Update (Tue 23rd Jun, 2020 13:40 BST): In the latest Sega YouTube livestream for this month, Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi has shown some love for the Super Monkey Ball series.
Towards the end of the broadcast, he addressed the chat's demands for the series' return, saying he would "try to do Monkey Ball more" as he's heard it has a good reputation overseas.
The translation comes courtesy of voice actor (and Monkey Ball announcer) Brian Matt, who also happened to be in the chat live stream.
Brian summed it up with the following comment:
bottomline - he admits there is something in the works
Original Story (Sat 13th Jun, 2020 13:05 BST): This might sound a little wild but Sega could be working on a brand new Super Monkey Ball game.
In an email exchange (dated 6th April 2020) with YouTuber Nick Robinson, Brian Matt - the voice of the original announcer for the Super Monkey Ball games - revealed he had done "one paid recording" with Sega in his country of residence, Japan.
A more recent follow-up video interview with Robinson seems to suggest the recording was indeed for a new Monkey Ball.
As the voice actor is under a strict NDA, he couldn't say much - but he was able to repeat some of the lines from his recording session with Sega. Here are a few:
I can give you what I can give you without getting in trouble, okay..."rank one", "rank two", "rank three" of course "goal" - that one never goes away. This was the new one - we did two takes on this one - "advanced level one", "enhanced level one"
Later on in the interview, he was asked what the name or the title of this game might be. While the voice actor couldn't confirm anything he did sum up his thoughts with the following comment:
they're going to go with Super Monkey Ball and then one word, and it's not going to be a number
Robinson has done a little extra detective work and believes when Brian shows the top half of Sega script, the three katakana characters on display sound like "retro" - leading to a theory that the title might be called Super Monkey Ball Retro.
The day after this interview, the voice actor shared "one last breadcrumb" via Instagram. In a post referencing Robinson, he tagged Sega, Sony, and a few others.
The two names at the very end, though, were perhaps the most interesting - Masao Shirosaki (who oversaw development on Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD) and Toshihiro Nagoshi (the Yakuza and Super Monkey Ball creator) - could they perhaps be in charge of this new project, if it is the real deal?
What do you make of all of this? Would you like to see a brand-new Super Monkey Ball game? Tell us down below.
[source segabits.com]
Comments 62
It looks likely, hard to be 100% sure but I wouldn't blame anyone for believing it's happening.
Super Monkey ball Collection
Well if these words are indeed true it sounds very much like he's violated his NDA.
Should have gotten the original instead of Banana Blitz when that was released.
This is probably how video games will be announced in a post-corona world.
I'd love a new Monkey Ball. Even a collection of all of the mini games. Imagine a beefed up Monkey Target.
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe
(1 + 2 Remastered)
why must it always be nick robinson
I would straight up be so happy with a hd port of Super Monkey Ball 2. Tonnes better than that Banana Blitz
And then we find out it’s a mobile Candy Crush inspired Monkey Ball game instead
@TheFatPlumber yeah i hope he doesnt get blacklisted in .......... tokyo?
No but really he does seem to have broken his nda haha i hope hes like not gonna get ***** by that
Banana blitz hd was just on free play for Xbox... could have been a way to get people invested in the brand and characters before an announcement. I’m not a marketing guy, but that would make sense! Sega’s going to announce something in the Guerilla Collective showcase between today and Monday. 1&2 remaster sounds right!
It doesn't have to be a story driven platformer SEGA. Just keep it as a skill based time attack arcade game and we are cooking. (Oh with lot's of party games too!)
Gah, I'm so excited.
People always hype up the mini games, but the real selling point to Monkey Ball for me, is being able to play the main puzzle stages with 4 players like in 1 and 2. They haven't had that in a Monkey Ball game since 2 came out, and it's the only reason I'd buy another one.
@Kalmaro You meant Wouldn't blame, right?
@NinjaWaddleDee I don’t remember multiplayer in the main stages, but I haven’t played the GC games since the early Wii days.
@Milton_Burle awwwww hell yeah. Me and my mates used to blaze up monkey target for hours. The golf was decent too.
Súper Monkey Ball Switch.... Actually it probably won’t be a Switch exclusive.
Super Monkey Ball VR? Not really my prediction.
@Tandy255 yeah, not at the same time though, you could play through taking turns right? I can't really remember tbh.
Well they did have this poll during 2019. Maybe that helps?
https://twitter.com/SMB_JP/status/1177039414356168704
They had this poll too.
https://twitter.com/SMB_JP/status/1185022554668335104
Thank goodness a new game won and level editor won. We still haven't really seen if they can actually make a new Monkey Ball game yet. Just a okay remake.
@Tandy255 Monkey Ball VR would be a vomit generator.
@Tandy255 It was the best thing about those games! You basically took turns going through each stage. Each player played as a different monkey, and tried to see how far they could get.
I hope it's true
@somebread Because he’s the only YouTuber I know of who will drop everything to obsessively research a niche subject like “who does the Super Monkey Ball voiceover work?” and “where did the Hatsune Miku Dominos app go?!” He gets the weird scoops because he puts in the work.
His videos are probably my favorite thing about YouTube honestly. Except his Brick-Meiser weirdness. He can keep those, haha.
@imgrowinglegs He can keep a lot of stuff.
@TheFatPlumber For sure so my guess this is all planned as a marketing stunt for sites like this one. See that the gaming industry is half empty without leaks.
This is exciting. I just want to note that I've hardly played Blitz on my Switch because of the infuriating boss battles. On the other hand I love playing Marble It Up! weekly when they release the new rules stages with online leaderboards and online replays of the top 5 places. It's so addictive to see what the best players are doing and then try to imitate it!
Well if it's just gonna be SMB HD then I'll hold onto my beer thanks. A brand new game though...
@60frames-please I bought blitz to show my support for more Monkey Ball.
Marble It Up! is on my wish list, but I haven’t seen it on sale. Sounds like I just need to get it.
Let’s Goooooo(al)!!!! I’ve been waiting for this for 15 years!!
I bought Banana Blitz for the sole purpose of communicating to Sega that I want more Super Monkey Ball. I just want either ports of the first two games or something inspired by or as good as those games. Here's hoping...
"Super Monkey Ball Stadia."
Just update super monkey ball 1 with HD , remember when I got my GameCube in 2001 and this was one of the first 3 games that came out that I bought, the main game was great, fighting, racing , golf and mainly target - don’t change anything just upgrade the graphics
@Paraka
Playing Monkey Ball with streaming lag would be even worse than their implementation of laggy motion controls in the Wii game.
@SalvorHardin - So totally a SEGA move?
Well I remember a couple of years ago when Sega said they were bringing back more of their older franchises. Now we've seen Streets of Rage, Panzer Dragoon and with a remake of the original Alex Kidd just announced, I'm really not the surprised they would bring Super Monkey Ball back. It's a fan favorite and we haven't seen a new game in the series since the Wii so it's time, really. I think the Dragon's Trap remake was a starting block for this return to form for Sega.
I don't think it's going to be a collection, more a compilation of new levels and old. There is no way they can do the master level, complete with one credit challenge these days without everyone moaning they 'paid for the game and demand to be able to play all the levels' yada yada. I mean...why bother making challenge games these days when folk moan it's just a way of creating longevity or trying to take your money off you lol.
Loved these games, but I was never good at them.
I hope it's super monkey ball 3
They never quite recreated the magic of the original - Sega at its finest and most pure
Congratulations!! You win!! Ready?...Violation!
just re-release deluxe in HD and call it a day
Maybe they will rerelease DX, and with the actual proper songs playing (i.e. the SMB1 space theme is in the game files but doesn't play)
@RPGamer I think it’s called hyouka
@brunojenso Yes please!
if we are unlucky, it's a new arcade game exclusively to push sega's new arcade game at home - streaming service ;P
Wonderful article and a great video by Nick Robinson. 2020 will be very interesting despite our months of delays due to CV. Patience always wins in the end. Ready? Goooooo! 20th year anniversary = stoked!
@brianmatt Thank you, Brian! Much appreciated!!
@Tandy255 Yeah, Marble It Up! is worth getting even without a sale. At first I liked it and played through most of it, but then I got addicted to the weekly challenges and leaderboards (especially and high jump, or double jump and low gravity set ups). It's sometimes mind blowing to watch expert replays where people demolish a level in 5 or 10 seconds. Very good game!
Super Monkey Ball Rehydrated lol
Where's my third NiGHTS game ;_;
meep…
@60frames-please My kids got me a Nintendo gift card for Father’s Day and I used it to buy Marble It Up! It has been a lot of fun. Thanks.
And you are right. $20 is totally worth a great marble traversal game.
For me they should have ported number 1 instead of Blitz, lets hope whatever comes is as good as the originals.
All I want is an arcade challenge game and party games. Some sort of compilation with new levels / games and compatible with the cube controller and I will be a very happy monkey!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2WMmWMB8fo
Chad must be pretty happy at the prospect....
You'd make a lot of people happy if that was true, Sega! I haven't played any of them yet, so I need to get started on that.
@FragRed It is possible haha.
Monkey ball 1&2 HD!
So I just saw those videos and wow, I'm hyped! I hope it's just like the old classic SMB games. Can't wait!
@RPGamer Those are certainly encouraging words! Makes me want to splurge on either a classic entry, or cross my fingers hoping for a new one in the livestream!
@Tandy255 Great! I had it on my wishlist for a long time. Now I can't remember if I ended up getting on sale or not. Anyways, yeah, it's really good. I hope they release a sequel that has multiplayer.
online play would be good. GameCube ones didn't have online play and were no good to really play on your own.
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