Sega has announced that Sonic the Hedgehog and his long-time sidekick Tails will be playable in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania.
The news was shared on Twitter today (August 11), confirming that both characters will be free and unlockable characters on all platforms “through normal gameplay” when it launches on October 5.
This isn’t actually the blue hedgehog’s first appearance in the Super Monkey Ball series, having also been an unlockable guest character in 2019’s remaster Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz. Nonetheless, the twin-tailed fox makes a welcome addition to the roster.
SEEEGA!
Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles "Tails" Prower are rolling into Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania as playable characters, free and unlockable on all platforms through normal gameplay at launch!
#SuperMonkeyBall #BananaMania #SonicTheHedgehog #Sonic30th #SMB20th pic.twitter.com/fMr2ZbyVVG
— SEGA (@SEGA) August 11, 2021
The trailer starts with the same graphic being used to celebrate Sonic’s 30th anniversary, as the blue blur has been making multiple cross-over appearances across other Sega franchises, including Two Point Hospital.
Sega’s mascot is also not the only character making a guest appearance. Last week (August 4), it was also confirmed that Beat from Jet Set Radio would be an unlockable character – a rather deep cut considering there hasn’t been a new game in that series since 2002’s Jet Set Radio Future.
Another obscure but relevant addition could also be Billy Hatcher And The Giant Egg, a 3D platformer from Sonic Team that had rolling eggs as a mechanic.
Let's get scratchin'!
Beat from Dreamcast classic Jet Set Radio is coming to Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania as a playable character, free and unlockable on all platforms through normal gameplay at launch!
#SuperMonkeyBall #BananaMania #JetSetRadio pic.twitter.com/A50xTUtGt1
— Super Monkey Ball (@SuperMonkeyBall) August 4, 2021
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania was first announced during the E3 Nintendo Direct – although it also leaked ahead of its official reveal. It is a remaster of the first two games and the deluxe version (itself comprised of the first two games), although these will also run on the same engine as Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz.
The game is being developed by RGG Studio, the developers of the Yakuza series and the upcoming Lost Judgment. Although that may seem a bizarre choice, both Super Monkey Ball and Yakuza were created by Toshihiro Nagoshi.
Elsewhere, Pokémon GO‘s studio boss has penned a lengthy blog post describing the ‘metaverse’ as a “dystopian nightmare”.
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