Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz

Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz is the 17th Super Monkey Ball title in the series, developed by Marvelous AQL and published by Sega in 2012 for the PlayStation Vita.

Plot[]

AiAi is playing with a toy version of Monkey Ball, having fun rolling a mini tin version of himself around a world full of clockwork toys and cardboard trees. As he plays, a time device next to him begins to ring loudly and float. AiAi taps it curiously, and the world around him begins to change, changing from day to night to day to night. As it does so AiAi notices the toy version of Monkey Ball begins to shift too before suddenly AiAi finds himself shrunk down into the ball in the toy trapped.

MeeMee begins to play with the toy, unaware the real AiAi is rolling around on the board and GonGon and Baby join her. They're all transported into a the toy world. Doctor, who owns the time device, theorises that the reason the time machine has turned them all into toys and sent them through toy versions of history is due to him making a toy time machine. The monkeys must complete the course to escape.

Gameplay[]

Players take control of AiAi, MeeMee, Baby and GonGon as they traverse the cardboard and toy worlds of the Super Monkey Ball stages. Along the way they must collect as many bananas as possible and reach the goal to ascend to the next stage.

As always outside the main Monkey Ball gameplay there are a few minigames to play. They are as follows:

Battle Billiards: Players attempt to keep a hold of a flag by shooting balls. You can sink opponents balls, earning you points and the flag is stolen when hit by an opponent.
Love Maze: A game where the player controls two monkeys simultaneously through a labrynth using the Vita's analog sticks. They are connected by a laser rope. Going too far away from the other monkey will force the level to restart.
Monkey Bingo: Players attempt to sink their monkey balls into a 5 x 5 bingo board full of holes. The more 'bingos' the player gets the more points they get. Opponents can block bingos strategically.
Monkey Bowling: A Monkey Ball staple, this game involves throwing the monkeys down a lane to try and strike a set of pins.
Monkey Rodeo: A game in which the Monkeys are cowboys riding on the back of toy horses. Using the Vita's backpad, the idea is to try and tap to make them jump around and collect the most bananas.
Monkey Target: Another Monkey Ball staple, this game involves the monkeys rolling down a slope before taking to the sky, opening their ball like a pair of wings. The goal is to guide them to a target, snap the ball shut again and try and time it right to land on the bulls eye.
Number Ball: Players must tap numbered balls in order. The aim is to tap as many balls as possible within the time limit, but tapping an incorrect ball will stop them from being able to select any balls for a short while.
Pixie Hunt: Like Monkey Rodeo this game uses the Vita's unique set up. This one involves the rear camera in which players are encouraged to take photos of objects that share the same color as the reticle.

This entry also includes a level editor allowing players to create their own Super Monkey Ball courses, although the functionality is unusual in that players must take a photo of an object and the Vita will attempt to create a level based off the picture taken.

Trivia[]

This was the last truly new Super Monkey Ball console title in the series for 9 years until Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania arrived in 2021.
Each of the main monkeys have a different arts and craft theme. AiAi is made to look like a tiny tin toy, MeeMee is a wooden toy, Baby is made from cardboard and GonGon is made from clay.
YanYan, Doctor, Jam and Jet are only playable via the minigames rather than the main game.
This is especially strange given the manual explains the reason the monkeys are now arts and crafts like is due to Doctor creating a toy time machine, and it sending the monkeys through a toy version of time as a result.
This is generally considered one of the best titles in the series by fans, although due to being on the PlayStation Vita it's also one of the worst selling titles due to the Vita's small install base. Critically it also recieved mixed reviews.

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