Banjo-Kazooie dá uma aula de como criar um jogo cheio de personagens carismáticos, momentos memoráveis, puzzles divertidos e um mundo cheio de fases coloridas que são um exemplo de level design.

É claro que o tempo passa e nem tudo envelhece muito bem. Um exemplo é o controle da câmera, que muitas vezes te deixa na mão e pode até chegar a te derrubar de algumas plataformas por engano. Os controles na água também deixam muito a desejar e podem ficar cansativos em fases como Clanker's Cavern e Rusty Bucket Bay.

Collect-a-thons talvez seja o meu gênero de jogos favorito. E após jogar Banjo-Kazooie é possível perceber sua importância e como ele serviu de inspiração para muitos outros jogos de plataforma que viriam no futuro.

Wow, the game that literally everyone says is really good is really good, huh? The people over at Rare were able to look at what Mario 64 did right and wrong and built off it a game of impressive polish and creativity. It's shocking to me how this game that was still fairly early in 3D gaming manages to not only avoid most of the pitfalls of its time (swimming and the flying attack are kind of wonky, but that's it) but manages to achieve an incredibly balanced and smooth difficulty curve with few hiccups.

From the moment it begins to the end credits Banjo-Kazooie is incredibly charming and continues to introduce cool ideas. There some worlds I don't really like but I think all of them have at least a lot of creativity and overall pretty high levels of quality. Here's my thoughts on them, in general I really appreciate how most of them are really easy to orient yourself in thanks to really clever layouts and memorable landmarks:

- Spiral Mountain is a good tutorial stage but nothing that immediately blows me away
- Gruntilda's Lair is a very interesting overworld but it does suffer from being very linear, which means that getting a game over means having to hike back up to wherever you died late in the game. I wish it opened up in a more organic way than fast travel pots, or that it was quicker to navigate, but in terms of flavor it's absolutely lovely, and I like that there's a bit of puzzle in finding the next world.
- Mumbo's Mountain - Good intro level, eases you in very well without being too linear/simple
- Treasure Trove Cove - I think the shark is not a great addition because it discourages inexperienced players (me) from exploring the outer parts of the level, but for the rest, really good, I like how the context-sensitive abilities open up exploration as you find them here and in Mumbo's.
- Clanker's Cavern - I appreciate how creepy and gross it looks but this is the worst level, swimming sucks, especially when freeing Clanker. I also don't like how 8/10 Jiggies hinge on freeing him, it makes exploration prior to that basically useless.
- Bubblegloop Swamp - I have a bit of a bone to pick with this level because it took me a lot of time to find Bottles, so it was more frustrating than it should've been. That said that's a me thing, the level is solid although I don't like how slow the gator is given this is one of the biggest levels.
- Freezeezy Peak - Would be one of the best levels but Beak Bomb sucks and so do the snowmen. Otherwise 10/10, all the Jiggies are fun and the vibes are amazing.
- Gobi's Valley - One of the best levels. I wish the water stuff was foreshadowed a but but I adore how this level is laid out, super fun to traverse.
- Mad Monster Mansion - The best one. A genuine joy to explore, with tons of tiny secrets, really tightly designed, and it's just a very fun aesthetic.
- Rusty Bucket Bay - I spent almost 2 hours on the propeller Jiggy. Just the propeller Jiggy. It was kind of a controller thing too, but I still spent two hours on that one damn thing. The rest of the level is actually pretty great but man I don't like that one.
- Click Clock Wood - Insane how ambitious this level is. It's so cool how the world changes around you through the seasons, and some of the Jiggies are just cool. It's a genuine challenge to platform, while still breezy enough that going through it several times isn't a chore. Wish the snowmen weren't here, I still hate 'em.

The game then ends on a really fun game show, and a genuinely challenging but pretty well-made boss fight. I'm just... in awe at how this game gets everything right. I usually fight against the notion that games become "dated" and worse as a result with time, but there's no arguing that a lot of games from the PS/N64 era struggle to make everything work right. Banjo-Kazooie pulls everything off so flawlessly that it's genuinely jarring when something actually ends up being frustrating, rather than being a sort of unavoidable thing you end up taking for granted.

If you get all Jiggies, the game opens the way to three secret items that would have granted you special unlocks in Tooie, although that ended up not happening. I think that's a genuinely great idea that showcases just how creative and ambitious Banjo-Kazooie's developers were. There's something I really admire in that.

Great game, with fun level designs, good humor and dialogue, and a memorable cast of characters. Gotta love Grunty's constant insults. Mumbo's transformations are fun, if a bit underutilized. Doesn't hold up as well as some of the other collectathon games from the N64, especially with how collecting notes resets upon dying/leaving the world. That combined with insta-kills on certain levels (Rusty Bucket Bay) is extremely annoying for a completionist. Playing with a control stick for the c buttons also makes using the moves difficult, especially on the final Grunty fight.

Oh wow people weren't just overrating this due to nostalgia it's actually good what the heck

What aged well:

- The music. Grant Kirkhope is imo not nearly on the level of David Wise, but I do think this is some of his best work. Charming and catchy.

-The movement. Look, the movement options in Banjo are moreso a set of discrete states that you can switch between, rather than something fluid, dynamic, and momentum focused like Mario 64. That said each of those states does feel good on its own and the rate at which you unlock them is perfectly paced.

- The level design: It's by far the best part of the game and it's frankly astonishing that it's this good. As one of the first "collectathons" Banjo gets everything that makes that sort of game engaging. A wide variety of objectives, worlds that are big enough to explore but small enough to not feel like a slog, and secrets around every corner. For being Rare's very first 3D platformer they set a standard here that would not be matched for several years, from what I hear of DK64 and Tooie, especially not from their own games...

-The credits. Folks, games need to bring back credits sequences where they treat every enemy and boss as a "cast member" and have a big roll call where we get to see all their names and they do a little fun animation. What are we even doing out here in the modern era of the medium that we've forgotten this great joy of the video game platformer.

What didn't age well:

- The last two worlds: Ok I said the level design was great and on the whole it absolutely is but I think Rare's idea of ramping up the challenge for the end was "make one world have tons of opportunities for cheap deaths that make you collect every note in the level over again" and "make a world so huge that it's impossible to figure out where you missed something" and that's certainly not how I'd like to see it done.

-The final boss: Between this and the last two worlds Banjo's biggest problem is sticking the landing. This is just not a well designed fight and relies exclusively on your mastery of the two jankiest moves in the game.

-The camera: I can give a pass on this considering the time it came out but yeah of course the camera is bad lol

-The humor: Kazooie can be funny at times but man this just comes off as mean spirited (and straight up offensive to overweight people pretty much constantly). A bit of it's time as well in that respect unfortunately.

As someone who grew up just after this era and has never really known how much of the mythologizing of Rare (especially N64 Rare) was warranted, this game is the proof that Rare really did have something special going on that translated into 3D. Was nice to experience it for the first time and find it lived up to the hype.

pure imagination—a spirited work of love and flair from a team at the peak of their creative talents. it is immediately and consistently apparent throughout banjo that every single crevice and corner in the game has been crafted with inspiration, care and pure passion, and while I enjoyed some worlds less than others, not one felt like an afterthought.

to me, it's held back from perfection by a few factors—particularly the slow and often slippy controls—but regardless, banjo is a truly rare and marvellous game: absolutely loaded with creativity, charm and wit, and wonderfully paced!

make a new one!!

I have a "tradition" to 100% this game at an average of once per year. In some aspects is pretty superior to other platformers from it's era while it lacks in some aspects compared to others. I'm not sure if it has aged as well as I think but is very fun to play once you get used to the movements and the surprising speed in which you can finish a level.
This is a classic for sure and one of Rare's best games from that time, flaws and all; level designs is colorful and fun, music is sublime and characters are full of personality, the final boss fight is long and hard but a learning experience that becomes very rewarding when beaten.
I just love this game a lot and is such a breeze to play every time for me.
To close I'd like to recommend the XBox version a bit more for first time players, since it adds some quality of life improvements.

DIVERTIDÍSSIMO!!!

Fases absurdamente criativas e bem projetadas, diálogos engraçados pra caramba, trilha sonora sensacional(uma das melhores trilhas sonoras que já ouvi em vídeo game), e gráficos muito bonitos.

Uma masterpiece do Nintendo 64.

I’m going to be honest and say that I did not actually finish this game completely, in that I did not finish the final boss. This is because even with the goodies you get from 100%ing everything else, the final boss is overturned and sucks ass. I think playing it on NSO instead of with the original controller makes it a lot worse than it might have been just because a joystick is a lot fiddlier than the C-buttons and it’s kind of a problem I had with the game generally… egg aiming is just bad in this game, dog. I completed everything else, I did my time, I have seen the ending elsewhere, Grunty can have the win there.

Despite leading this review with a harsh criticism this game is truly peak N64 collectathon! I did my damnedest to get everything and honestly only one or two jiggies stick out in my mind as being truly awful (fuck rusty bucket bay all my homies hate rusty bucket bay outside of the music which whips). Everything else was a lot of fun! Everything is so charming and it generally feels really good to play. The levels aren’t the most original in theming but they have fun little touches to them, like Clanker the gigantic cyborg sharkwhale who’s forced to eat trash as the resident of the sewer level.

Banjo and Kazooie also have fun dialogue, especially Kazooie, and man the Mumbo transformations are cute as fuck. I love the little gator the most even if he has the worst minigame. Honestly I didn’t actually find the majority of the minigames that bad in this one but Mr. Vile can fuck right off.

As stated previously, the music is good as hell. Grant Kirkhope’s work is so good, man. I remember actually getting the soundtrack as a child and dancing around my living room to the CD on repeat, and it absolutely holds up. There is not a single bad song in there dude it’s sooo good.

I am hoping the NSO gets Tooie at some point because I did find myself missing some of the QoL features from that game like first-person aiming and notes staying collected, because holy shit Click Clock Woods nearly defeated me. I would not have finished it if not for save states and I only got the last three notes by pure chance. If I had to replay the entire level again for three notes I would simply not have. I don’t actually think it’s required for every reward but it’s the principle of the thing you know? Outside of that, though, I thought the number and challenge on the collectibles was entirely reasonable which is perhaps not the case for Tooie. I’ll have to replay it myself to say for sure.

Still, this game is great and absolutely holds up, it’s worth playing!

i really really really like this game, like i look at it and i think "that's me that's what's going on in my noggin", especially the jinjos.
its very fun to play and even tho at first i thought the note score thing was a pain in my ass, i ended up liking the skill expression. its a tough game in general but you feel incredible by the end with how much you've improved.
here's what sucks: flying and doing the flying attacks glaze my eyes, and gruntys furnace fun is a ball ripper.
i played on NSO and the camera would mess up when i shot eggs, and it shredded me internally. i really want to give this 5 stars tho

As impactful as Super Mario 64 was to the then-prevalent 3D platformer genre, I’m not sure the game can take all of the credit for being the genre’s sole primary influence. I always bestow the plumber’s landmark 3D debut with a considerable amount of veneration, for Nintendo’s efforts in remodeling Mario for the cutting-edge next polygonal phase of gaming created an entirely original experience that set the stage for a radical new realm of possibilities. While Super Mario 64 was the game that pioneered the non-linear, explorative “collectathon” 3D platformer subgenre, its indelible mark on the era obviously echoed to several other games of the same ilk to follow its example. Being the building blocks of a genre sort of connotes that your disciples expand upon your foundation instead of contently resting at ground zero. Also, Super Mario 64 set an unintentional implication in that the pervasive platformer genre could only survive in the third dimension with this direction. Mario, the de facto king of the genre, seemingly had to forgo his standard, linear roots so drastically in Super Mario 64, so this meant that all other platformer icons new and old had to assimilate to the change or perish. With both its rudimentary footing and massive impact in consideration, one of Super Mario 64’s many offsprings had to have the potential to outclass its progenitor. The game that would truly innovate on what Super Mario 64 established was a new IP from the British then-Nintendo subsidiary developer Rare in the form of Banjo Kazooie. One of the reasons I revere Super Mario 64 despite its vestigial framework is because it's the godfather of every game that I grew up with in the subsequent generation. However, while this is still true, it seems like Banjo-Kazooie has a more clear and more direct line with my cherished video games from childhood on the 3D platformer family tree. Also, my praise for Banjo-Kazooie ascends past the reasonable level of respect I give to its fellow N64 linchpin Super Mario 64, for Banjo-Kazooie is still a solid rock of a 3D platformer whose quality has not been weathered by time.

It’s amusing to see how a British developer attempts to encapsulate the magic of Mario, and I’m not only referring to the mechanics of the “collectathon” subgenre. Mario’s peerless high ranking in the echelons of gaming can be attested to his wide accessibility in his presentation. Mario captures that spectacle of Japanese whimsy that is neither too immature nor off-puttingly bizarre, sort of in the same vein as the successful fellow Japanese animation corporation Studio Ghibli. The tasteful balance on display is probably indicative of a country that has both a storied mythical lore and an inordinate amount of nuclear radiation exposure than the rest of the world. The Western world might be beguiled by Mario’s foreign charm, but can they tangibly translate their wonder into something original? Banjo-Kazooie’s Western interpretation of Mario’s aesthetic is to emphasize the wacky animated aspects of the plumber’s world. I guess our Western equivalent to Mario’s mirthfulness is our cartoons. Banjo-Kazooie’s presentation is not overtly British like one of Terry Gilliam’s illustrations from a Monty Python skit (though that would be super cool). Rather, Banjo Kazooie conveys that animation drawn for a broad demographic west of the prime meridian tends to feature exaggerated physical proportions and anthropomorphic animals as central characters. Banjo-Kazooie is brimming with archetypal Western cartoon attributes, given that the game’s protagonist is a bipedal bear and every enemy, from the hopping vegetables to the tombstones, all have a pair of goofy-looking googly eyes to signify their sentience. Because of how cartoonish the aesthetic is, Banjo-Kazooie resembles a product catered towards a younger audience. Unfortunately, it’s not as accessible as Mario's because the overall tone might come across as too juvenile for some adolescent/adult gamers. The hints of toilet humor also probably do not help its case. Still, the appeal of Banjo Kazooie is apparent due to how dynamically lighthearted everything is, like an old Mickey Mouse cartoon. Doubling down on the innocuous elements from accessible forms of Western media is probably the most inspired decision from the developers regarding the game’s presentation.

One of the pervasive childlike elements of Banjo-Kazooie is its fairy tale plot premise, a staple of mythology. Gruntilda, a prototypical depiction of a nasty, evil witch from the most famous of Grimm’s classic stories, is performing the usual duties of this age-old archetype of toiling and troubling over her bubbling cauldron. The clairvoyant wisdom she seeks from her boiling pot is whether or not she’s the “nicest looking wench” in the land, and is offended at the cauldron’s candid response telling her that she isn’t. Why someone who revels in being obstinately filthy and grotesque like a kid-friendly version of Divine would care if she satisfies traditional beauty standards is beyond me, but I digress. The “fairest maiden” to be found is Tooty, a young female bear with blonde pigtails who conveniently lives in a comfy little home situated down the hill from Grundtilda’s domain. I guess the radius of beauty the cauldron can assess is confined by the same zip code. Gruntilda’s solution to being outshined by some neighborhood child is to abduct her and initiate a procedure where their matter will be swapped, as Gruntilda will receive all of Tooty’s beautiful attributes while Tooty becomes as beastly as Gruntilda. Tooty is also Banjo’s younger sister, so he’s naturally inclined to stop this horrendous experiment before his sister is doomed to look like a green warthog. Not only do fairy tales often present a heinous witch complete with a tall black hat and a broomstick as a common antagonist, but the old versus young parallel between women is a prevalent theme across some notable examples (Snow White, Sleeping Beauty). Banjo-Kazooie prevents itself from the puerile trappings of its fairy tale influences by subverting this plot premise with slight parody, like Shrek would succeed in doing a few years later. Pop culture references to both Frankenstein and The Fly are clearly seen in the game’s “game over” sequence where her hunchback lab assistant Klungo throws the switch to energize two opposite matter machines with Tooty and Gruntilda enclosed. While Banjo Kazooie still exudes a childish aura, tongue-in-cheek jabs at fairy tale tropes keep it from feeling infantile.

Banjo the character actually debuted in Diddy Kong Racing the year prior in Rare’s lineup of original cute and cuddly playable characters that meshed well alongside Nintendo’s petite, baseball cap-wearing chimp (if only Conker’s inclusion here hasn’t aged like sour milk). Out of all of these characters to greenlight into a new IP, why choose Banjo over say, Bumper the Badger or Tipsy the Mouse? Timber the Tiger arguably even had more mascot potential, as his baseball cap with the Rare insignia mirrored Diddy’s Nintendo cap. Is it due to his relatively higher strength build, or does the necklace, pants, and backpack combination make him more visually enticing than the other character with one distinctive feature? Truth be told, I’m not all too certain why Banjo ascended past a two-bit supporting role among the Diddy Kong Racing roster while all the others (except for Conker) continued to wallow in obscurity. This is especially curious considering Kazooie does most of the legwork (almost literally). The second half of the game’s hyphenated title did not exist during Banjo’s humble beginnings as a cart driver, as she was introduced by Rare to accompany Banjo on his debut platforming adventure. The brightly-colored bird of unknown species resides in Banjo’s backpack as stationary as if she’s on house arrest, and Banjo better hope she’s actually fused to his blue accessory because he’d be hopeless without her.

Banjo and Kazooie have an interesting character dynamic in that the mechanics of both characters are consistently utilized in tandem with one another, used by a single player. Banjo is obviously the primary kinetic force in their partnership as he lugs Kazooie in his backpack. His primary role as the leg muscle also extends to his arms as the game’s basic combat, as the bear will knock enemies around with a barrage of left and right hooks and roll into enemies with the force of his entire body while moving. Disappointingly enough, punches from a bear aren’t as furious and deadly as one would expect because Banjo’s arms seem as short as a T-Rex’s. The rolling move feels more fluid and ensures a more accurate hit, but its trajectory is still rather stilted. Kazooie’s pecking move when Banjo jumps in the air compensates for the bear’s pitiful range, and the direction can be changed in a few seconds when both are in mid-air. Kazooie must have some penguin DNA in her genetic mix because her wings wade beneath the water while Banjo just doggy paddles on the surface. Actually, Kazooie’s swimming indicates that she’s not an aquatic bird because the underwater controls are appallingly rigid. Yet, Kazooie’s willingness to carry Banjo through the adventure forces her to perform tasks outside of her comfort zone. Banjo’s bespectacled mole friend Bottles pops out of his arrangement of molehills to teach Kazooie certain skills to really overload Kazooie’s workload. On the offensive side, Kazooie will tug on Banjo’s backpack to execute a body slam similar to Mario’s ass stomp to press buttons and such. A specific combination of the crouch move will trigger a number of Kazooie’s special techniques, namely Kazooie spurting out baby blue eggs out of her mouth and cloaca (ew) as projectile attacks. The “Talon Trot” sees Kazooie shifting the mobile roles as she carries Banjo on her back instead. With the stronger adhesive strength of her talons sticking to steep, angled inclines, increased running speed, and limitless usage, it seems like Banjo could simply lie on his lazy ass the whole time doing nothing. Two different types of pads will appear to launch Banjo upward, with the green pads giving his jump an exorbitant boost and the red pads as a launch point for Kazooie to soar through the skies until the red feather ammunition is fully depleted. Must I further highlight why Kazooie probably should’ve gotten first billing in the game’s title?

Banjo and Kazooie’s simultaneous dynamic isn’t only limited to how they interact on the field. For a video game genre that usually doesn’t offer much dialogue or characterization, both Banjo and Kazooie are quite loquacious, along with the rest of their world. The dialogue in Banjo Kazooie is displayed with scrolling text in a speech bubble with a character icon on the far side. Speech is not enunciated by any characters: rather; vocal inflections are expressed through warbles that have a distinctive cadence per character. If you come across any lighthearted game with cartoony graphics that has this type of gibberish voice-acting style, Banjo-Kazooie is the game that popularized it (but don’t quote me on that). When interacting with NPCs, Banjo and Kazooie act as character foils. Banjo is a well-meaning dope that approaches people and situations very matter-of-factly, while Kazooie is shockingly caustic. Another reason why Banjo better pray that Kazooie is stuck to the inside of his backpack with superglue is that the bird has an acid tongue; a biting insult for every NPC she comes across, and one NPC might lash out by taking her by her bird neck and throttle her. Nevertheless, Banjo’s good cop, bad cop routine with his backpack bird gives them a wonderful personal chemistry. Some notable NPCs that Kazooie often gives a harsh tongue-lashing to are the aforementioned Bottles, Banjo’s mild-mannered mole friend who somehow knows more about Kazooie’s physical dexterity than she does. Mumbo Jumbo is a slightly racist depiction of an African witch doctor who owns a few small hut properties across many of the game’s levels that resemble his golden skull mask. Other miscellaneous NPCs that Banjo isn’t as chummy with are the hapless camel Gobi, the covetous Conga the Ape, and the blubbering hippo commander of the “Salty Hippo” sea ship aptly named Captain Blubber, to name a few. Compared to the litany of cookie-cutter Toads that Mario speaks to in Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie’s cast of secondary characters is amazingly eclectic.

Banjo-Kazooie isn’t a lengthy 3D platformer that swells the number of collectibles to prolong the experience. In fact, the total number of levels the game offers is significantly less than that of Super Mario 64. Though Banjo-Kazooie’s content lacks the quantity present in its influence, the game more than compensates with the quality of the levels. What impresses me about Banjo-Kazooie’s environments is their sheer immensity. As twee and jovial as Banjo’s world seems from an aesthetic standpoint, something about the way the game displays it exudes a crushing feeling. Immediately, this foreboding aura seems prevalent in Banjo’s hub. After the tutorial section of the grassy Spiral Mountain in Banjo’s backyard, the duration of the game is centered around the confines of Gruntilda’s Lair. The interior of Grundtilda’s wicked visage molded from the rocky cliffs of Spiral Mountain is as voluminous as the recesses of a dank underground cavern. Rescuing Tooty is a steep vertical climb up to the lair’s apex where the experiment is being conducted, and Banjo must progressively piece together every floor of Gruntilda’s Lair on his upward journey (literally). Gruntilda’s Lair is the antithesis of what I’ve always claimed to be an effective hub world, which is a modest place of respite between all of the levels where the call to action is heightened. Gruntilda’s Lair acting as the game’s centerpiece is almost like cutting out the middleman of the Peach’s Castle hub in Super Mario 64 and storming Bowser’s Castle immediately in the most glacial rescue operation ever executed. Gruntilda’s goons roam around on every floor and the witch’s omniscient presence is always felt, and that’s only partly due to her taunting Banjo and his bird with her AB rhyme schemes over some sort of intercom system. However, I’m willing to give Gruntilda’s Lair a pass as the enemy encounters are very slight and the enclosure of the spacious walls feels as tight as Fort Knox while inside them. The oppressive aura mood doesn’t stem from a notion of danger, but how small and insignificant Banjo looks juxtaposed with the massive walls surrounding him. Also, I must commend Gruntilda’s Lair for taking the hub format of Super Mario 64 and streamlining the non-linear hub to a constant vertical incline because progression feels more satisfying. I just wish Banjo wasn’t forced to start from square one every time the player exits the game, with the few teleportation cauldrons withstanding.

As to be expected, Banjo-Kazooie’s levels that protrude from the hub are a varied bunch that curates a wide selection of typical platformer level motifs. Every base is fully covered, ranging from a beach level, snow level, spooky level, etc. However, I did state before that Banjo-Kazooie’s levels were richer in substance despite the marginal number of them, and also that they follow suit on the hub’s expansiveness. Despite the seemingly standard levels, the developers have added some deeper thematic flair that transcends their base motif. For example, Treasure Trove Cove, the beach level, is plastered with pirate imagery, including an immobile ship at its center along with several silly-looking treasure chest beasts with goodies inside them. The winter wonderland of Freezeezy Peak uses the time of year associated with the season to engulf the level of Christmas cheer, something only a Western developer could fully epitomize due to living in a culture that actually celebrates the holiday as opposed to Japan observing it as outsiders. I suppose the same could be said for Halloween formulating the inspiration behind Mad Monster Mansion, but the specific elements of horror associated with that holiday were always less solidified.
One level that takes a typical level motif in a wild direction is Clanker’s Cavern. I think this is Rare tackling a sewer level, but all of the properties usually found in those terrains are only slightly recognizable. Maybe I was distracted by Clanker, the metallic shark floating in the center of the level in a pool of filthy backwashed water massive enough to fit the shark’s titanic, steamboat stature. Besides his size, Clanker’s also a great unsubtle eyesore because he looks like hell. The beastly machine has rusted over in the years he’s served as Gruntilda’s garbage disposal, with his murky eyeballs bulging out of his skull and a shockingly graphic fissure of pulpy, red flesh near the base of his left fin. He lives a fate that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, but the arena where he’s condemned to live out his days is still a monumental stride in 3D-level design due to its upscaled breadth. Enclosed areas will be found per level such as the pyramids of the Gobi Valley, the interior quarters of the ship in Rusty Bucket Bay, and the pink, veiny insides of Clanker’s decaying body, and they are exciting to excavate upon uncovering them and present layers of depth in the level design. My favorite level in the game that combines an interesting theme alongside a breathtaking scope is Click Clock Wood. The entrance of the level acts as a foyer connecting four paths each represented by a season. The wooded area with a towering tree trunk at the center shares the same layout behind each door, but the aesthetic of the level is affected by the weather conditions of each subsequent equinox. From the beginning of the rainy budding of Spring, then the baked warmth of Summer, to the auburn glow of Autumn, and finally the desolate chill of winter, I was stunned to feel a slight sting of sentimentalism at the end of the cycle. The many overarching tasks throughout each season also add to the profound depth of the area’s level progression. What Rare managed to execute here is truly astonishing.

The word I’d use to describe Banjo-Kazooie’s overall design philosophy is conspicuous. Already, the word can be used to define the way in which the levels are depicted because every angle of the spacious playgrounds enlarges the player’s range of sight. Besides enrapturing the player with a broad spectacle, crafting each level with a wide range of sight in mind is perfect for the loose exploration parameters of each level. The proverbial boot that kicked Mario out of every level upon either succeeding or failing in Super Mario 64 is completely discarded in Banjo-Kazooie. Obtaining a “jiggy” piece, the main collectible that unlocks new levels in the hub by fitting them in an unfinished jigsaw puzzle of the area, will never hastily eject the player back into the hub. I’m glad that Rare remedied Nintendo’s awkward mistake here, for it's a much more sensible approach to the collectathon format. Because the player is free to explore each area without the boot-out system in place, every objective is of equal precedence, which is why allowing the player to scope them out easily while exploring is imperative. When the player comes across a point of interest on the map, the game frames the scenario clearly enough to signal that a Jiggy could be earned here. Objectives to claim Jiggies are incredibly varied, ranging from puzzle minigames, fighting hordes of enemies, races, platforming challenges, etc. The diversity on display here assures that each Jiggy task will be somewhat unique and never tire the player with repetitive tedium. One highlight task seen throughout the game is transforming Banjo’s body into another animal or creature with the help of Mumbo’s voodoo powers. Playing as a termite, alligator, walrus, pumpkin, and bee doesn’t allow Banjo to execute the same physical feats compared to when Kazooie is strapped to his back, but playing as these funny forms for a short period does enough to diversify the gameplay even more.

To make Mumbo flick his wand and say the magic words, Banjo first needs to collect enough silver, skull-shaped tokens to satisfy the pygmy magician. Not to worry, for these tokens are as prominent as the Jiggy pieces. The other collectibles such as the candy-coated, multicolored Jingo creatures and the honeycomb pieces that increase Banjo’s maximum health are a tad more unobtrusive, but never to the extent where the player will ever experience a stress-induced aneurysm trying to scope them out. The game’s secondary collectible, the golden music notes, are strewn around the level so abundantly that they’re almost like currency. I had hoped that the developers would have treated them as a form of currency because the ones the player collects respawn in the same spots if the player dies. Doing a thorough examination of a level’s layout while the land is fresh is one thing, but performing the same trek to regain these sonorous half-notes is incredibly grating. I wouldn’t mind so much if the notes weren’t necessary to proceed through Gruntilda’s Lair, and the quantity needed gets pretty stiff near the end of the game. It’s the one collectathon aspect in the game that the developers neglected to carefully consider.

The player will have to meticulously scrounge through every nook and cranny in the game anyways to prepare for the final battle against Gruntilda. This is not only because doors locked behind substantially high music note numbers are the only means of replenishing ammunition, but because of what occurs before it. Before Banjo can confront the foul face of Gruntilda up close and personal, the sickly-colored stereotype stalls him and Kazooie with a little game. And by little game, I mean Trivial Pursuit from hell. “Grunty’s Furnace Fun” tests the player’s knowledge of everything in the game, including level layouts, music cues, voices, and odd tidbits about Gruntilda that her good witch counterpart informs Banjo of in many instances. Banjo also revisits old minigames with an added timer for a steeper challenge. This array of questions delves into information so obscure that it's sadistic. Did you not know the percentage of fecal matter in the waters of Bubblegloop Swamp, or were you unable to decipher Mumbo Mountain by a picture of its grass? Into the fiery drink you go, you idiot! The pathway of panels to the other side where Gruntilda is as long as the Brooklyn Bridge, and the margins of error are incredibly strict. A few panels immediately launch Banjo to his death, sending him back to square one. I understand that this kind of inanity is in character for Gruntilda, but forcing the player to endure this seems like a contemptuous slight from the developers. They knew this wouldn’t be fun for anyone. Fortunately, the game offers a proper final boss fight with Gruntilda that utilizes all of the player’s physical prowess in an epic fight at the peak of her lair. Weirdly enough, the credits will roll after the game show portion to dupe the player into thinking they finished the game beforehand. I think offering the real final fight as a reward for collecting all the Jiggies would’ve been a better incentive, and what they decided to do here is rather obtuse.

If Super Mario 64 is the grandfather of the 3D platformer, then Banjo-Kazooie is the father figure for all other games in the subgenre that followed. Being younger than Mario’s 3D debut allows Banjo-Kazooie to use its mistakes as a reference, and Banjo-Kazooie rectifies all that Mario established with the same collectathon ethos intact. Banjo-Kazooie is bigger, more free-flowing, more ambitious, and more involved in its collectathon gameplay mechanics than Super Mario 64 could possibly have ever hoped for. No wonder why every platformer that I grew up with took notice and borrowed so much from Banjo-Kazooie to the point where Super Mario 64 seemed like the obsolete model. Check mate, Mario. You’ve been bested by a bear and his bird.

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Attribution: https://erockreviews.blogspot.com

"What game you play first is usually what you love the most." Usually.

Mario 64 was the first game I had ever played. Reflecting back when I was older, there was a brief moment a couple years ago, (and by brief I mean, like, at least a couple of months), in which I had felt like because Banjo Kazooie was iterative of Mario 64, it somehow lessened the experience. As if, because it's taking ideas that weren't it's own, it was somehow less special. That it's now more boring.

I was grumpy at the time due to some personal life issues, but even then, I was aware at just how dumb the thought was. I mean, come on, a game you loved your entire life is now boring to you? It was quickly dispelled with another playthrough of each game when I was in a better mood. After the replays, I concluded that each game had it's own strengths and weaknesses that only come from the result of their execution, and I loved them both unconditionally. But I still preferred Banjo Kazooie.

This idea sort of struck a chord with me, and it's something I've realized is true regardless of the game — My enjoyment of a game will always come down to the execution of ideas, how those ideas fit into my own particular tastes, and how much something sticks with me. Your preferred flavor will be your flavor, but you can always enjoy other flavors, so to speak. Granted, it won't always be your preferred— sometimes tastes change. But you will tend to prefer one thing over another.

Banjo Kazooie is one of the reasons I love video games. Mario 64 may have taught me what video games were, but Banjo Kazooie is the game where I found out my preferences.

What made Banjo Kazooie so unique from Mario 64 was it's structure. I loved that the levels were open and you could continue to explore the world without needing to be kicked back out like the missions in the Mario formula. It helped me feel like I was in this world, and not just in a video game. I loved that you could get new abilities and they would change the way you navigate through a world. I loved the transformations and how they added interesting changes to the gameplay (and even more so in it's sequel). I loved how there were multiple objectives within a level with their own characters, making it feel like the world was alive and lived in. I loved that this game is about a dumb, but good natured bear and his sarcastic, loud mouthed bird in his backpack go up against an evil witch that speaks in dumb rhymes because she stole his hot sister and she wants to steal her hotness for herself. I absolutely loved that this was an "open world" game, back when it was still applicable to call it that. GTA 3 would later change what that word meant forever, but at the time, that's what I remember people would call it. By modern definitions, it's obviously not as big, but this has actually benefited the game in hindsight. Since content is considerably more closely packed together, there's never really any of the stretching of content syndrome you'd find in modern games. Banjo Kazooie does an excellent job at packing it's levels with stuff to collect, giving the player fun ways to traverse, giving a tremendous feeling of exploration, and wrapping it all up in a very whimsical, charmingly tongue-in-cheek way.

Each level in Banjo Kazooie is engrained into my soul forever. Mumbo's Mountain, Treasure Trove Cove, Clanker's Cavern, Bubble Gloop Swamp, Freezeazy Peak, Gobi's Valley, Mad Monster Mansion, Rusty Bucket Bay, Click Clock Wood, they're all fantastic levels, with such vivid themes and character. Talking about all of them would take up too much time, but my favorite levels were always Freezeazy Peak and Click Clock Wood. Freezeazy Peak cemented my love for winter levels, with it's Giant Snowman, Christmas tree, log cabins with glowing lights inside, the winter night sky, Boogey the Polar Bear and his dumb shenanigans. All of it evokes the spirit of Christmas, and in part, is what my mental image of Christmas even is. Click Clock Wood on the other hand was this really interesting final level that was a remixed version of the same level, but it changed season whenever you entered into a different door within it's main hub. Each season had things you could do only within that season, but would progress time for certain events to occur. Characters like the Eagle would grow older and older each time you'd feed him, items would become easier to obtain from one season to the next. It's where the game is at it's most clever.

For the longest time, I had maintained the thought that Clanker's Cavern and Rusty Bucket Bay weren't very good levels. But the more I've replayed, the more I've learned to genuinely appreciate them. This is something that only happened recently, too! I never thought it would have happened! They're both grimey and industrial, but take two completely different takes on the same idea. Clanker's Cavern is a water level, but it's such a uniquely interesting take on a water level. You're swimming around in what's basically a trash disposal, with this mechanical shark that may or may not have once been a real shark, as you swim in his guts, his mechanical exterior, and area surrounding him. Rusty Bucket Bay has more to do with this ship surrounded by a bay of poisonous water, traversing the ship and portside alike.

I think the reason why I didn't like these levels growing up is that they both tended to scare me. They were the levels that my sister pawned off to me as we both played through the game, and they gave the both of us anxiety by having some of the more challenging parts in the game. Having to swim through a key to have Clanker float up to the surface was nerve wracking, and it didn't help that the swimming controls were stiff and hard to get your angle just right. Rusty Bucket Bay has the infamous pipe room that makes it very easy to die and have to restart the level again. Getting there used to fill me with unbelievable dread. Now that I'm older, and I've played this game countless amount of times, I genuinely appreciate the challenge it brings. It makes me appreciate that in the original version of the game, if you died, you would have to recollect all your notes. I get why people wouldn't like it, and for a time, I didn't like it either, but it's a fun challenge that puts you on the edge of your seat. I could easily play without it, but I think it adds some extra challenge if you're into that sort of thing.

The finale has always been so memorable to me. Grunty's Furnace Fun being a quiz/trivia game show as well as a sort of a boss rush is such a stupid, quirky, yet fun idea. It's so fitting for this ridiculous universe to end in such a silly way. The final boss fight with Grunty is probably one of my favorite boss fights. Having it set at the top of the tower, these murky storm clouds with a reddish glow peaking out of them as lightning crashes everywhere paints such a vivid picture in my head. The boss fight itself is really fun too, with multiple phases that really test out all the abilities you've gained throughout the game. And then finally getting to see the Giant Jinjo send her crashing down after many attempts at breaking her shield as it's timed with the music, only for her to throw out one last magic attack at you as she plummets to the ground is just, agh, it's so satisfying. It's such a great final encounter. Replaying your save file and seeing that Grunty's still trapped under that rock was always so cool, and it was the first time I've ever seen a game have that level of detail, as well as having the game continue even after I beat it. It's a small thing, but being able to see how your actions affected the world around you, and being able to still play the game even after you did every thing has become such a beloved trope of mine.

Speaking of the music, Grant Kirkhope's music is incredibly distinctive — almost too distinctive. It's so ingrained into Banjo Kazooie's DNA and fits the entire game like a glove. The back and forth chords of his signature style adds to the jovial tone, even in the more dramatic or spooky moments. I say it's "too distinctive" mostly because Grant tends to lean more into the similar tropes found within Banjo Kazooie's music with his newer music, when in reality, he has much more range than he let's on. There was a point where I thought maybe it was too played out, and became too much for me personally, but honestly, it was silly to think that. Grant's a legend, and his music is incredibly memorable, and most musicians wish they could have even one good tune to stick in your head forever. Grant's been able to do that with almost entire soundtracks, and that's incredible!

My preferences have grown over the years, and maybe stuff like the theming of the levels not being at all unified bothers me slightly. Maybe Clanker's Cavern and Rusty Bucket Bay aren't the best levels ever. Maybe the music isn't my single most favorite video game music ever made. But god, I don't fucking care. This game is just so fucking cool, you guys. GOD, Sexy Grunty is so fucking HOT—

With this review, I haven't said everything I wanted to say about this game. I'm not even sure I could at this point. It's so hard to formulate the right words to even begin to convince people how special this game is. But maybe, I don't need to. Maybe all I need to say is that, this game is the most important game I've ever played. It's the benchmark of my gaming preferences, and that's so important to me specifically. I can only hope that you feel the same.

Playing this was super interesting. I grew up on Spyro the Dragon and other 'collectathons', but never had an N64. I've since played Super Mario 64, which was revealing but I still felt like something was missing. Now I've finally experienced Banjo-Kazooie, the genealogy of the genre is mostly complete in my mind.

Banjo-Kazooie is clearly influenced by Super Mario 64 in its structure, but seeks to surpass it in immersion. There's something to be said for the levels having a single state which they exist in, with all collectables available, as opposed to Mario's tendency to kick the player from the stage upon collecting a star. It improves upon the internal logic and consistency of the stages, something which was already well executed in Super Mario 64, poking and prodding at the player's imagination. In the only instance where the idea of different world states is implemented, it surpasses anything in Super Mario 64.

The visual and audio design is awful on paper (everything sounds like a fart, has eyes etc.), brilliant in execution. The sounds of the collectables ("Jinjo!") keep the drive to explore high, while the dynamic and colourful score sells the goofiness expertly. The visuals and character designs are expressive and memorable, making great use of limited hardware.

So it's a great game. However, significent problems put it behind some Marios and Spyros in my eyes. Spyro the Dragon mastered the concept of the minor-but-essential collectable. The gems are tangible, have different values, and are picked up when Spyro is in proximity. Banjo's notes reset upon LOSING A LIFE (a game-over in the XBLA version, as it should be), have a small collection range, and have a transient feel, lacking a sense of permanence; your total notes reflects your 'high score' for note collection in each world combined, which is far less impactful than amassing a horde of wealth in Spyro games.

Banjo-Kazooie compares unfavourably in many ways to Super Mario 64. While the levels may be of more consistent quality, Banjo-Kazooie's hub is far worse. Lacking in substantial secrets, atmosphere, or even a strong physical sense of architecture, the theming and structure of Grunty's Mountain is uncompelling when compared to the incredible Peach's Castle.

Another lacking feature is movement. While Banjo controls fine, his movement and physics are so limited compared to Mario's. Spyro may be simple, but at least he moved with speed and a kinetic energy that works well for his less open level design. Banjo's slowness is fine for his explorative levels, but there's a lack of expressiveness or experimentation present here.

Overall, I loved the game, even with my issues. It sticks the landing as well (quiz notwithstanding). The final boss is a genuine challenge, and makes for a surprisingly climactic ending considering the relatively laid back experience that preceded it.

I apologise for relying so much on comparisons, but in playing this game for the first time as a 25 year-old comparisons were a true reflection of my experience. If you're interested in this game, I recommend playing the XBLA/Rare Replay version, which incorporates modern conventional wisdom around minor collectables.