I’m Jun Tokuhara, the producer of Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz – the game consists of the familiar Monkey Ball mode in which you roll and guide the ball to the goal and a Party mode which you can enjoy various types of games. Today, I would like to introduce the games included in the Party mode. It’s going to be a bit long, but are you ready?!

SUPER MONKEY BALL SPLITZ contains 8 party type games with a wide variety; from the games you can quickly play to the games full with volume which you can spend a great deal of time on. Every game supports ad hoc and Wi-Fi multiplayer battle, so not only you can party with people near you, but with people all around the world. Oh, of course, Monkey Ball supports ad hoc and Wi-Fi as well! Now, I’d like to pick up one game and go in details.
*Multiplayer battle for Pixie Hunt supports ad hoc only.

Monkey Target

A well-known game, where you glide through the sky and try to neatly land on the target located on the sea. This time, you can interrupt your opponent by flicking their ball!

Monkey Bingo

Compete with your rivals in placing the balls into holes located in the stages. If you accomplish a bingo, you’ll receive high scores!

Monkey Bowling

After you throw the ball, tilt the PS Vita to make the ball curve! Will you be able to get a strike in all of the lanes?

Monkey Rodeo

A game where you flick the ball to gather bananas by using the rear touch pad. Unleash power charged jump attacks to snatch bananas from your rival as well!

Number Ball

Touch the numbered balls in the correct order to win! How high can you go?

Battle Billiards

The goal of this game is to drop your rivals using 3 balls. Make good use of the balls that contain monkeys, since they give you more points!

Pixie Hunt

Search and capture pixies hiding around you by using the camera. Drag them continuously to earn high scores!

A game full with volume: Love Maze. Supports 2 player co-op play! Development team’s favorite!

We have made a game so fun that we want to sell it as a different game entirely! (lol) Rules are simple, easy to control, but your brain and hands will be in absolute panic!

There are 2 mazes, one in the left, one in the right, and a ball for each maze. The left stick controls the left ball, the right stick controls the other and both player head to the goal. However, left and right balls are connected each other with the band, so you need to be very careful not to move away too far from the other ball unless the band is cut off.

If you play on your own there are no time limits so you can enjoy a great deal of time on solving puzzles. 30 crazy stages await you with tough challenges, such as floors that move around in high speed and paths that switch the right and left of the balls around. How confusing!

Not only is the clear time saved in the console, but you can also compete with players around the world as the game supports PSN’s high score ranking.

When playing multiplayer battle, you will be competing by time, just like a time attack in a race game. Play through the stage carefully as you check your opponent’s progress. One small mistake may lead to your defeat.

You can also play the single player mode as 2 player co-op by controlling each analog stick separately between 2 people. Sit close together, communicate and aim for the goal.

After you reach the goal, your synchronization level will be displayed. When played as single player, it shows how skillful you are, and when played as 2 player co-op, it shows how well you and your partner have cooperated. If you played as a couple, then I guess it’s all about love power!

Thank you very much for all of the various comments on the previous blog! About the request for information on each world’s composition and level design, I will give them out later on.

The next blog will be a how-to on creating nice stages in the edit mode. If you have any questions on the game, feel free to leave comments. Ok then, see you next time!

The Cave was a huge hit at Penny Arcade Expo! The all new Adventure game from Ron Gilbert and the talented team at Double Fine had a line all show long. The 20 minute demo gave players a chance to meet the seven main characters, as well as The Cave himself. Yes, the talking Cave acts as the story’s narrator, talking about the various encounters that come your way. Players picked three characters and descended into the depths to find wonder, humor, and puzzles – so many puzzles.

The Cave has had some excellent responses from both fans and press alike – take a look at some of the hands on coverage from the show floor!

Kotaku

I was impressed with the depth of the first major puzzle in The Cave, and have a feeling that this game is going to be bigger size-wise than I’d anticipated it would be. Particularly given the fact that there will be seven large, distinct puzzle areas, not all of which will accessible on a first playthrough. Gilbert’s Cave appears to run deeper than I thought.

Read the full Kotaku preview

The Verge

On my brief travels through the cave, I met a sleepy dragon with a penchant for hot dogs, a grog vending machine that would make Guybrush Threepwood giddy, and a turned a gigantic claw crane game to my team’s advantage. If my experience is representative of things to come, then The Cave’s depths are going to be delightful.

Read the full preview from The Verge

Arstechnica.com

Like most of Gilbert’s previous games, The Cave doesn’t take itself too seriously. The Cave itself is a talking tourist attraction, a world-weary narrator, introducing itself and the seven playable characters with an acerbic, laconic wit. He comes complete with a cheesy entryway gift shop and a hilariously histrionic shop owner lamenting the lack of tchotchkes to sell, handing you an “oversized novelty key” to go in and find some merchandise, thus setting up the story.

Read the full preview from Arstechnica

Cheatmasters.com

Instead of being point-and-click, The Cave sees players controlling one of three characters as they make their way through a magical cave, solving puzzles and deal with obstacles as they come. However, the game is still very much an adventure game, even without the pointing and clicking.

Read the full preview from Cheatmasters

Giant Bomb

Giant Bomb Interviewed Ron Gilbert about The Cave – hear what he had to say about the gameplay style and the design ideas behind the game