After a bit of a quiet spell throughout the 2010s, Super Monkey Ball is finally back in the spotlight where it belongs. With Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD launching on Switch in 2019, and then Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania also landing just last month, remakes are proving that interest in the franchise is still there. But what's next?
Well, speaking in a recent issue of Retro Gamer (issue 225), Banana Mania director Masao Shirosaki has expressed interest in making an entirely new game. Ideas for a potential new title are already taking shape, and Shirosaki believes that a new game could well become a reality if enough fans are ready and waiting to check it out.
Here's what he had to say, with thanks to Nintendo Everything:
"As this game and the previous one are remakes, I do feel that I want to create a new Super Monkey Ball game. I have ideas on what it could be like. I’m looking forward to seeing how Super Monkey Ball will grow. This is not something I can do on my own, so I would like everyone to first enjoy Banana Mania and if there are enough voices looking forward to the next title, it may come true."
Previously, Shirosaki has gone on record saying that he'd like a future Monkey Ball game to let you "adventure around the world with AiAi". Could these ideas be a continuation of that? And what would that mean for any potential new entry in the series?
"I have been looking at everyone’s reactions on social media and no matter what language it’s in, I always translate it and read through them," Shirosaki says. "I would be overjoyed if we could create the future of a new Super Monkey Ball together."
[source magazinesdirect.com, via nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 11
How about they fix monkey target first and then move forward with a new game
"Shirosaki has gone on record saying that he'd like a future Monkey Ball game to let you adventure around the world with AiAi."
I remember Super Monkey Ball Adventure. That game was rough, so I hope there's not a game like that again.
As long as it isn’t in Unity. Banana Mania is serviceable but even with original soundtrack and character models, the physics just don’t feel right at all.
Then make one, stop porting old games.
Here's an idea: add multiplayer to the challenge mode.
@CharlieGirl
To be fair, that game was developed by an external studio, so maybe SEGA could make a better Monkey Ball Adventure game? That said, I agree that a new Monkey Ball Adventure game probably isn’t on any Monkey Ball fan’s wish list.
I bought Mania, but man it sure wasn't as fun as I remember.
Then again I was a kid playing the GC one so maybe it just wasn't at fun as I thought.😐
I would like a remake of Super monkey ball Adventure.
I do wish SEGA wouldn't drop the ball so often. This is music to my ears (and AiAi should be SEGA's mascot dammit!) but let's face it, Banana Mania wasn't a patch on the originals despite still being awesome! So as much as I am excited...I'm equal parts wondering how they are going to disappoint me next lol.
I hope this guy's ideas are level design based. If it's more 3D platformer again, then it's a bit boring as far as ideas go. Would take a Monkey Ball pinball however!
Awesome to hear. Banana Mania is a great game that just needs a bit added and altered to make it truly amazing. This is pretty much all they have to do for a new entry:
1) Make the new stages challenging and have design philosophies similar to Banana Mania (more specifically Monkey Ball 1). Keeping some retro stages in there would be cool as well, similar to what Mario Kart does with the Retro cups.
2) MAKE THE CHALLENGE MODE PLAYABLE IN MULTIPLAYER LIKE THE ORIGINAL TITLES!!! This killed a ton of replay-ability with Banana Mania for me and my buddies. Local multiplayer is a definite, online multiplayer would be icing on the cake.
3) Improve the quality of some of the mini-games and keep the physics consistent with the main game. Also… just make Monkey Target control the way it used to, please?
If they do those things I think it would be the best game in the series. Banana Mania is great but there’s still a stuff to add and improve before I can say the series is back to its former glory.
We've seen other Monkey Ball games, and there's a reason everyone rushed to get Mania, even though Mania is essentially a 20 year old version.
It's the same deal with Sonic games. Sega have this obscure thirst for adding new mechanics to things which definitely don't need any new mechanics.
"Old game, new levels" isn't all that bad, Sega. We don't mind.. Heck, make them add ons for Mania, and fix up Mania's issues whilst you're at it.
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