Monkey Ball rolling onto Nintendo DS?

According to Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, Sega's popular puzzle and party game series Super Monkey Ball could be appearing on the Nintendo DS before the end of the year.

With new versions of the game having recently been released on both Xbox and PS2 consoles, a separate handheld version appears likely. Although the single player game would lend itself perfectly to the handheld platform, it's the possibility of playing multiplayer games with up to four players using the Nintendo DS Wi-Fi capabilities that is of particular interest.

The Nintendo DS also has a unique stylus control system, which could mean a complete reworking of the game's mechanics would be necessary, as previous versions relied heavily on precision control and precise ball physics. It does, however, open up the possibility of unique multiplayer games specific to the DS version.

SEGA declined to comment on whether or not a DS version of Monkey Ball is in production, but if the rumour is true, it would be expected that the new version will be officially announced at the forthcoming Tokyo Games Show which begins on the 16th September.

SEGA has one of the largest stands at the show and is expected to announce a number of new titles across multiple platforms.