Sega has finally answered the long-standing wishes of Super Monkey Ball fans by remaking the first three games for modern systems. In a vacuum, this is an exciting move. Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania looks to be a loving and feature-complete revisit that will indisputably please its audience. In the context of the larger market though, the reveal is downright tantalizing due to its implications for a Crash Bandicoot-like resurgence.
There was a time when Crash Bandicoot and AiAi were in the exact same position. Crash's glory days had long passed, and even his drip feed of mediocre titles had largely dried up. The Bandicoot's fortunes reversed with the beloved Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy though, which remade the original Crash adventures. With plenty of developer care and an aggressive price point, the N. Sane Trilogy was an outsized success. It made Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time a reality, converting nostalgia into a newness that revitalized the IP.
Retreading Monkey Ball's rich history is excellent and it reminds the audience why the franchise used to resonate. The pivotal boon that Banana Mania will provide, exposure, speaks to that. The collection, like the N. Sane Trilogy, is both affordable and high-quality, making it an appealing proposition that will undoubtedly create new Monkey Ball fans. Because, while the collection is a nostalgia play for some, it is a new experience for a younger generation. Not only that, it's one that retouches incredibly revered adventures. By returning to the design precision of the originals with a presentation beyond even Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD, Sega has created a potent entry point for new demographics.
The game could also ride the resurgent platformer wave to new heights. Crash Bandicoot isn't the only mascot to stick the landing with a well-done remake. Spyro the Dragon's Spyro Reignited Trilogy was just as successful, even though it didn't result in a new title. Yet, that says more about the tumult at Activision opposed to the salience of the model. The genre is returning to form, especially when Mario is factored in alongside Ratchet & Clank. There is so much critical, creative and commercial activity in the space.
This puts Monkey Ball in the fortuitous position of employing a proven strategy in the context of a genre environment even richer than when Crash pulled the same gambit. Bearing this all in mind, Banana Mania could open up a similar pipeline to success for the long-maligned simian series. There really are few franchises that deserve this treatment more. The core gameplay and world are timeless, but have simply been saddled with underwhelming modern titles that didn't punch at the right weight.
As such, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is nothing if not a fresh start. It will inherently embody and modernize that aforementioned timeless appeal. Sega shouldn't just stop short, though. There is a path forward that could bring the franchise to parity with Sonic the Hedgehog, and give Sega a dueling pair of iconic mascot series. That reality is not only great for the company but for the players too. There is so much charm and so many design ideas to further explore in the Monkey Ball universe.
However, that's all speculation. At the moment, Sega has provided the community with a carefully assembled return to Monkey Ball's golden era. Even if it doesn't signal the first step in the longer trek forward, the collection is a wonderful product all the same. Finally, players new and old can rally around these titles and experience the pure, brilliant gameplay that put Monkey Ball on the map about two decades ago. With any luck, that brilliance will parlay into sales success which follows the trails that Crash Bandicoot blazed.