524caret
Bio
I pretend to play video games instead of going on the Internet all day.
Plays on Steam Deck and PlayStation Vita.
I pretend to play video games instead of going on the Internet all day.
Plays on Steam Deck and PlayStation Vita.
Badges
Best Friends
Become mutual friends with at least 3 others
GOTY '23
Participated in the 2023 Game of the Year Event
Noticed
Gained 3+ followers
Favorite Games
005
Total Games Played
000
Played in 2024
000
Games Backloggd
Recently Reviewed See More
PLATFORM: Steam Deck via Banana Blitz HD, and Android via Dolphin Emulator
GOAL: Clear Story Mode
PROGRESS: Up to World 8's boss in HD, up to World 5 in Wii
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz is a bad Super Monkey Ball game. Going from a physics-based puzzle game to a 3D platformer with jumping and boss fights is a concept that very much ignores why this series is so beloved.
That being said, with both Banana Mania and Banana Rumble under our belts now, along with the originals still being great and having a ton of fanmade level packs, I went into Banana Blitz with an open mind, and found that the fusion of Monkey Ball and 3D platforming led to a pretty unique experience. You still have ball physics and stage tilting, and despite the shift in philosophies, I think they still understood how to make a great set of levels. It's just in a different style now!
That's not even mentioning the controls, the biggest difference between Wii and HD. Uh... yeah there's a reason I played HD first. I don't think motion controls are inherently bad, but the way you hold the Wii Remote doesn't make me feel like I'm truly tilting the world. The mobile games definitely had a better feel of control and were more immersive, which was definitely shown when I started emulating the game on my phone. Neither control scheme quite replicates a perfect Monkey Ball control set, but I can get behind either.
Some other big changes are boss battles, individual character stats, and the removal of Challenge Mode, none of which I'm the most fond of. For bosses, I like World 4 and 7's bosses, can tolerate the rest, and 2, 5, and 8 suck lol. For character stats, I managed to feel lucky that YanYan was already my favorite, and even then I switched to AiAi sometimes (7-1 is a particular sour spot, as YanYan doesn't want to properly get in the Goal). For the removal of Challenge Mode, I don't entirely mind the World structure, and the levels incorporating some more natural obstacles is cute, but I would've liked some more Advanced and Expert-tier courses.
The actual level design does definitely feel a little neutered for motion controls, but there's still some moments of fun, like jumping all the way from the start to the goal, getting the right amount of tilt for dash panels, or manuevering treacherous rails (said rails being made MORE treacherous in HD, hehe). I do wish this was an analog stick game from the start, just so they could go further...
Let's talk about aesthetics and how HD changed them. I quite like the art style, going for a colorful cel-shaded look, though I do miss the aesthetics of 1 and 2. The music, on the other hand, is phenomenal! Jungle Island, Smooth Sherbet, Cobalt Caverns, and Ultra Heaven are my beloved. However, this is an aspect that HD... well, sidegrade is the sweetest word I could use. The entire soundtrack, aside from Smooth Sherbet, was replaced, and while new compositions like BANANA~NA In Love, Landing On A New Island!, Khafre's Trials, and Swamps Of Side Chain might honestly outclass the Wii soundtrack, the rest of this new OST is reused from 1, 2, and 3D, for some reason. I do still like most of the replaced tracks, but it's a shame that Chihiro Aoki wasn't contracted for the full thing.
In conclusion, while Banana Blitz fails to capture the spirit of Monkey Ball, it still manages to do the best it can with an odd idea, creating a 3D platformer with ball-rolling physics and (semi-optional) motion controls, making for a novelty I'd honestly go back to as much as the first game, despite the tough act not being followed. It's a 7/10, and a 7/10 I like.
GOAL: Clear Story Mode
PROGRESS: Up to World 8's boss in HD, up to World 5 in Wii
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz is a bad Super Monkey Ball game. Going from a physics-based puzzle game to a 3D platformer with jumping and boss fights is a concept that very much ignores why this series is so beloved.
That being said, with both Banana Mania and Banana Rumble under our belts now, along with the originals still being great and having a ton of fanmade level packs, I went into Banana Blitz with an open mind, and found that the fusion of Monkey Ball and 3D platforming led to a pretty unique experience. You still have ball physics and stage tilting, and despite the shift in philosophies, I think they still understood how to make a great set of levels. It's just in a different style now!
That's not even mentioning the controls, the biggest difference between Wii and HD. Uh... yeah there's a reason I played HD first. I don't think motion controls are inherently bad, but the way you hold the Wii Remote doesn't make me feel like I'm truly tilting the world. The mobile games definitely had a better feel of control and were more immersive, which was definitely shown when I started emulating the game on my phone. Neither control scheme quite replicates a perfect Monkey Ball control set, but I can get behind either.
Some other big changes are boss battles, individual character stats, and the removal of Challenge Mode, none of which I'm the most fond of. For bosses, I like World 4 and 7's bosses, can tolerate the rest, and 2, 5, and 8 suck lol. For character stats, I managed to feel lucky that YanYan was already my favorite, and even then I switched to AiAi sometimes (7-1 is a particular sour spot, as YanYan doesn't want to properly get in the Goal). For the removal of Challenge Mode, I don't entirely mind the World structure, and the levels incorporating some more natural obstacles is cute, but I would've liked some more Advanced and Expert-tier courses.
The actual level design does definitely feel a little neutered for motion controls, but there's still some moments of fun, like jumping all the way from the start to the goal, getting the right amount of tilt for dash panels, or manuevering treacherous rails (said rails being made MORE treacherous in HD, hehe). I do wish this was an analog stick game from the start, just so they could go further...
Let's talk about aesthetics and how HD changed them. I quite like the art style, going for a colorful cel-shaded look, though I do miss the aesthetics of 1 and 2. The music, on the other hand, is phenomenal! Jungle Island, Smooth Sherbet, Cobalt Caverns, and Ultra Heaven are my beloved. However, this is an aspect that HD... well, sidegrade is the sweetest word I could use. The entire soundtrack, aside from Smooth Sherbet, was replaced, and while new compositions like BANANA~NA In Love, Landing On A New Island!, Khafre's Trials, and Swamps Of Side Chain might honestly outclass the Wii soundtrack, the rest of this new OST is reused from 1, 2, and 3D, for some reason. I do still like most of the replaced tracks, but it's a shame that Chihiro Aoki wasn't contracted for the full thing.
In conclusion, while Banana Blitz fails to capture the spirit of Monkey Ball, it still manages to do the best it can with an odd idea, creating a 3D platformer with ball-rolling physics and (semi-optional) motion controls, making for a novelty I'd honestly go back to as much as the first game, despite the tough act not being followed. It's a 7/10, and a 7/10 I like.
PLATFORM: Steam Deck via RetroArch's Sharp X1 emulator
GOAL: Clear all eight worlds
PROGRESS: 3-1
Super Mario Bros. Special is the best NES ad I've ever seen.
The choppiness, jankier controls, inconsistent framerate, and screen-by-screen scrolling when the levels don't feel designed for it all make for a less-than-ideal game.
Will say that the level design itself is pretty good, but that's because I played up to 8-3 in a recreation of the game with more proper scrolling and controls.
I specifically hate when I come across a spring that I swear you have to be dead-on perfect to bounce off of, otherwise you slide off.
I commend the effort to bring the SMB1 experience to home computers at the time, but it just wasn't enough. This game is not fun in its original form.
GOAL: Clear all eight worlds
PROGRESS: 3-1
Super Mario Bros. Special is the best NES ad I've ever seen.
The choppiness, jankier controls, inconsistent framerate, and screen-by-screen scrolling when the levels don't feel designed for it all make for a less-than-ideal game.
Will say that the level design itself is pretty good, but that's because I played up to 8-3 in a recreation of the game with more proper scrolling and controls.
I specifically hate when I come across a spring that I swear you have to be dead-on perfect to bounce off of, otherwise you slide off.
I commend the effort to bring the SMB1 experience to home computers at the time, but it just wasn't enough. This game is not fun in its original form.
(This is an old review that I happened to salvage. And I still agree with most of it. Will say I've gotten slightly tired of it, but I can always pop it in for a good time. Also, I forgot to mention that the game teaches you jack in the nitpicks section.)
PLATFORM: PlayStation 3 via backwards compatibility on a modded Slim
GOAL: Clear both Story Mode campaigns
WARNING: This is one of my favorite games of all time. Gushing is imminent!
Ah... Sonic Riders... I can't believe I missed out on you for this long. Published in 2006 as part of Sonic's 15th anniversary, it's a new type of racing game, headlined by the Extreme Gear. It ended up being not only the best part of the 15th anniversary, but upstaging pretty much every other Sonic game. Some may say Sonic 3, some may say Sonic Adventure 2, some may say Sonic Unleashed, but my heart is in this little racer.
MAKE THE WORLD
Without a doubt, the thing you'll notice first is that Sonic looks a little different here. Sonic Riders has some of the best aesthetics in a Sonic game, I swear to god. Everything has this sick mid-2000s aesthetic, and I am ALL for it. The new designs also look amazing, some of which I wish replaced the modern designs!
The visuals might not have aged well as some other Sonic games, but the audio sure has. The audio feels really immersive, and you can tell why a lot of these sound effects ended up in the modern games. Oh, and Omochao makes his first appearance in a 4Kids-voiced game as the announcer, and it's his best portrayal yet! Neat! Music also slaps. Just wanted to tell you.
IT JUST FLOATS
The Extreme Gear is the definitive tool for Sonic to race on. Sonic Riders takes the high-speed action of 3D Sonic and seamlessly converts it into a racing game with multiple playable characters, all with a single board. If it were like Sonic R, some characters would be horribly unbalanced (why is Amy in a car?), but Extreme Gear gets rid of this issue.
The controls of Riders take a while to get used to, but when you're in the groove, you feel powerful. You should probably look up a guide online or something if you need help, it'll be worth it! Managing to slip past the finish line at first place has never been so damn satisfying! Funnily in hindsight, some of these moves ended up making their way into the 3D Boost games!
NEW COMPETITION
Joining the franchise are the Babylon Rogue: Jet the Hawk, Wave the Swallow, and Storm the Albatross! I'm... not really good at character or story explanation, but I just like them anyway!
WORLD DOMINATION
The track designs go from fairly standard to downright brutal. Sand Ruins, Babylon Garden, and Dark Desert are soul-crushing, but getting past them feels almost legendary. I still struggle with that one turn... but that's okay! I love difficulty in level design!
THE BEST TECHNOLOGY
Sonic Riders runs like a dream. Even the PS2 version is at an acceptable framerate, which I just can't say about Sonic Heroes or Shadow the Hedgehog. And the game is so polished! Even Sonic games released today don't come close to the level of polish in Riders.
FINALLY, SOMETHING INTERESTING
The campaign takes a turn that's quite interesting for 3D Sonic.
HOLY SHIT THERE'S NO WEIRD ALTERNATE GAMEPLAY STYLES OR BLATANT PADDING THIS TIME HELL YEAH!!!!!
It's the closest to a Classic game a campaign will ever get. It's short, but sweet! I also loved the story, but like I said, I'm not exactly good at explaining things. The differing characteristics and varied track designs validate the Babylon Story taking place at the same time as the Heroes Story, I suppose.
THAT ONE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
What about Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed? Well, I see that as the best racer with Sonic, and Sonic Riders as the best Sonic racer. Transformed is great, but the cars are better left to crossovers.
Keep that in mind when I review Team Sonic Racing.
THE DIRT SUITS YOU WELL
Okay, Sonic Riders has some flaws. There's a lack of tracks, some characters are rather unbalanced (sorry Cream), and... uh... that's it!
THE NEXT RACE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN
Play Sonic Riders DX. Trust me. It's the .5 stars this game was missing. It balances the game, making it more competitive, and adds some more trinkets. Also check out Sonic Riders: Tournament Edition!
EVEN WITHOUT WINGS, I CAN STILL FLY
I guess this mountain of gushing is finished, right? It probably would've been longer if I knew story analysis. Might make a new section for that later, who knows? Anyway, go learn Sonic Riders. Please. It's the best thing since sliced bread. You'll understand me more!
... Please?
PLATFORM: PlayStation 3 via backwards compatibility on a modded Slim
GOAL: Clear both Story Mode campaigns
WARNING: This is one of my favorite games of all time. Gushing is imminent!
Ah... Sonic Riders... I can't believe I missed out on you for this long. Published in 2006 as part of Sonic's 15th anniversary, it's a new type of racing game, headlined by the Extreme Gear. It ended up being not only the best part of the 15th anniversary, but upstaging pretty much every other Sonic game. Some may say Sonic 3, some may say Sonic Adventure 2, some may say Sonic Unleashed, but my heart is in this little racer.
MAKE THE WORLD
Without a doubt, the thing you'll notice first is that Sonic looks a little different here. Sonic Riders has some of the best aesthetics in a Sonic game, I swear to god. Everything has this sick mid-2000s aesthetic, and I am ALL for it. The new designs also look amazing, some of which I wish replaced the modern designs!
The visuals might not have aged well as some other Sonic games, but the audio sure has. The audio feels really immersive, and you can tell why a lot of these sound effects ended up in the modern games. Oh, and Omochao makes his first appearance in a 4Kids-voiced game as the announcer, and it's his best portrayal yet! Neat! Music also slaps. Just wanted to tell you.
IT JUST FLOATS
The Extreme Gear is the definitive tool for Sonic to race on. Sonic Riders takes the high-speed action of 3D Sonic and seamlessly converts it into a racing game with multiple playable characters, all with a single board. If it were like Sonic R, some characters would be horribly unbalanced (why is Amy in a car?), but Extreme Gear gets rid of this issue.
The controls of Riders take a while to get used to, but when you're in the groove, you feel powerful. You should probably look up a guide online or something if you need help, it'll be worth it! Managing to slip past the finish line at first place has never been so damn satisfying! Funnily in hindsight, some of these moves ended up making their way into the 3D Boost games!
NEW COMPETITION
Joining the franchise are the Babylon Rogue: Jet the Hawk, Wave the Swallow, and Storm the Albatross! I'm... not really good at character or story explanation, but I just like them anyway!
WORLD DOMINATION
The track designs go from fairly standard to downright brutal. Sand Ruins, Babylon Garden, and Dark Desert are soul-crushing, but getting past them feels almost legendary. I still struggle with that one turn... but that's okay! I love difficulty in level design!
THE BEST TECHNOLOGY
Sonic Riders runs like a dream. Even the PS2 version is at an acceptable framerate, which I just can't say about Sonic Heroes or Shadow the Hedgehog. And the game is so polished! Even Sonic games released today don't come close to the level of polish in Riders.
FINALLY, SOMETHING INTERESTING
The campaign takes a turn that's quite interesting for 3D Sonic.
HOLY SHIT THERE'S NO WEIRD ALTERNATE GAMEPLAY STYLES OR BLATANT PADDING THIS TIME HELL YEAH!!!!!
It's the closest to a Classic game a campaign will ever get. It's short, but sweet! I also loved the story, but like I said, I'm not exactly good at explaining things. The differing characteristics and varied track designs validate the Babylon Story taking place at the same time as the Heroes Story, I suppose.
THAT ONE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
What about Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed? Well, I see that as the best racer with Sonic, and Sonic Riders as the best Sonic racer. Transformed is great, but the cars are better left to crossovers.
Keep that in mind when I review Team Sonic Racing.
THE DIRT SUITS YOU WELL
Okay, Sonic Riders has some flaws. There's a lack of tracks, some characters are rather unbalanced (sorry Cream), and... uh... that's it!
THE NEXT RACE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN
Play Sonic Riders DX. Trust me. It's the .5 stars this game was missing. It balances the game, making it more competitive, and adds some more trinkets. Also check out Sonic Riders: Tournament Edition!
EVEN WITHOUT WINGS, I CAN STILL FLY
I guess this mountain of gushing is finished, right? It probably would've been longer if I knew story analysis. Might make a new section for that later, who knows? Anyway, go learn Sonic Riders. Please. It's the best thing since sliced bread. You'll understand me more!
... Please?