Super Monkey Ball Jr.

Sega Monkey Magic goes portable in the surprisingly sophisticated simian sphere simulation.

After infesting cell phones, PDAs, and GameCubes across the country last year, Super Monkey Ball Jr. brings its party/puzzle gameplay to the Game Boy Advance. All four monkeys from the GameCube version?Aiai, Meemee, Gongon, and Baby?survived the translation, and dance, laugh, and pout just like in the original. Sadly, Monkey Target mode is missing, but at least players can unlock classic mini-games like Monkey Bowling, Golf, Fight, and Race by earning Play Points in over 60 single-player levels. Thanks to the uncooperative camera views and tight time limits, however, the Marble Madness?like main game often alternates between masterful and maddening. With practice, using the tiny GBA directional pad becomes second nature, and by then you?ll have a digital monkey on your back.

While kids will love the cheerful graphics and cute characters, adults can marvel at the simple but polished 3D levels?such as the reflective floors in Monkey Bowling. The music is refreshingly subdued, and in a pleasant surprise, the bouncy sound effects come straight from the GameCube original. MB Jr. faithfully recaptures the best features, like the mindless mini-games and multiplayer modes (up to four players via GBA link cable) of the classic original. Puzzle fans should definitely attend this Ball.

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