Monkeys have infested our iPhones.
Put a monkey in a ball, put the ball in a maze, and put the maze in your iPhone or iPod touch. Very little of that concept makes rational sense, but Super Monkey Ball’s absurd style and simple premise work well together. You’ll gently tilt the iPhone to steer one of four monkey characters around obstacles and through a circular goal. The 110 mazes vary in complexity, but nearly all of them seem fair, even when challenging. The novelty of rolling the character by tilting the phone might wear off quickly, but the surprisingly agile game will hold your interest beyond the fad.
Super Monkey Ball has been released on many videogame systems, and its control has always been critical. On the iPhone, the monkey rolls forward if the device is resting flat on a table, or the creature stays still if the top edge is raised about a half-inch. We were most comfortable playing in a chair, leaning slightly over the phone. The responsive controls read subtle tilts so that the screen is always visible even when pushing as far as possible in one direction.
The graphics and sound impressed us as we rolled the monkey around corners and past obstacles, being careful not to fall into the void below. While lacking detailed shading, the 3D levels are always sharp, equal or better than what we’d expect from a portable gaming system. Music and sound effects are simple, but peppy, playing off the strange premise. And while the basic game repeats on each less-than-a-minute stage, a wide range of level designs keeps the game fresh.
Our only disappointment was with the usually-great controls. We wanted some way to calibrate their center, so we could play while lying down, with our arms ahead, or in other positions. And because the sensitivity can’t be adjusted either, commuters will jostle their monkey with every bump in the road.
Even after a half-dozen versions for dedicated videogame systems, Super Monkey Ball feels like it was originally created for the iPhone.
Super Monkey Ball
COMPANY: Sega
CONTACT: www.sega.com
PRICE: $9.99
REQUIREMENTS: iPhone or iPod touch with 2.0 Software Update
With a steady hand, tilt controls expertly steer the monkeys. 110 levels offer many different obstacles and challenges. Smooth, clear 3D graphics give a sense of depth.
While levels differ, the basic premise eventually grows repetitive. Can’t calibrate controls for bumpy conditions or atypical angles.
