PS2 (also PSP, GC); £29.99; Sega;

www.supermonkeyballadventure.com

By George Wright

ROLL UP, roll up, it’s time for more madcap monkey mayhem as another old favourite gets the makeover treatment.

The cheeky little monkeys are back for a tale packed with enough platforming fun and games to keep all the family amused over the school holidays.

Along with updated graphics and new Monkey Ball abilities, Sega has also kept in touch with the games of old, having mixed original puzzles and mini-games into the new recipe.

The new menu works well and provides a yummy mix of quests, spells and challenges throughout five, fun-filled Monkey Ball Kingdoms — Jungle Island, Zootopia, Kongri-La, Moonhaven and Monkitropolis.

The game revolves around these troubled kingdoms, where unhappiness abounds due to the dastardly deeds of the Naysayers, a sad bunch of nasties hellbent on making monkey world a miserable place to inhabit.

However, there’s light at the end of the tunnel in the form of lovebirds Princess Deedee, from Monkitropolis, and Prince Abeabe, from Kongri-La.

These new characters are fed up of being kept apart because of the bad feeling between kingdoms and take it upon themselves to play peacemakers so they can marry and live happily ever after.

Sounds simple, but nothing is straightforward in monkey world and they have to crack all sorts of problems and puzzles as they set about bringing joy back to the islands.

They elope to Jungle Island where they call up the help of a host of characters from the original games.

Along the way you’ll use spell casting abilities and powers to morph your monkey ball into a block of wood to float and suction cups to climb walls, as well as to make you go invisible and summon up tricks aplenty to slip past any sticky spots you may encounter.

The controls are straightforward enough to pick up and play away to your heart’s content in any of the game’s three modes — Story, Challenge and Party — meeting and interacting with 60 characters throughout the adventure.

The game can be played on your own or in multi-player modes with up to three pals, battling it out turn-based style or in split-screen mode as you swing into action with your hard-earned bananas to unlock games such as Monkey Bounce, Monkey Tag and Monkey Cannon.

Adding another plus is the ability to transfer saves between PS2 and PSP.

VERDICT: Plenty of monkey business to keeps bored kids occupied.