+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SUPER MONKEY BALL: BANANA BLITZ SCORING GUIDE +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ by Edward Foley (a.k.a CaliginousMind) Version 1.12, 2/12/07 I. Who this Guide is For II. Why this Guide? III. Scoring Mechanics A. Time Score B. Stage Score C. Clear Score D. Other Point Sources IV. Stage Reference A. World 1: Monkey Island B. World 2: Jumble Jungle C. World 3: Smooth Sherbet D. World 4: Detritus Desert E. World 5: Pirates Ocean F. World 6: Cobalt Caverns G. World 7: Volcanic Pools H. World 8: Space Case J. World 9: Sinking Swamp K. World 10: Ultra Heaven V. Acknowledgements VI. FAQs VII. Contacts VIII. Legal Stuffaroo IX. Version Updates =============================================================================== I. Who this Guide is For =============================================================================== This guide has been designed for those either who are curious about the way the main game scoring system works or for experienced players who are aiming to get as many points as possible in each world. =============================================================================== II. Why this Guide? =============================================================================== When I first played Banana Blitz, I noticed that the scoring system differed greatly from previous Monkey Ball installments. The exact way it was done was not detailed in the instruction manual, so I decided to figure out the point system for myself. As I became more and more experienced with the game, I often found myself wondering how to maximize my final score for each world based on the scoring mechanics. Most fortunately for you, I've decided to share my knowledge. Trust me-the game's scoring is more confusing than you think. ;) Those who strive to maximize the number of points they can get per world have to balance the number of points received from bananas compared to their Clear and Time Scores, constantly asking themselves, "is getting this banana a good investment in time or life?" This guide will help to answer. =============================================================================== III. Scoring Mechanics =============================================================================== The score one gets for completing a level is split up into three different components: the Time Score, the Stage Score, and the Clear Score. In addition, there are other means of raising one's score spread about the courses. Below are some rule-of-thumb ways to figure out how each category is scored. For the actual values, look at the Stage Reference. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A. Time Score ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Time Score is determined by multiplying the number of seconds left on the clock by 100. In other words, if there were 26.53 seconds left on the clock, one would receive 2,653 points for the Time Score. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B. Stage Score ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Numbered Levels --------------- The Stage Score usually follows the following formula: (Level # + World # - 1) * 100 Another way to think of this is that the first level in a given world will award 100 points multiplied by that world's number, and each subsequent level in the world will award 100 points more. For example, Stage 1-7 will award 700 points and Stage 3-2 will award 400. Bonus Levels ------------ The Stage Score is usually equivalent to the world number multiplied by 10. For example, Bonus Stage 4 will award 40 points, and Bonus Stage 6 will award 60. The score is only attainable if all bananas are picked up on the stage. Boss Levels ----------- For boss levels: The Stage Score is usually equivalent to the world number multiplied by 1,000. Exceptions ---------- Strangely, levels in Worlds 9 and 10 appear to be treated as extensions of the 8th World. 9-1 acts as an imaginary "8-9"--its Stage Score is 1600 and not 900 as might be expected, for example. The Bonus Levels in Worlds 9 and 10 are also strange in that their Clear Scores are swapped with other numbered levels' by what appears to be a programmer's error. Furthermore, the swapped values would be incorrect anyway. Finally, World 8's boss awards 10,000 points when defeated, instead of the expected 8,000. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. Clear Score ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This one is a tad difficult to explain, so bear with me. Your Clear Score is determined by the following formula, where C is the number of non-bonus levels consecutively completed on the same life in a single world without having lost on its bonus stage in that streak: World # * 100 * (C - 1) For example, if one completed three numbered levels consecutively in World 4, the Clear Score would be 800. To clarify, The Clear Score is neither incremented nor awarded in a bonus level; however, if one fails to collect all its bananas, it will be reset for the following stages. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D. Other Point Sources ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bananas ------- Every banana that is collected will immediately add 100 points to your running score. Banana bunches will logically add 1,000. While bananas are a great source of extra points, each one can only be collected once per continue. Boss Hits --------- For whatever reason, every time a boss is damaged, 100 points will be added to your running total. =============================================================================== IV. Stage Reference =============================================================================== Below is a list of every level in the game, the time allotted to complete them, the number of bananas on them, and their Stage Scores. A Stage Score marked with a "<" denotes a score that breaks the expected pattern. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A. World 1: Monkey Island ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stage Time Bananas Stage Score ----- ---- ------- ----------- 1-1 1:00 7 100 1-2 1:00 25 200 1-3 1:00 8 300 1-4 1:00 17 400 1-5 1:00 16 500 1-6 1:00 28 600 1-7 1:00 20 700 1-8 1:00 15 800 Bonus 1 1:00 50 10 Boss 1 2:00 0 1000 World Clear Score Factor: 100 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B. World 2: Jumble Jungle ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stage Time Bananas Stage Score ----- ---- ------- ----------- 2-1 1:00 51 200 2-2 1:00 38 300 2-3 1:00 30 400 2-4 1:00 12 500 2-5 2:00 75 600 2-6 2:00 30 700 2-7 2:00 39 800 2-8 2:00 44 900 Bonus 2 1:00 50 20 Boss 2 2:00 49 2000 World Clear Score Factor: 200 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. World 3: Smooth Sherbet ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stage Time Bananas Stage Score ----- ---- ------- ----------- 3-1 1:00 7 300 3-2 1:00 25 400 3-3 1:00 8 500 3-4 1:00 17 600 3-5 1:00 16 700 3-6 1:00 28 800 3-7 1:00 20 900 3-8 1:00 15 1000 Bonus 3 1:00 50 30 Boss 3 2:00 0 3000 World Clear Score Factor: 300 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D. World 4: Detritus Desert ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stage Time Bananas Stage Score ----- ---- ------- ----------- 4-1 1:00 26 400 4-2 2:00 46 500 4-3 1:00 8 600 4-4 1:00 19 700 4-5 1:00 42 800 4-6 2:00 32 900 4-7 2:00 32 1000 4-8 2:00 7 1100 Bonus 4 1:00 50 40 Boss 4 2:00 134 4000 World Clear Score Factor: 400 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E. World 5: Pirates Ocean ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stage Time Bananas Stage Score ----- ---- ------- ----------- 5-1 1:00 51 500 5-2 2:00 33 600 5-3 1:00 21 700 5-4 1:00 22 800 5-5 1:00 5 900 5-6 1:00 48 1000 5-7 2:00 57 1100 5-8 2:00 53 1200 Bonus 5 1:00 50 50 Boss 5 2:00 0 5000 World Clear Score Factor: 500 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- F. World 6: Cobalt Caverns ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stage Time Bananas Stage Score ----- ---- ------- ----------- 6-1 1:00 47 600 6-2 2:00 70 700 6-3 2:00 78 800 6-4 1:00 49 900 6-5 1:00 25 1000 6-6 1:00 50 1100 6-7 0:30 35 1200 6-8 2:00 59* 1300 Bonus 6 1:00 50 60 Boss 6 2:00 0 6000 World Clear Score Factor: 600 *Listed as having 41, but 59 present. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- G. World 7: Volcanic Pools ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stage Time Bananas Stage Score ----- ---- ------- ----------- 7-1 1:00 77 700 7-2 1:00 38 800 7-3 1:00 6 900 7-4 2:00 59 1000 7-5 1:00 51 1100 7-6 1:00 42 1200 7-7 1:00 24 1300 7-8 1:00 15 1400 Bonus 7 1:00 50 70 Boss 7 2:00 0 7000 World Clear Score Factor: 700 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- H. World 8: Space Case ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stage Time Bananas Stage Score ----- ---- ------- ----------- 8-1 1:00 34 800 8-2 1:00 149 900 8-3 1:30 34 1000 8-4 1:00 46 1100 8-5 1:00 24 1200 8-6 1:00 14 1300 8-7 1:00 42 1400 8-8 1:00 76 1500 Bonus 8 1:00 50 80 Boss 8 2:00 0 10000< World Clear Score Factor: 800 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- J. World 9: Sinking Swamp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stage Time Bananas Stage Score ----- ---- ------- ----------- 9-1 1:00 69 1600< 9-2 0:20 29 1700< 9-3 1:00 51 1800< 9-4 1:00 27 1900< 9-5 1:00 21 2000< 9-6 1:00 24 2100< 9-7 1:00 26 2200< 9-8 0:30 8 2300< 9-9 1:00 35 160<* Bonus 9 1:00 50 2400<* World Clear Score Factor: 900 *Notice the anomaly in the Stage Scores here--it appears the programmers swapped the two by accident. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K. World 10: Ultra Heaven ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stage Time Bananas Stage Score ----- ---- ------- ----------- 10-1 1:00 73 2500< 10-2 1:00 40 2600< 10-3 1:00 51 2700< 10-4 1:00 69 2800< 10-5 1:00 74 2900< 10-6 2:00 92 3000< 10-7 2:00 34 3100< 10-8 1:00 33 3200< 10-9 1:00 39 250<* Bonus 10 1:00 50 3300<* World Clear Score Factor: 1000 *Again, the two values appear to be reversed by accident. =============================================================================== V. Acknowledgements =============================================================================== * Sega -- Of course, this guide would be impossible without them having made the game to write about. * GameFAQs -- They gave a home to this guide. * Ricardo Alvarez (SuperYoshiMaster) -- He indirectly gave me some ideas on how to format this guide. * Brian Ehlert (Tsunekazu) -- He pointed out that the banana count on stage 6-8 was incorrect. Also, I made reference to his Hidden Bananas Guide. Anybody else who contributes to this guide in the future will be credited here. =============================================================================== VI. FAQs =============================================================================== Below are some questions that some might have... Q. Why don't you have descriptions of every level in here? A. This is considered an "in-depth" FAQ. In this case, it focuses on the scoring system of the game. There are a number of fantastic general guides available, though. Check them out. Q. Why aren't the hidden banana totals in the guide? A. Admittedly, this may have improved it a bit, but I didn't want to continually cross-reference Tsunekazu's guide. Q. Why is that number incorrect? A. Hm? Which one? Please tell me through my contacts section if something is incorrect in the guide. Q. What's the point of including the allotted time, the number of bananas, and the Clear Score for every level? A. As stated earlier, it makes it easier for people to balance out the number of points they'll get if they try different level-completing strategies. Q. Was that last question really necessary if you had already answered it earlier in the guide? A. No. Q. So, you're running out of useful questions? A. Yes. =============================================================================== VII. Contacts =============================================================================== I, CaliginousMind, can be reached at nicklegends [at] yahoo.com. Please do not hesitate to offer a suggestion for the guide or correct a mistake of mine. =============================================================================== VIII. Legal Stuffaroo =============================================================================== This guide was written entirely by me, Edward Foley, and so I have a natural copyright on it. Do not use any part of it anywhere without my permission, which you can seek by following the address in the Contacts section. This guide is only to be posted at GameFAQs.com, with no exceptions unless they are added in a later update. =============================================================================== IX. Version Updates =============================================================================== Version 1.12, 2/12/07 - Fixed the date in header. Version 1.11, 2/11/07 - Corrected 6-8 banana total, fixed note about bananas not counting in bonus levels, credited Brian Ehlert. Version 1.10, 1/15/07 - Minor formatting updates; added this section to index. Version 1.00, 1/14/07 - Guide Begun. All Worlds present, but possible mistakes.