Monkey Ball producer on DS design challenges

Let's face it. There are very few things more entertaining than an adorable monkey trapped inside a translucent ball. In fact, watching my monkeys roll wildly out of control through wacky landscapes is one of my favorite past times. I love pushing them down slopes, over hills and through tunnels, only stopping occasionally to taunt them with the promise of a fresh banana. And then there's the bowling... knocking down pins with my flailing monkey encased in a sphere is something I try to enjoy on a daily basis.

I also enjoy playing the game, Super Monkey Ball. You may have heard of it. The DS version, entitled Super Monkey Ball Touch & Roll, is scheduled to ship sometime next week. Toshihiro Nagoshi, the game's producer, took time out of his simian schedule in order to update his 1up blog with a few reflections on developing the game's unique control system. Though the game's mechanics seem to be a good, intuitive match to the DS' unique abilities, Mr. Nagoshi notes that adapting it from the previous console versions wasn't entirely a walk in the park.

"It is really tricky to create a solid control system for a user interface. First off, things don't always go according to plan - the execution and functionality doesn't always align with the concept. Often times, what you think is final and complete, isn't necessarily so. And as you work more on the functionality and execution of a concept, the more you end up changing it. So ultimately, that original idea gets changed in the end product."

However, he also feels that the challenge ultimately benefited the game, with the team's trial-and-error approach eventually leading to a more refined control system. According to him, the secret is to always stay passionate and realize that there is always room for improvement. We'll see whether the design philosophy matches the game before the month is over.