You play as one of four monkeys, each trapped inside a transparent ball. You are tasked with reaching the goal in each level by tilting the playing field, resulting in your monkey "rolling" forward or backward. Several obstacles lay in between your monkey and the goal, and a time limit means you can never spend too long on a given level. Bananas are found across the levels, which both contribute to your score and grant an extra life per 100 collected.
The game has three main difficulty levels: Beginner , Advanced , and Expert , each offering more maps to play and a greater challenge. EX and Master levels are unlocked by performing well on these maps. A Competition mode allows multiple players to play these levels simultaneously on a split screen.
The game also includes various mini-games for you to unlock, such as Monkey Billiards and Monkey Bowling.
Super Monkey Ball was released for the Gamecube in 2001 , offering a challenging and entertaining puzzle experience.