<s>
The	O
game	O
debuted	O
in	O
Japan	O
at	O
the	O
2001	O
Amusement	O
Operators	O
Union	O
trade	O
show	O
as	O
Monkey	O
Ball	O
,	O
an	O
arcade	O
cabinet	O
running	O
on	O
Sega	O
's	O
NAOMI	O
hardware	O
and	O
controlled	O
with	O
a	O
distinctive	O
banana-shaped	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
the	O
discontinuation	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
home	O
console	O
and	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
subsequent	O
restructuring	O
,	O
an	O
enhanced	O
port	O
dubbed	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
was	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
launch	O
title	O
for	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
in	O
late	O
2001	O
,	O
garnering	O
interest	O
as	O
Sega	O
's	O
first	O
game	O
published	O
for	O
a	O
Nintendo	O
home	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Conceived	O
by	O
Amusement	O
Vision	O
head	O
Toshihiro	O
Nagoshi	O
,	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
involves	O
guiding	O
a	O
transparent	O
ball	O
containing	O
one	O
of	O
four	O
monkeys	O
—	O
AiAi	O
,	O
MeeMee	O
,	O
Baby	O
,	O
and	O
GonGon	O
—	O
across	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
maze-like	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
received	O
highly	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
,	O
who	O
praised	O
the	O
simplicity	O
and	O
subtle	O
depth	O
of	O
its	O
control	O
scheme	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
new	O
multiplayer	O
modes	O
not	O
present	O
in	O
its	O
arcade	O
counterpart	O
,	O
although	O
some	O
felt	O
its	O
presentation	O
was	O
lacking	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
commercially	O
successful	O
and	O
remained	O
one	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
best-sellers	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
for	O
much	O
of	O
2002	O
,	O
eventually	O
spawning	O
a	O
direct	O
sequel	O
,	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
broader	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
's	O
stages	O
were	O
remade	O
as	O
a	O
part	O
of	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
Banana	I-Application
Mania	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
has	O
three	O
game	O
modes	O
:	O
main	O
game	O
,	O
party	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
mini-games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reminiscent	O
of	O
Marble	B-Device
Madness	I-Device
and	O
Labyrinth	O
,	O
the	O
objective	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
is	O
to	O
guide	O
one	O
of	O
four	O
playable	O
monkeys	O
(	O
AiAi	O
,	O
MeeMee	O
,	O
Baby	O
,	O
and	O
GonGon	O
)	O
encased	O
in	O
a	O
transparent	O
ball	O
across	O
a	O
suspended	O
series	O
of	O
platforms	O
and	O
through	O
a	O
goal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
moving	O
the	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
,	O
the	O
player	O
tilts	O
the	O
entire	O
set	O
of	O
platforms	O
that	O
make	O
up	O
a	O
level	O
,	O
called	O
a	O
floor	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
ball	O
rolls	O
accordingly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
normal	O
mode	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
experiences	O
a	O
game	B-Application
over	I-Application
when	O
they	O
have	O
lost	O
all	O
of	O
their	O
lives	O
,	O
but	O
is	O
allowed	O
five	O
opportunities	O
to	O
continue	O
;	O
eventually	O
,	O
unlimited	O
"	O
continues	O
"	O
can	O
be	O
unlocked	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Steering	O
is	O
handled	O
with	O
the	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
,	O
while	O
the	O
A	O
button	O
is	O
used	O
to	O
activate	O
items	O
(	O
if	O
enabled	O
)	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
produce	O
an	O
increase	O
in	O
speed	O
or	O
to	O
adversely	O
affect	O
opponents	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Monkey	O
Fight	O
:	O
One	O
to	O
four	O
players	O
simultaneously	O
engage	O
in	O
combat	O
by	O
rolling	O
in	O
any	O
direction	O
with	O
the	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
and	O
using	O
the	O
A	O
button	O
to	O
punch	O
opponents	O
with	O
a	O
boxing	O
glove	O
attached	O
to	O
their	O
monkey	O
's	O
ball	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
monkey	O
's	O
trajectory	O
is	O
manipulated	O
with	O
the	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wind	O
direction	O
and	O
strength	O
,	O
altitude	O
,	O
and	O
speed	O
(	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
random	O
hazards	O
selected	O
by	O
an	O
optional	O
"	O
Wheel	O
of	O
Danger	O
"	O
feature	O
before	O
each	O
flight	O
)	O
impact	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
ability	O
to	O
land	O
the	O
monkey	O
on	O
one	O
of	O
several	O
dartboard-like	O
targets	O
in	O
the	O
middle	O
of	O
the	O
ocean	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
determines	O
the	O
direction	O
of	O
each	O
shot	O
and	O
the	O
A	O
button	O
is	O
used	O
to	O
stop	O
the	O
moving	O
gauge	O
that	O
determines	O
shot	O
speed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
tournament	O
mode	O
featuring	O
four	O
AI	B-Application
challengers	O
is	O
also	O
available	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Monkey	O
Bowling	B-Application
:	O
One	O
to	O
four	O
players	O
take	O
turns	O
competing	O
in	O
a	O
game	O
of	O
ten-pin	O
bowling	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
is	O
used	O
to	O
move	O
left	O
and	O
right	O
,	O
the	O
A	O
button	O
sets	O
the	O
direction	O
and	O
strength	O
for	O
each	O
throw	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
L	O
or	O
R	O
buttons	O
apply	O
spin	O
to	O
the	O
ball	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Monkey	O
Golf	B-Application
:	O
One	O
to	O
four	O
players	O
take	O
turns	O
competing	O
across	O
18	O
holes	O
in	O
a	O
game	O
of	O
golf	B-Application
with	O
stroke	O
play	O
scoring	O
,	O
or	O
two	O
players	O
compete	O
using	O
match	O
play	O
scoring	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
direction	O
and	O
general	O
rolling	O
distance	O
of	O
each	O
shot	O
is	O
arranged	O
with	O
the	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
,	O
and	O
the	O
shot	O
's	O
strength	O
is	O
set	O
by	O
the	O
A	O
button	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Amusement	O
Vision	O
,	O
a	O
branch	O
of	O
the	O
Japanese	O
video	O
game	O
publisher	O
Sega	O
that	O
was	O
created	O
in	O
2000	O
and	O
composed	O
of	O
about	O
fifty	O
people	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Amusement	O
Vision	O
president	O
Toshihiro	O
Nagoshi	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
under	O
Sega	O
AM2	O
's	O
Yu	O
Suzuki	O
and	O
been	O
credited	O
as	O
the	O
creator	O
of	O
the	O
arcade	O
titles	O
Daytona	B-Application
USA	I-Application
and	O
Virtua	B-Application
Striker	I-Application
,	O
devised	O
the	O
concept	O
of	O
rolling	O
spheres	O
through	O
mazes	B-Application
based	O
on	O
his	O
desire	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
was	O
instantly	O
possible	O
to	O
understand	O
and	O
play	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
contrast	O
to	O
increasingly	O
complex	O
games	O
at	O
Japanese	O
arcades	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Intended	O
to	O
feature	O
a	O
"	O
cute	O
"	O
aesthetic	O
and	O
accurate	O
physics	O
engine	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
debuted	O
at	O
the	O
2001	O
Amusement	O
Operator	O
Union	O
trade	O
show	O
as	O
Monkey	O
Ball	O
,	O
a	O
single-player	O
arcade	O
cabinet	O
controlled	O
with	O
a	O
distinctive	O
banana-shaped	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
early	O
2001	O
,	O
Sega	O
announced	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
discontinuing	O
its	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
home	O
console	O
and	O
restructuring	O
itself	O
into	O
a	O
"	O
platform-agnostic	O
"	O
third-party	O
publisher	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
result	O
,	O
an	O
enhanced	O
version	O
of	O
Monkey	O
Ball	O
dubbed	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
as	O
a	O
launch	O
game	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
September	O
14	O
,	O
2001	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
November	O
18	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
GameCube	B-Application
version	O
was	O
demonstrated	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
at	O
E3	O
in	O
May	O
and	O
at	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
Space	O
World	O
show	O
in	O
August	O
;	O
Sega	O
confirmed	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
arrive	O
in	O
time	O
for	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
's	O
launch	O
at	O
the	O
June	O
2001	O
World	O
Hobby	O
Fair	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
Sega	O
published	O
for	O
a	O
Nintendo	O
home	O
console	O
,	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
was	O
considered	O
a	O
milestone	O
for	O
the	O
company	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Monkey	O
Ball	O
had	O
been	O
developed	O
for	O
Sega	O
's	O
NAOMI	O
arcade	O
board	O
,	O
which	O
shared	O
technology	O
with	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
and	O
was	O
optimized	O
to	O
ensure	O
games	O
could	O
be	O
easily	O
ported	O
between	O
the	O
two	O
platforms	O
,	O
Nagoshi	O
commented	O
that	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
young	O
demographic	O
made	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
an	O
even	O
more	O
fitting	O
console	O
for	O
the	O
title	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Nagoshi	O
,	O
Amusement	O
Vision	O
staff	O
felt	O
more	O
comfortable	O
with	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
than	O
Sega	O
's	O
own	O
hardware	O
and	O
this	O
ease	O
of	O
development	O
contributed	O
to	O
their	O
decision	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
the	O
system	O
over	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
or	O
Xbox	B-Application
;	O
he	O
also	O
joked	O
that	O
Nintendo	O
was	O
the	O
only	O
hardware	O
manufacturer	O
the	O
staff	O
did	O
not	O
"	O
hate	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Out	O
of	O
a	O
team	O
composed	O
of	O
ten	O
to	O
twenty	O
individuals	O
,	O
it	O
took	O
four	O
Amusement	O
Vision	O
employees	O
between	O
several	O
weeks	O
and	O
two	O
months	O
to	O
port	O
Monkey	O
Ball	O
to	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
bananas	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
display	O
the	O
Dole	O
Food	O
Company	O
logo	O
,	O
but	O
this	O
was	O
removed	O
in	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
Deluxe	I-Application
due	O
to	O
a	O
licensing	O
dispute	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
arranged	O
by	O
Cheru	O
Watanabe	O
and	O
featured	O
vocals	O
by	O
Yu	O
Abiru	O
,	O
was	O
created	O
for	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
of	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
but	O
removed	O
from	O
its	O
U.S.	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
was	O
commercially	O
successful	O
upon	O
release	O
and	O
remained	O
one	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
best-selling	O
titles	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
through	O
much	O
of	O
2002	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
it	O
sold	O
well	O
in	O
all	O
major	O
territories	O
,	O
Nagoshi	O
was	O
disappointed	O
by	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
performance	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
where	O
he	O
had	O
expected	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
most	O
successful	O
;	O
weak	O
GameCube	B-Application
launch	O
sales	O
were	O
cited	O
as	O
negatively	O
impacting	O
its	O
performance	O
in	O
the	O
country	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Released	O
to	O
positive	O
reviews	O
,	O
with	O
aggregated	O
scores	O
of	O
87/100	O
on	O
Metacritic	O
and	O
88.7	O
%	O
on	O
GameRankings	O
,	O
some	O
journalists	O
considered	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
the	O
highlight	O
of	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
's	O
launch	O
lineup	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Matt	O
Casamassina	O
(	O
IGN	O
)	O
commended	O
the	O
"	O
great	O
level	O
variation	O
"	O
,	O
with	O
"	O
well	O
created	O
mazes	B-Application
and	O
puzzles	O
that	O
must	O
be	O
completed	O
using	O
a	O
combination	O
of	O
physics	O
calculations	O
,	O
careful	O
planning	O
and	O
a	O
huge	O
helping	O
of	O
patience.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
Every	O
second	O
brings	O
another	O
jagged	O
spike	O
of	O
highrise	O
elation	O
or	O
freefall	O
despair	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
's	O
what	O
makes	O
the	O
game	O
so	O
superb	O
...	O
when	O
you	O
finally	O
beat	O
a	O
maze	B-Application
on	O
your	O
15th	O
try	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
last	O
life	O
of	O
your	O
last	O
continue	O
,	O
it	O
's	O
all	O
worth	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
that	O
experience	O
could	O
be	O
distilled	O
into	O
a	O
single	O
word	O
,	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
euphoria	O
;	O
reducing	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
to	O
one	O
word	O
is	O
simpler	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
party	O
and	O
mini	O
games	O
,	O
Kent	O
asserted	O
"	O
All	O
of	O
the	O
activities	O
...	O
were	O
designed	O
with	O
an	O
unerring	O
eye	O
for	O
quality	O
"	O
,	O
Edge	O
contended	O
"	O
none	O
are	O
half-assed	O
throwaway	O
rewards	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
remarked	O
"	O
each	O
one	O
is	O
a	O
fully	O
realized	O
activity	O
that	O
you	O
could	O
play	O
for	O
hours.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
and	O
Medina	O
,	O
respectively	O
,	O
described	O
Monkey	O
Billiards	O
as	O
"	O
a	O
full-blown	O
pool	O
game	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
a	O
very	O
fun	O
alternative	O
to	O
the	O
real	O
game	O
"	O
;	O
Casamassina	O
applauded	O
its	O
"	O
ultra-realistic	O
physics	O
engine	O
that	O
perfectly	O
mimics	O
how	O
pool	O
balls	O
would	O
react	O
...	O
it	O
all	O
works	O
just	O
as	O
good	O
if	O
not	O
better	O
than	O
any	O
pool	O
simulation	O
available	O
to	O
home	O
consoles.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Casamassina	O
was	O
further	O
impressed	O
by	O
the	O
physics	O
of	O
Monkey	O
Bowling	B-Application
,	O
elaborating	O
that	O
"	O
when	O
the	O
pins	O
break	O
apart	O
one	O
would	O
swear	O
it	O
's	O
the	O
real	O
deal	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
Turner	O
criticized	O
its	O
physics	O
as	O
"	O
slightly	O
wonky	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Medina	O
singled	O
out	O
Monkey	O
Bowling	B-Application
's	O
"	O
nailbiting	O
"	O
challenge	O
mode	O
as	O
a	O
personal	O
favorite	O
,	O
while	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
considered	O
Monkey	O
Bowling	B-Application
"	O
as	O
good	O
as	O
tenpin	O
gets	O
"	O
and	O
Kent	O
wrote	O
it	O
"	O
is	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
robust	O
bowling	B-Application
simulations	O
I	O
have	O
ever	O
played.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Finally	O
,	O
Four-Eyed	O
Dragon	O
conveyed	O
that	O
Monkey	O
Golf	B-Application
provided	O
"	O
a	O
humongous	O
challenge	O
"	O
with	O
"	O
crazy	O
,	O
lopsided	O
miniature	O
golf	B-Application
course[s]",	O
while	O
Kent	O
called	O
it	O
an	O
"	O
absolutely	O
infuriating	O
...	O
test	O
 [ of ] 	O
your	O
aim	O
and	O
your	O
logic.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Edge	O
likened	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
aesthetic	O
to	O
Sega	O
's	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
series	I-Application
:	O
"	O
Every	O
surface	O
is	O
bright	O
and	O
solid	O
and	O
shiny	O
,	O
every	O
aspect	O
impeccably	O
presented.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Moreover	O
,	O
Casamassina	O
was	O
disappointed	O
that	O
the	O
three	O
difficulty	O
modes	O
reused	O
level	O
themes	O
and	O
by	O
the	O
absence	O
of	O
progressive	B-Device
scan	I-Device
support	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kent	O
named	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
"	O
the	O
best	O
party	O
game	O
of	O
all	O
time.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
hailed	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
ultimate	O
party	O
games	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
the	O
best	O
in	O
serious	O
gaming	O
,	O
too.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
was	O
a	O
runner-up	O
for	O
GameSpots	O
annual	O
"	O
Best	O
GameCube	B-Application
Game	O
"	O
award	O
,	O
which	O
went	O
to	O
Super	B-Application
Smash	I-Application
Bros	I-Application
.	I-Application
Melee	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
its	O
complex	O
physics	O
engine	O
and	O
abundance	O
of	O
possible	O
shortcuts	O
,	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
has	O
been	O
popular	O
with	O
professional	O
speedrunners	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
inspired	O
Neverball	O
,	O
a	O
free	B-Application
and	O
open	B-License
source	I-License
game	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
OS	B-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
,	O
Linux	B-Application
,	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
iOS	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
2020	O
battle	O
royale	O
game	O
Fall	B-Application
Guys	I-Application
:	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
Knockout	I-Application
has	O
been	O
described	O
as	O
"	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Fortnite	B-Application
generation	O
"	O
by	O
Tom	O
Wiggins	O
of	O
Stuff	O
magazine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2006	O
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
ranked	O
it	O
the	O
38th	O
best	O
game	O
available	O
on	O
Nintendo	O
platforms	O
,	O
commenting	O
"	O
who	O
knew	O
that	O
such	O
cute	O
characters	O
with	O
cinnamon	O
roll	O
ears	O
could	O
be	O
the	O
source	O
of	O
so	O
much	O
tension	O
(	O
when	O
the	O
clock	O
is	O
ticking	O
)	O
and	O
so	O
much	O
relief	O
(	O
when	O
they	O
finally	O
break	O
the	O
ribbon	O
)	O
?	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Writing	O
in	O
1001	O
Video	O
Games	O
You	O
Must	O
Play	O
Before	O
You	O
Die	O
,	O
Christian	O
Donlan	O
described	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
as	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
grade-A	O
triumphs.	O
"	O
</s>
