When Sega had teased that new characters would be added to the roster in Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, my immediate hopes were for Kiryu Kazuma from the Yakuza series to make an appearance. While it might initially seem unrelated, Yakuza developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios actually helped create the Monkey Ball franchise before it was established as the studio we know and love. The history of Sega is a bit wild.
Anyway, in a post on Twitter this morning, RGG Studio has confirmed that Kiryu will be selectable in the latest Monkey Ball release. Sporting a chibi style and his typical gruff expression, Kiryu looks outstanding rendered in a cartoonish aesthetic. Why wasn't this done in the previous Monkey Ball HD release?
It does seem unlikely that other Yakuza characters will be joining Kiryu. We already have confirmation of a dragon ball that players can roll around in and guest character Beat from Jet Set Radio is on the roster, so Sega is likely going to space things out with another franchise. My only other guess would be Persona characters as even the blue blur himself, Sonic the Hedgehog, is already speeding his way into battle.
Considering Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania compiles the three best titles in the series, it makes sense that Sega is throwing everything it can at this. Include all of the guest characters that fans have been dying for and you've got a surefire way to sell this to old-school fans. Now if we can just get a brand new Monkey Ball...
Source: Twitter