Now you can roll those crazy monkeys around where ever you want!
If you're not familiar with the series, it's an adaptation of a popular arcade game in Japan. You tilt these various puzzle levels to roll a monkey inside a clear plastic ball. Your basic objective to make it to the goal at the end of each course within the time limit and without falling off.
Many of the complaints about this game come from the use of the touch screen to control. Now I'll admit, it's not perfect. The screen lacks the same amount of precision that players had on the console version. It feels almost a little loose at first. However, with just a bit of diligence it can be mastered in time, especially if you have previous experience with the gameplay. It didn't take me long to get a feel for using the touch screen and in no time I was rolling just like on the 'Cube. The D-pad is also another option, but not recommended. While it still works to play the game, it lacks the more precise analog control that is virtually essential to tackling this game.
Graphically, the game looks great, in my opinion. Still, Super Moneky Ball never had been a very complex level design in terms of aesthetics. With that in mind, it makes an easy transition to the DS. Though not extremely rich with detail, Touch & Roll manages to retain the vibrant look and colors from its console counterparts. Even though the textures are simple, they still look really great. Even the backgrounds make a clever use of 3D and 2D effects. Another odd change is the monkeys are 2D this time around. It comes off as a bit strange at first, but after a while the graphics just seem to blend together and isn't really an issue.
Touch & Roll also features fantastic sound. Some of the effects sound borrowed from the console games, but mostly just with the voices. It's perfectly understandable that they still wanted them to sound the same. Coupled with that is a great soundtrack that not only sports excellent quality, but is just a lot of fun.
There's decent amount of content to come along with this game. The challenge levels come in sets of 10 each with their own theme. Playing a set doesn't take too long, which is great if you have to play on-the-go a lot. The only real problems is that you cannot save in the middle of a set and after completing each one you are forced to watch the game's credits. While the credits are turned into a game, it can still be annoying if you need to quit. Fortunately it still saves the progress if you reset or turn the game off.
Another great surprise is the inclusion of all those great party games that really gave Super Monkey Ball a lot of longevity. Many of the classics are here like Monkey Race, Golf, Fight, and Bowling. Two new games make an appearance. Monkey War is sort of an FPS-style game. Using the D-pad lets you move forward, back, and strafe. Siding the stylus along a bar at the bottom lets you turn and tapping the screen fires. The controls feel a bit clunky and is only mildly entertaining. Next is Monkey Hockey, which is basically and air-hockey game. These games are great to play against computer or other opponents. Again, it also does a great job in adding to the game's overall content.
In the end I think Super Monkey Ball: Touch & Roll is a faithful adaptation of the series to the Nintendo DS. While the control isn't quite as sharp as it could have been, it still plays well. There's a lot of fun to be had with this game be it the classic challenge courses or the variety of party games. Touch & Roll is a strong addition to the DS line-up.