The story of Super Monkey Ball 2 revolves around a monkey trapped inside a plastic ball, with the goal of navigating it through a maze to reach the finish line. The game features three main modes: Story Mode, Challenge Mode, and Practice Mode.
In Story Mode, players have unlimited attempts to complete each stage, with a new world of 10 stages unlocked after clearing 10 previous ones. In Challenge Mode, players must guide their monkey through increasingly difficult levels within a limited time frame, with only a few monkeys available at a time. Meanwhile, Practice Mode allows players to replay any completed stage from the other two modes.
Complementing the main game options are various party games that can be played by one to four players. These include Monkey Racing, Monkey Fight, Monkey Target, and several others such as Monkey Golf, Monkey Boat, and Monkey Tennis. Each party game offers a unique experience for players looking for something different.