New Switch Exclusive Super Monkey Ball Game Announced for Later This Year

21.02.2024 - 22:43 / gamerant.com / John DiCarlo / Nintendo

Nintendo announced during its Direct Partner Showcase that Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble will be released for Switch consoles on June 25. The Nintendo exclusive will be the first new entry in the series since 2021's Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania.

Over recent months, fans grew excited after previous rumors suggested that a new Super Monkey Ball was in the works. However, leaks initially hinted that the title would be a Switch 2 exclusive. Although it's now known that this tidbit isn't true, this may have actually been the plan at one point, until the Switch 2's launch was reportedly delayed until early 2025. Super Monkey Ball fans who were planning to hold on to their original Switches for a while can breathe a sigh of relief, as it's now confirmed that the game will be released on the current-gen console.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble will feature multiple ways to enjoy its intense, tight-rope gameplay. These options will include an online mode that pits 16 players against each other, a four-player cooperative mode, and a story mode. It also has offline split-screen capability for up to four users. Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble's story mode can be played with up to three friends, where users will seek out seven artifacts across 200 brand-new stages. The game also features plenty of customization options that allow users to change their monkey's outfit and ball color. Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is now available to pre-order for $50 through Nintendo's online store, which comes with the Banana Costume bonus.

Similar to previous games, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble's trailer makes it clear that the title will feature a wide variety of stages that call for different strategies or skills to be utilized. Additionally, the game will feature a new movement mechanic, the Spin Dash, which allows savvy users to speed past their competitors or create entirely new shortcuts. The new mechanic could help cement the franchise's place among the games that are easiest to learn but hardest to master.

Nintendo made plenty of other exciting announcements at its Direct Partner Showcase, such as the return of theEndless Ocean franchise. Endless Ocean: Luminous will be released on May 2, when users can take part in open-world scuba-diving adventures with their friends.

The presentation also revealed the Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection, which will be released on March 14 for the Switch and PlayStation. The collection bundles together the original two Battlefront games from 2004 and 2005 and adds some extra content in new maps and heroes.

Nintendo's newest system features a vibrant 7-inch OLED screen, a wide adjustable stand, a dock with a wired LAN port, 64 GB of internal storage, and enhanced audio.