Nintendo’s latest Direct was filled with some pretty out-of-left-field reveals, and the announcement of a newSamba de Amigogame is certainly one of those. Debuting in arcades all the way back in 1999, theSamba de Amigofranchise is one of SEGA’s most underrated, and in a world where rhythm games have become a thing of the past, it’s the perfect time for a newSamba de Amigoto fill that niche in the market.
InSamba de Amigo, players control a Brazilian monkey called Amigo as he shakes his maracas to the beat. Gameplay is incredibly simple, but that also makes it highly accessible, and that’s the Nintendo Switch’s whole MO. But Amigo hasn’t just appeared in his own games, he’s also appeared throughoutSEGA’s different crossover franchises.
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A Brief History of the Samba de Amigo Franchise
Technically, there has only ever been oneSamba de Amigogame. Originally released for arcades in 1999,Samba de Amigosees players grab twomaraca-shaped controllersand shake them along to the beat of popular Latin songs, following the prompts on screen to determine which direction they should be moved in. This original arcade version would see players shake their maracas through 2-3 different stages, with a special bonus stage being unlocked if the player earns enough points.
Samba de Amigobecame an instant arcade hit, both due to its accessible, engaging gameplay, and its bright and colorful visuals. Being greatly inspired by South American culture,Samba de Amigo’s art style is incredibly vibrant, with plenty of highly detailed catoon-y characters, vivid backdrops, and a slew of bright colors lighting up every stage.Samba de Amigowas quickly ported tothe SEGA Dreamcast, and at the same time, the arcade cabinets were updated toVer. 2000. These updated versions of the game included 14 new songs, a new multiplayer mode, a new tambourine-wielding character named Amiga, a Hustle mode that changed some patterns, and a survival mode. The Dreamcast version came with its own set of maraca controllers.
Despite the game’s success,Samba de Amigowas then largely forgotten about until 2007, when Gearbox Software asked SEGA if it could portSamba de Amigoto the Nintendo Wii. On top of enhancing the visuals of the original game, the Wii version ofSamba de Amigoadds another handful of stages, this time being crossovers with other SEGA properties likeSpace Channel 5andSonic the Hedgehog. However, even though this version ofSamba de Amigois the most complete, its critical reception wasn’t that great, with the game’s controls being its biggest downfall.
In rhythm games, controller inputs need to be extremely precise, and the Wii version ofSamba de Amigowas anything but. Lacking the vertical sensors of the original versions of the game, the Wii version ofSamba de Amigocouldn’t really detect when the player was holding their controllers low or high, using the angle of the controller and its rotation as a best guess. This didn’t really work out a lot of the time, leaving the Wii version ofSamba de Amigoto be its most disappointing.
Since then, theSamba de Amigofranchise has only really popped up in other SEGA crossover games. Amigo is featured in the EyeToy gameSEGA Superstars, as well as a playable character in theSonic and Sega All Star Racingseries. TwoSamba de Amigo-inspired levels were present in the 3DS gameRhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure. And that’s been about it for the funky franchise, until just a few days ago, when a brand-newSamba de Amigogame was announced. TitledSamba de Amigo: Party Central, this new game in the series is set to launch in Summer 2023 and will use the Switch’s Joy-Cons to simulate maraca controllers.
Samba de Amigo: Party Centralis set to release in Summer 2023
