Super Monkey Ballis back in action withSuper Monkey Ball: Banana Mania.2021 marks the 20th anniversary of theSuper Monkey Ballseries, which Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Sega intend to celebrate withSuper Monkey Ball: Banana Mania,a title that compiles and remasters beloved levels and minigames from the previous entries.Banana Manialooks like a significant return to form for the franchise, which hasn’t gotten a completely new game in quite a few years. If the franchise’s return wasn’t enough of a selling point, Sega is adding some of its other characters to the mix, including characters fromSonic the Hedgehog.
More surprising than Sonic’s inclusion inSuper Monkey Ball: Banana Maniais the addition of Beat, the protagonist fromJet Set Radio.Super Monkey Ballmay have laid dormant for a few years, but Sega hasn’t publishedanotherJet Set Radiogamein nearly twenty years. Sega isn’t short on other recognizable characters, so choosing someone fromJet Set Radioto appear inSuper Monkey Ball: Banana Maniais quite the statement.Jet Set Radioretains a devoted fanbase in spite of its age, and that fanbase is sure to be thrilled at Beat’s reappearance. Still, it is hard not to wonder if Sega is trying to send a message toJet Set Radiofans with theBanana Maniacameo.
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Jet Set Radio Has an Important Legacy
Jet Set Radiowas an incredibly influential titlein its time. Released in 2000, the game told the story of a group of inline skaters living in Tokyo, marking the city with graffiti and building up their skating skills. It received accolades for everything from its gameplay to its soundtrack to its innovation in cel-shaded graphics, an art style that the game industry didn’t explore much beforeJet Set Radiocame around.Jet Set Radiomet strong reviews and got a well-received sequel titledJet Set Radio Futurein 2002,but Sega hasn’t returned to the franchise since then.
Frankly, it’s relative disappearance from Sega’s brand is part of what makesJet Set Radioso memorable. Somehow, the critical acclaim of the two games produced didn’t result in a sprawling franchise. Even so,Jet Set Radiocharacters still crop up now and again in Sega products, such asSEGA Heroes,a mobile game that had a five year run before it closed down in 2020.Jet Set Radio’s reappearance inSuper Monkey Ball: Banana Maniais remarkable because it’s an extremely visible reference to the series. Putting Beat inBanana Maniaafter all these years suggests Sega hasJet Set Radioon its mind.
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Super Monkey Ball Could Be a Good Sign
Sega’s inclusion of Beat inBanana Maniaat the very least suggests thatit’s aware ofJet Set Radio’s legacyand wants to celebrate the game. Ideally, though, it’s a sign of what’s to come. RevivingJet Set RadiothroughBanana Maniacould be Sega’s way of gauging interest inJet Set Radio,both for Sega veterans who remember the games fondly and for younger fans who are curious about the IP. The way that fans respond to Beat’s appearance could be a deciding factor in Sega theoretically making a thirdJet Set Radiogame.
Super Monkey Ball’s reappearanceshould inspire some hope inJet Set Radiofans too. Sega could’ve letSuper Monkey Ballrest after the extremely successful run it had in the early 2000s, but instead it’s reviving the brand and taking a new look at it. If Sega is willing to do that for one franchise, then it might be interested in doing that for another. There’s no definitive sign thatJet Set Radio 3is on the horizon, but Beat joiningBanana Maniais about the best sign that fans could hope for at this point. Hopefully, Sega is doing more than reliving the past.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Maniareleases August 06, 2025 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
