Chacham's Journal: Super MonkeyBall

While trying to come to terms with the fact that my favorite game for a Nintendo (Game Cude) system is made by Sega, I am immesly enjoying Super MonkleyBall.

I don't care much for bowling. Target practice is something I toy with every once in a while. I usually ignore boxing. Billiards is a fun one I do go for now and then. Racing every once in a while also catches me. I like the main game the best.

The Beginner levels were just that. I had a hard time at first, but I was getting used to the controls. Now, it's child's play (except the bonus three levels! I haven't finished the third one yet).

The Advanced levels are harder. I've finished them all, not in one sitting, since I usally jump ahead with the red goal on that one level, but I have done each level at least once.

In the advanced levels, Floor 15 is by far the hardest. Floor 30 (Final Floor) comes in a distant second. It took me oh so long to pass Floor 15; I almost gave up. In fact, I have infinite continues now (comes instead of the 10th continue). I wonder why it was put in the middle, or is it just me that has all those problems?

I started the Expert levels. I can't seem to do Floor 4, but, no matter, the Red Goal on Floor 3 let's me skip it (the Red Goal on Floor 2 is too hard for me; I may have done it once, however, I don't really remember). Level 7 had me stuck for a bit, but I just got passed it a bit earlier, and I pretty zoomed through to Floor 16. Then I decided to take a break.

I'm leaving the power on the cube for now. With infinite continues I ought to eventually get through them all.

The one thing that bothers me most about the game is how the monkey always looks at bananas. The camera view changes, and it is hard to manage. Not anywhere nearly as bad as Pacman World (which I quit out of frustration), but every once in a while it really gets in the way.

I will admit that some levels are rather enjoyable. Sometimes, because of how simply difficult they become. Yes, "simply difficult". That is, they seem so simple, yet to manage it is difficult. I guess Advanced Level 30 is a good example of that.

Overall, it is a pretty decent game.