61/100
Players3 ratings: 56/100
Critics4 reviews

Where to get it

Nintendo eShop

2011 · Amusement Vision · Party · Platformer

Super Monkey Ball 3D

Nintendo exclusive

Taking advantage of the power of the Nintendo 3DS, players can let themselves loose in each new vibrant world as they twist and turn whilst aiming to collect every banana in the fastest time possible. This latest installment contains three brand-new compelling gameplay choices including single-player puzzle levels, Monkey Race and Monkey Fight. These new game modes give players the chance to compete via wireless connection with up to four players in the best 3D social experience possible in the palm of their hands. In addition, Super Monkey Ball fans will be able to choose between the Nintendo 3DS motion sensor or the Slide Pad to navigate the puzzle mazes with complete precision.

Released: 3 March 2011
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS
Genres: Party Platformer Puzzle Sports Strategy
Developers: Amusement Vision
Publishers: —
Modes: Multiplayer Single-player
Perspective: Third person
Themes: Action Party
Country: Japan
Age ratings: CERO A PEGI 7 ESRB E
Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish (Spain)
Composers: Hideki Naganuma

About

Super Monkey Ball 3D is a 2011 platform video game developed and published by Sega for the Nintendo 3DS handheld game console. An installment of the Super Monkey Ball series, players can use either the Circle Pad or the internal gyroscope of the Nintendo 3DS to navigate AiAi and the others so they can collect as many bananas as possible within the time limit as in previous games in the series.

Keywords

minigames
physics-based platformer
instant replay
monkey
countdown timer
super-ness
minigame collection
polygonal 3d
floating island
moving platforms
play coin support
3-d glasses

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Super Monkey Ball 3D supports three full-featured gameplay modes: traditional Super Monkey Ball puzzles, "Monkey Race" in which players race each other in frantic car battles, and "Monkey Fight" in which players fight each other in manic brawls. The latter two modes, Monkey Race and Monkey Fight, can be played via wireless connection with up to four players locally.

It was originally released on March 3, 2011 in Japan. It was later released as a launch title on March 25, March 27 and March 31 of the same year in Europe, North America and Australia, respectively. Sega has also released the game as the downloadable title for the Nintendo eShop in Europe and North America on April 3, 2014.

Reception

Super Monkey Ball 3D received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. Audrey Drake of IGN gave the game 7.5/10, praising the gameplay and story, but she criticized Monkey Race for being a "rip-off of Mario Kart with clunky controls", and Monkey Fight for "being a rip-off of Super Smash Bros. with clunky controls". Chris Schilling of Eurogamer gave the game a 4/10.