exercise in physics than a game – which is sure to frustrate some gamers, especially after experiencing the game on the DS. The set of 100 mazes is only a third of what Monkey Ball has to offer. As you play through the single-player game, you’ll unlock multiplayer modes that can be played using the DS’s wireless gameplay features (sorry, no online). Many of the side-games that appear in Touch & Roll have already appeared in the console versions. The only difference between those and the ones in the DS version are the touch controls. You have bowling and golf, which are what they sound like. Then there’s fight and race, both of which are fun if you can get over the control issues that plague the entire experience. Only two new games have been added to the mix – an FPS and air hockey. Both are, unfortunately, no fun. The FPS is plagued by a terribly implemented control scheme. The air hockey game fares slightly better, but still isn’t that fun after a game or two.
Difficulty: From a gameplay standpoint, Touch & Roll is a challenge. Early levels have bumpers, which will keep you from going over the side. These are removed in later levels and replaced with half-pipes, loops and even moving tracks. Throw in the control issues, and Touch & Roll is a bit of a chore. It is possible to complete all 100 levels, but not without serious dedication and patience.
Game Mechanics: Older versions of the game used the analog stick to tilt the boards. This wasn’t the best of schemes, but it worked well enough that the game was enjoyable. The DS version makes use of the touch screen by having the player slide the stylus across the screen in the direction you want the ball to roll in. The system seems like a winner. Even during the first few levels it feels really good. Later levels, however, are where the flaws become really exposed and the game falls apart. The real problem is the lack of feedback and what are basically unrestricted actions. On consoles you could only tilt the stick so far before it stopped. On the touch screen, however, things are a little different. The screen’s “sweet spot” is in the middle; if you can restrict your actions to that area you’re fine. Unlike the analog stick there’s really nothing to keep you from going beyond the sweet spot, which will usually send the board on a wild tilt that will send your ball flying off the level’s edge. On top of this, the camera isn’t the most cooperative of devices, so you will also find yourself fighting it as well. Movement isn’t restricted to the touch screen; the developers have also included the option of using the D-pad for control. Using the D-pad fixes the precision problems of the touch screen, but perhaps a little too much. Then there’s also that pesky camera to work around. Either way you choose, prepare yourself for a fight. Super Monkey Ball Touch & Roll is a good concept marred by sloppy execution. Even fans of the series might want think twice before taking another roll with the monkeys.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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