 Sega's maraca-shaking monkey makes an unexpected comeback but is he alone enough to revive the rhythm action genre? Usually when discussing which older Sega IPs should get a modern day revival, fans typically talk about the likes of NiGHTS or Jet Set Radio. We don't recall there ever being much demand for a Samba De Amigo revival and yet here we are. You'd think Sega's other rhythm action series, Space Channel 5, would get this treatment first, if only because space reporter protagonist Ulala has the fun, goofy premise of thwarting alien invasions with the power of dance. Samba the monkey, by comparison, lacks any real characterisation beyond being a literal party animal and his games have zero story behind them. When it comes to rhythm action, though, things like character and story are not a priority. What matters is whether they have good music, that you want to listen to ad nauseum, and reliable controls – so matching the beats always feels like a joy. If that's all you want from a rhythm action game, then Samba De Amigo: Party Central (mostly) has you covered. Beyond an introductory scene of you lifting a pair of maraca like Excalibur, accompanied by narration of you bringing 'beat back to the world', there is no plot to speak of. As soon as you've completed the tutorial you have carte blanche to play through any of Party Central's eclectic list of 40-odd songs, at one of four difficulties. We're genuinely curious how Sega decided which music tracks to licence for this game because, at a cursory glance, it just seems like an incredibly random selection. It's by no means a bad one, and full of recognisable bops, perfect for the game's party vibe, although it definitely seems more catered towards Generation X and Millennials. Most of the songs come from the 2010s, with several 20th century Latin flavoured tracks, like Macarena and La Bamba, to show that Samba hasn't entir){kind=link}
Sega’s maraca-shaking monkey makes an unexpected comeback but is he alone enough to revive the rhythm action genre?
Usually when discussing which older Sega IPs should get a modern day revival, fans typically talk about the likes of NiGHTS or Jet Set Radio. We don’t recall there ever being much demand for a Samba De Amigo revival and yet here we are.
You’d think Sega’s other rhythm action series, Space Channel 5, would get this treatment first, if only because space reporter protagonist Ulala has the fun, goofy premise of thwarting alien invasions with the power of dance. Samba the monkey, by comparison, lacks any real characterisation beyond being a literal party animal and his games have zero story behind them.
When it comes to rhythm action, though, things like character and story are not a priority. What matters is whether they have good music, that you want to listen to ad nauseum, and reliable controls – so matching the beats always feels like a joy. If that’s all you want from a rhythm action game, then Samba De Amigo: Party Central (mostly) has you covered.
Beyond an introductory scene of you lifting a pair of maraca like Excalibur, accompanied by narration of you bringing ‘beat back to the world’, there is no plot to speak of. As soon as you’ve completed the tutorial you have carte blanche to play through any of Party Central’s eclectic list of 40-odd songs, at one of four difficulties.