James L: Wrapping your head - or should I say wrists? - around this puzzley game of monkey-stuffed balls takes some getting used to. Holding the Wii-mote horizontally, you carefully maneuver the course to keep your precious ball from rolling off the edge. But since my motor skills are about as skilled as those of a thumb-sucking primate, it was hard to get a grip on all the monkey s*** going on. Halfway through the story mode, the stages get insanely difficult, and I had a tough time making myself continue the balancing act with the controller. It doesn't help that when you clear a level, you're awarded with repetitive boss fights. For me, boredom in the story mode set in quicker than my average time of death: about 30 seconds. Thankfully, dozens of minigames keep the arm-flailing party going, covering events like boxing (which has you literally punching the air) and Frisbee golf (be sure to release the A button, not the controller, after making your toss motion - like I nearly did).

Michael: Frustration - that's the feeling that kept me from squealing like a poo-throwing banana eater. Like Jimmy says, Banana Blitz's levels range from somewhat simple to dumbfoundingly difficult. Mastering the tricky Wii controls doesn't help, either - performing simple actions (like turning around) is a chore using the Wii Remote. But while the main stages slipped, the 50 multiplayer minigames held it steady. Not only are the games fun (well, most of them, at least), but they also make good use of the wacky Wii controls. So long as you stick with the multiplayer, this game is a decent monkey-filled ball.

Jeremy: I think young James missed the point. Sure, you've got a single-player mode here (and it's pretty good, if unreasonably hard in the latter half), but the meat of this ballgame is multiplayer. Wii, like the DS before it, will be glutted by minigames until developers come to terms with the unique controller - and Monkey Ball has 50 of the bad boys, making it the Wii's 800-pound minigame gorilla. Sure, they're not all winners, but some of them (like monkey bowling) are addictive, creative, and fun.

The Verdicts (Out of 10)

James L: 6.0
Michael: 6.5
Jeremy: 7.0

The Good: Some innovative mini-games, mostly simple controls
The Bad: Single-player difficulty, not all minigames a ball
The Story: Bizarre but amusing Publisher: Sega Developer: Sega Players: 1-4 ESRB: Everyone