Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is an action platformer where the player controls a cartoon monkey in a plastic ball. The player must roll the monkey ball through a series of 3D levels and a number of minigames. There is also local multiplayer with both shared and split-screen modes.

The gameplay style of this game is similar to other ball-based physics puzzle games, like Marble Blast Gold. However, the original Super Monkey Ball game was among the first to do this style of game in a way that gained popularity.

Ball-based physics puzzles

At its core, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a ball-based physics game. The ball happens to have a monkey in it, but the gameplay itself is a straight ball rolling through platform puzzles. The game does feature narrative elements told in a comic book style, however.

Local multiplayer and customization options

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania provides the ability to play multiplayer modes locally with shared or split-screen modes for both cooperative and player-versus-player (PvP) gameplay. It is also possible to customize the player's character with a range of options to choose from.

Not 100% authentic to originals

While most fans have praised the game as a fun experience, some have complained that it does not quite feel the same as the original Super Monkey Ball games, even despite including levels from the previous games in the franchise. That being said, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania does bring new features to the franchise and has had a number of updates for modern hardware in the process.