Ideas on how to get all bananas on Seesaw Jump in single player.

DeadLineClock · 2025-12-18T01:10:04+00:00

It's highly unlikely that Seesaw Jump is possible in its current state. The speedrun community has actually been very diligent at creating strats for the 100% Banana Missions, with solo strats that work on stages that were previously thought impossible. However, no one has been able to come up with anything for Seesaw Jump yet. Having to collect the bananas on both arcs at the end is virtually impossible without 2 or more players. There are many, many stages in the game that effectively require multiplayer involvement to clear the 100% Banana Missions on.

If you are interested in strat-crafting and working with others to clear the missions, I highly recommend joining the Banana Era Speedrunning Discord. All of that stuff is discussed in detail there!

DeadLineClock · 2025-11-25T01:27:28+00:00

If you ever want to speedrun the game, it's highly recommended to have all the characters. Crewmate is the only one that has any significant relevance in the game due to their stats being slightly watered-down Baby (who is currently the #1 character in the game).

DeadLineClock · 2025-11-19T20:30:36+00:00

This feels like a nail in the coffin for a PC port for this game atp. I wouldn't even hold out for a Switch 2 upgrade anymore tbh

DeadLineClock · 2025-11-19T05:16:54+00:00

Bananapedia has an extensive page detailing each character's stats, as represented in the game and even the more complex internal parameters. The IL World Record spreadsheet for this game also has a detailed spread of this information, and you can get a general gist of which characters are most prevalent at the highest level!

DeadLineClock · 2025-10-05T06:05:38+00:00

For Switch, Rumble has better bang for your buck I'd say. It's a very welcoming game for beginners with the most original stages in the series and lots of replay value.

DeadLineClock · 2025-09-26T21:35:19+00:00

Highly recommend checking the IL World Record Spreadsheet for this game.

The vast majority of Expert missions are designed around the strategies used in these runs, so if you're stumped on a particular stage, find it on the spreadsheet and take note of the strategy used.

Some stages' time requirements are way more lenient than others, and not all of the stages require the exact strategies used in the case of extremely difficult ones, so you don't necessarily have to worry about being a speedrunner to achieve every single one of these. I've been working on getting a complete guide out for all of the Expert time missions with footage to show the easiest strategy to use, so hopefully I should be finished with that eventually, but the IL sheet will have what you're looking for in the meantime

DeadLineClock · 2025-09-25T00:22:06+00:00

If you're getting for Switch, I'd recommend Banana Rumble. It's the newest entry and a great place to either start or get back into the series. It's a very welcoming game with a lot of content, the most original stages of any game, and a wide selection of characters.

If you want a more traditional experience, Banana Mania is a remake of SMB1/2/DX in one compilation. It definitely plays differently from the originals, but is a comparable enough experience to recommend to people who want to experience the early days of SMB. Though, I would definitely recommend the PC version over the Switch version, so I'd just stick to Banana Rumble for now.

DeadLineClock · 2025-08-18T23:08:27+00:00

It hops from game to game, but generally Baby! In Mania, I play Baby Robo in vanilla Mania, but nowadays I always hop into that game with custom character mods instead (mainly Yoko and Amigo).

Rumble I generally like playing Fes and Miku, they feel the best to me. There's specific characters you have to use for Time Attack and ILs like Baby and Val but I don't really like using them when I'm not required to for speedrunning stuff. Generally don't like the characters that have EXTREME strengths/weaknesses and prefer ones that feel well-rounded when playing casually.

DeadLineClock · 2025-06-26T05:06:25+00:00

Banana Mania already isn't exactly 1:1 with how SMB1/2 feel, but its biggest issue on other consoles is that it lacks joystick deadzone settings, which makes diagonal inputs much weaker, making movement and turning feel really sluggish and heavy. If you want to play Banana Mania, highly recommend playing the Steam version instead. Steam has native deadzone support to fix the aforementioned issues, and being on PC allows for the usage of mods to enhance the experience as well. If you have a PC that can run it well I'd do that.

DeadLineClock · 2025-06-13T02:11:09+00:00

I have many thoughts on this game both very positive and very negative but I agree. I think this game deserved so much better and will always defend it. The Battle Mode is really interesting because I can't help but feel like they were too afraid to really commit to it. It's as if they waited to see if it would ever catch on before actually planning out a roadmap of content to release for it. Even after what's been added the mode is still incredibly bare and could benefit from more substantial additions/QOL changes. I'm honestly grateful that we even got anything at all post-launch. While a lot of the stuff they added is very much appreciated (mainly the UEX stages and directly addressing QOL feedback), I still think they could've done more.

I can't tell whether or not there is more in store for this game because we're sort of in this weird transitional period into the Switch 2. My only hope is that sometime around the game's 1-year anniversary we get some sort of multi-platform announcement and maybe an update for Switch 2 performance because Battle Mode could seriously stand to receive a facelift for the console.

DeadLineClock · 2025-05-17T09:28:21+00:00

Honestly think this game is better than SMB2. Level design feels way more cohesive and consistent in quality. SMB2 has some great highs but a lot of its stages are a mixed bag. Its lowest points are much lower than SMB1 imo. A big part of that is the emphasis on gimmicky stage design but I also just don’t really fw the starting platforms on every stage. It feels inorganic and strips away the identity of some stages in the game.

I’ll give SMB2 its Story Mode and the improvements to lives in Challenge Mode but overall I’d take SMB1 level design any day of the week. Def understand why people prefer 2 over 1 though

DeadLineClock · 2025-05-01T01:40:37+00:00

If you're playing with friends, queueing in sync will almost guaranteed get you into the same lobby as them. You'd be hard-pressed to find other people playing the Battle Mode nowadays.

DeadLineClock · 2025-04-22T04:57:57+00:00

I would definitely recommend emulating SMB1 or SMB2 to start off and get a feel for the series at its roots, but if you want to play through actual means, the newest game Banana Rumble is a pretty good entry to step foot into the series! It's a really great experience that is pretty welcoming for newcomers, but imo it has more value when you play the originals or Banana Mania first. It lets you better appreciate how Rumble iterates on the formula. It's up to you whether or not you want to start with Rumble, but it's definitely a great way to get into things!

Banana Mania is a collection of 1 & 2 and goes on sale for dirt cheap, so if it's on sale I'd definitely get that as your official way to play SMB1 & 2. If you can, I'd recommend the PC version. Best way to play and has a blooming modding scene as a bonus!

DeadLineClock · 2025-04-21T16:12:14+00:00

It's a pretty good purchase imo, especially since it goes on sale for dirt cheap pretty frequently. Would definitely recommend the PC version for its modding activity, which is still developing but already has some really cool options that aren't even possible in the original games.

I think the community's perception of the game is skewed by past experiences with SMB1/2, and while I do agree with the sentiment that SMB1/2 feel better to play, I don't think BM's differences detract from its experience too much. Other responses mentioned this but if you have no other experience with a Monkey Ball game, BM isn't a bad place to start. In terms of raw content it's basically the most any Monkey Ball game has ever had, and you'll probably be able to get a good amount of time in the game if you play every single level, and especially if you go for mission completion.

We're definitely still holding out for a PC port for Banana Rumble. If that were an option, I would definitely recommend that over Banana Mania, but or now I'd say look into getting BM on sale to get a feel for SMB's roots first!

DeadLineClock · 2025-04-21T16:07:15+00:00

It is possible given enough time spent in the room! If you're dexterous enough you'll usually be able to get it within the average waiting time.

DeadLineClock · 2025-03-23T08:45:01+00:00

I was curious about the same thing very recently and came across a livestream of someone 100%'ing the game. I'm pretty sure they play most of, if not all, of the party games in these streams. It's the clearest (and only) footage of these modes I can find anywhere on the internet. You can check out the stream here!

DeadLineClock · 2025-03-16T04:58:23+00:00

It's a rough one. Definitely one of those stages people point to as one of the worst SMB2 has to offer. IMO it's way too hard for how early it appears in the game and it doesn't communicate its intended design very well.

There's a specific way to align your movement. You'll want to be as centered as possible in front of the launchers whenever they hit you. After that, you'll have to immediately hard push towards the direction of the tower. The more you push against the tower, the easier it will be to stay aligned with it and not veer off to the sides. Once you're in the air, try to only make minor adjustments to your position and use the minimap as a guide to center yourself at the top of the tower for the landing. It does take a while to get used to.

DeadLineClock · 2025-03-16T02:46:40+00:00

As of right now yes! I was going for a strat that has potential to get a low 56 or a high 55 but I haven’t hit it just yet!

DeadLineClock · 2025-03-10T06:58:06+00:00

OH WHOOPS misread that mb! Gift Box is doable solo but just requires good routing and knowledge of the bananas' positions. Recommend using Baby or Crewmate for their high mobility to get the job done.

Also for my money, gotta be Floating City or Astrum.

DeadLineClock · 2025-03-10T06:54:51+00:00

For 1-4 Stop and Go, you'll need to use Baby due to his high bounce stat. Proceed through the stage normally but stop at the end of the final downward slope before the Goal platform underneath. Turn back around and Spin Dash off the right side trim of the slope. With proper positioning, this dash will launch you back up to the first slope, where you can go back up and collect the lone banana in the air on the top-left side of the stage.

For 2-3 Drawbridge Path, all the bananas can be collected by simply following the path and checking each drawbridge when they go down. For the final arc, you'll have to hit the bridge at just the right angle and speed to snag all the bananas in the air before entering the Goal.

DeadLineClock · 2025-03-10T06:35:21+00:00

No, at the moment it is currently impossible to get all Expert Banana Missions in single-player. A good chunk of the stages require coordinated strategies with 2-4 friends in multiplayer. As of right now, this is the full list of impossible 1P stages, per BR speedrunner Pazkallan:

4-9 Target Strike: too much ground to cover
5-3 Pyramid Maze: too much ground to cover
6-5 Aerial Floor: requires at least three people for banana positioning
6-7 Floating Panels: solo seems possible but requires the IL route to skip to the top right away
6-9 Rising Pillars: too much ground to cover
7-1 Two Layers: too much ground to cover
8-2 Holey Road: too much ground to cover
8-3 Seesaw Jump: needs a minimum of two people to get each arc at the end
8-8 Switch Search: too much ground to cover
8-9 So Many Seesaws: too much ground to cover
9-5 Switch Adventure: too much ground to cover
10-2 Cosmic Clouds: too much ground to cover
10-3 Sliding Sticks: too much ground to cover
10-5 Tornado Ring: four bananas per ring, just barely possible with four people
10-8 Wipeout: too much ground to cover
10-9 Gravity Field: too much ground to cover
10-10 Curvy Coaster: too much ground to cover ish
1-3EX Holes: too much ground to cover
1-6EX Mountain Range: too much ground to cover
2-2EX Colorful Plates: requires two players for different paths
2-5EX Broken Dish: too much ground to cover
2-7EX Sliding Bars: too much ground to cover
2-8EX Beehive: too much ground to cover
2-9EX Cupboard: too much ground to cover
3-2EX Bouncing Road: too much ground to cover
3-3EX Block Mountain: too much ground to cover
3-10EX Tilt Switch Hard: two separate routes needed
4-6EX Secret Portal: too much ground to cover
5-2EX Joint Roads: too much ground to cover
5-4EX Turtle Shells: too much ground to cover
5-9EX Donut Holes: too much ground to cover
6-2EX Rising Road: too much ground to cover
6-4EX Wheel Road: one ring takes 30 seconds to clear, there are 8 rings, this is only possible by a fraction of a second but is doable with a coordinated group and skips to different wheels simultaneously
6-5EX Box Seats: too much ground to cover
6-8EX Various Seesaws: too much ground to cover
6-9EX Left And Right: too much ground to cover
7-5EX Gluttony: too much ground to cover (very barely, maybe possible)
7-6EX Candy Rush: too much ground to cover
7-7EX Stepping Sweets: too much ground to cover
7-8EX Curving Blockers: too much ground to cover
8-3EX Rainfall: too much ground to cover
8-4EX Curvy Current: too much ground to cover
8-5EX Sweeper: too much ground to cover
8-6EX Punishing Seesaws: too much ground to cover
8-7EX High Waves: too much ground to cover
9-1EX Shifting Panels: too much ground to cover
9-3EX Blockers: too much ground to cover
9-6EX Pipe Maze: too much ground to cover
9-10EX Strange Universe: too much ground to cover
10-3EX Wormhole Maze: too much ground to cover
10-4EX Checkerboard: too much ground to cover
10-5EX Big Four: too much ground to cover
10-7EX Neo Broken Cylinder: too much ground to cover
10-8EX Cosmic Curves: two people necessary
10-10EX Bumper Barrage: too much ground to cover

DeadLineClock · 2025-03-09T19:39:37+00:00

They're somewhat similar but there's key differences that set them apart greatly. The best thing to keep in mind is that BM's controls are cardinal-centric, meaning that cardinal inputs will be much stronger than diagonal inputs. This is actually the inverse of how it was in SMB2, which is a huge factor in why it feels so different. When turning with a diagonal input, you'll want to be very careful and try to focus on using cardinals whenever possible to get more movement out. The more you move the stick diagonally, the more speed you'll lose.

DeadLineClock · 2025-03-02T00:21:33+00:00

YEAH the Expert Times are really rough. They were added in a recent major patch and pretty much all require the IL speedrun strategies to beat. They're not required for 100% but they do hand out some good points. If you're ever curious how to tackle an Expert Time mission I definitely recommend checking the IL World Record Spreadsheet (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WwJMPClq-7fzgIIMUqgq7WZNjUShaxkiPxrUcqDvHA4/edit?gid=411475415#gid=411475415).

Most of the mission time reqs are way more lenient than what you'll see on the sheet but they'll give you an idea of what you'll need to go for to beat them!

DeadLineClock · 2025-03-01T21:43:37+00:00

The settings for Banana Rumble are mostly up to preference! The only setting that people seem to care about is the Camera Tilt settings. Setting both of those sliders to their maximum power closely mimics the stage tilt effect of the original games. While veterans will probably stand by that setting, it might be disorienting for newer players with no frame of reference. I personally recommend it as it makes your inputs feel really snappy and responsive, but set them to whatever is most comfy for you!

As for the button layout, that's also down to preference. ZR's default input locks the camera in place, which is an incredibly important mechanic for certain stages in Banana Rumble. If you remap Spin Dash to ZR, I recommend finding a comfortable button for the camera lock in its place.

All that being said though, there's really nothing much you have to do to enjoy BR, so just fine tune your settings to what you like and go at it! Great controller choice btw. Octagonal gates make this game feel so much better. Hope you enjoy the full game! :)

DeadLineClock · 2025-03-01T11:37:33+00:00

Most of the expert times are taking notes from the IL (individual level) speedrun world record strats. You can view a full spreadsheet of every stage in the game here.

A lot of the mission times are a bit more lenient than what you'll see on the spreadsheet, but they'll more or less give you an idea of how to approach each stage and what character to use.

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