Sega’s Most Influential Platformer Deserves a Big Remake Next

Successful revivals of classics such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Star Fox show that players still welcome remakes when they’re handled with care. That success may encourage publishers to revisit their own catalogues, and Sega has no shortage of beloved series with room to shine again.

Super Monkey Ball is a particularly strong candidate. The series is approaching its 25th anniversary: after making its arcade debut, the original game arrived as a Nintendo GameCube launch title in November 2001. A thoughtful remake could give its straightforward, satisfying design a fresh start in 2026, even if the more recent games haven’t captured the same attention.

The core idea is simple. Players pick one of four monkeys, each tucked inside a clear ball, then guide it across suspended courses toward the finish. Bananas scattered along the route boost the score, while falling from the stage or running out of time costs a life.

Super Monkey Ball isn’t a platformer in the usual, Mario-like sense: jumping isn’t the focus, and players don’t directly control the monkeys. Still, its floating paths, narrow ledges, and treacherous gaps give it plenty in common with the broader platforming genre.

When I first played Super Monkey Ball, it brought back memories of Marble Madness, a favorite from the NES era. That earlier game offered a terrific premise, but its handful of brief stages left me wanting more. Super Monkey Ball answered that wish with dozens of courses. Many are compact, like the levels in Marble Madness, but their variety and sheer number make the challenge much more substantial.

The opening courses ease players in, but the difficulty soon ramps up. After the first set, there are 30 more demanding stages to master, followed by an even tougher collection. Progress depends on precision as much as speed.

Instead of steering the monkey directly, players tilt the course beneath it. Building momentum can send a ball bouncing over a gap, while careful adjustments help it cross uneven ground or inch along a slender beam suspended over a long drop. The challenge lies in finding just enough speed to keep moving without losing control.

A full remake could refresh the visuals while giving the cast more room to show its charm. The expressive monkeys are natural mascots: AiAi even appeared behind the wheel in 2012’s Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, in addition to starring in several Super Monkey Ball games. The original’s party modes could also benefit from expanded content and online multiplayer, letting friends—or rival players farther afield—compete in challenges such as launching balls toward distant targets.

Sega hasn’t left the series behind. Super Monkey Ball Triple Pack, a physical-only Nintendo Switch collection, is due out on Nov. 10 and brings together several recent entries, including Banana Rumble. It also features Banana Mania, which remastered stages from the original GameCube games. Those releases keep the series available, but they haven’t matched the impact of the first game. A more ambitious remake could give it another chance to do so. The question is whether Sega is ready to take that leap.

Source: Polygon