PixlBit

In this latest entry of the Super Monkey Ball franchise, players can expect to see classic puzzle stages, Monkey Kart, and the all-new Monkey Fight. Sorry fans of past monkey minigames, you'll have to look elsewhere. There aren't any other games like Monkey Target, Pool, or Bowling, but the newest Super Monkey Ball title will come with some other improvements, like 3D effects and new playable Monkeys.

Like every other game featuring monkeys who use indestructible plastic balls for the forces of all that is good and pure in the world, Super Monkey Ball 3DS includes a challenge puzzle mode. A monkey, seemingly trapped in a plastic ball similar to what one might expect to find encapsulating a hamster, works his way from the starting point on one end of a stage all the way to the end goal. In each of the game's 80 puzzle stages, there are regular bananas, hidden items, and difficult times to beat. Unlike the very first few Super Monkey Ball games, at a glance, stages appear to be mostly flat, with challenge based on speedy maneuvering through a narrow or crowded platform. While I haven't experienced the game in person, early reports suggest Super Monkey Ball 3D's main stages implement the 3D capabilities very well, with the Monkey Ball as the game's focal point, so the table shows depth from behind the monkey into the distance. Each of the game's 10 worlds has its own special visual effects, like lamp posts that seem to show extravagant 3D motion and even wild laser fire. Monkey Balls can be controlled with both the slide pad and the system's accelerometers. If players opt to use the latter control mechanism, the game will make minor adjustments to stages, adding rails and similar features to balance out the difficulty of using accelerometer control.

Monkey Kart makes a return to the Super Monkey Ball franchise with nine total tracks divided into three separate circuits. Alongside the sixteen unique karts to choose from are eight competing racing monkeys and a variety of items to harass said racers with in order to advance into first place. Expect controls to play similarly to Mario Kart, though stages don't appear to be nearly as complex.

In a surprising twist, Monkey Fight removes AiAi and the gang's balls, pitting four monkeys in a battle against each other to see who can get the most bananas. Monkey Fight is a 2D brawler/platformer combo, where four monkeys take to a stage with the goal of picking up the bananas dropped by other monkeys. The monkeys attack each other, grapple, and even throw each other off the stage using some common attacks, as well as special attacks specific to each individual character. Players familiar with Super Smash Bros. Melee, Brawl, or Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble will recognize the concept, as it's very familiar to coin mode in those games. At the end of the allotted time for a monkey fight, the monkey with the most bananas will win.

Super Monkey Ball 3D will be available on March 27 alongside the launch of the 3DS for a suggested retail price of $39.99. Check back for our review, which will be posted in the days following the 3DS launch.