Gaming Go balls to the wall with this colorful (and loveable) cast of characters in Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble

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Monkeys in balls going bananas – what is there not to love about the Super Monkey Ball titles?! The next brand-new game in the series, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, is set to unleash a barrel of fun when it launches in June. We already know about its adventure mode and multiplayer battle modes, so today it's time to get to the heart of what really matters: the adorable monkeys that will be bouncing around in your heart in no time at all!

AiAi is the leader of the group; he's carefree and well-rounded. He especially loves his bananas! Positive, reliable MeeMee is the heart of the team, always ready to help out. She can stop on a dime which can really help navigate tricky courses. Cool monkey Baby is super smart for his age and uses his small stature and fast reflexes to get through complicated courses.

GonGon is no longer a rival; instead, this best friend to AiAi is training to become the strongest ape ever. He has incredible power and can barrel through any obstacle (or opponent) in his way. Fast and fearless lemur YanYan is a martial arts expert trained by the best in the world – her father. Even amnesia won't slow down the scatterbrained Doctor who excels in the Spin Dash. And finally, welcome to Palette, the newest crew member! She convinces AiAi and friends to join her on the search for the Legendary Banana. She is quick and great with Spin Dash so she can create shortcuts and run through courses in the blink of an eye.

This cast is no basic batch of bananas so customize them with more than 300 items to be unlocked, including clothing, headwear, accessories, and monkey balls. The press release states, "Many of these items can be purchased in the in-game shop using points earned from playing the game regularly, either locally or online," which leaves me a little weary of the possibility of in-app purchases. Playing in Battle Mode with random online opponents can also earn a draw from the Lucky Monkey Lottery virtual capsule machine, containing dozens of unique items at launch with more to be added in the future. There is a plan to include special seasonal items.

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In Adventure Mode, AiAi is seeking the greatest treasure: the Legendary Banana. Here, meet Fes, Tee, and Val, members of the infamous Gala family who are known for seeking valuable artifacts. These three characters don't seem to be playable. Multiplayer battle modes include Race, Banana Hunt, Ba-BOOM!, Goal Rush, and Robot Smash.

Developed and published by Sega, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble will be released for Nintendo Switch on June 25.