The newest entry in the Super Monkey Ball series, the Nintendo Switch exclusive Banana Rumble, will release on the 25th with a selection of paid character DLC to go alongside it. Joining the rumble are four classic Sonic characters, Axel from Crazy Taxi, and Beat from Jet Set Radio. The pass also includes fifteen customization items based off other SEGA characters like Shadow the Hedgehog and NIGHTS.
Characters can be purchased separately or all at once with the SEGA Pass, which comes included with the Digital Deluxe Edition. The six DLC playable characters will each have their strengths and weaknesses on top of replacing the in-game bananas with rings (Sonic & friends), coins (Axel), and spray cans (Beat). Sonic, Tails, and Beat were free unlockable characters in the series’ most recent game (Banana Mania) but have since been made into paid DLC.
Oddly, Banana Mania’s paid DLC characters, Hello Kitty, Suezo from Monster Rancher, and Morgana from Persona, who were all delisted and are no longer available to purchase for the original game, are nowhere to be found in Banana Rumble. The first two were collabs, but Atlus’ Persona series has been under the SEGA umbrella for over a decade. The trio’s disappearance could be a sign of a second DLC pass in the works, though no rumors hinting at such have emerged so far.
Banana Rumble will feature an adventure mode that can be played solo or in local multiplayer, an online multiplayer mode capable of hosting games with up to 16 players. and over 300 customization options for the motley monkeys themselves. Think you have what it takes to be top banana? Find out when the game rolls itself only Switch next week- and don’t forget to be on the look out for our review of Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble.
I like that the dlc includes legendary characters, but I hate the concept of having paid dlc.