Xbox 360
Remember Bubbles, the school hamster? Remember the wee ball you would put him in to roll around the room (unless he was like my hamster, which found the whole experience somewhat overwhelming and so would just sit in his little puddle of piss instead of actually going anywhere)? Well imagine putting Bubbles in a maze, and you have pretty much got the concept of Super Monkey Ball.
A well established skill balance game [? – Ed] on Nintendo’s consoles, you must guide your monkey, in his ball, around a variety of courses… to the end. And that’s about it. Ish. There are bananas kicking about as well, which can be collected to give extra lives. Which is good for when you go shooting off the edge of the level.
Indeed, Super Monkey Ball is a skill game. Using the iPhone’s tilt capabilities to shift the level you must guide your primate to the goal. Along thin ledges, down steep slopes and around gaping chasms, All for a few bananas, or something. The story isn’t so much…there.
Anyway, this is all done rather well, showing off the iPhone's graphics (which are surprisingly good) as well as its tilt potential. Sadly, this isn’t quite as impressive; while it does work, it isn’t anywhere near as pick-up-and-play as you would hope. Either massively over-sensitive, or hugely unresponsive — it is more than easy to send yourself careering off the level straight away, for the first 200 goes. Which is not to say that the control system doesn’t work. It just is certainly not for the impatient. And also can’t be played on a bus particularly well.
When the controls work and you are used to it all, there are some great challenges to be had here. Well over a hundred levels, all requiring an insane amont of skill. So with the dedication, you will definitely get your moneys worth. But, for anyone not yet sainted and so lacking a certain degree of patience, this could just leave you stressed before you even get to work.