There is nothing harder than attempting to follow in the footsteps of a revolutionary masterpiece like Super Mario 64. And yet, no studio in the world was better equipped than Rare--after all, they completed this herculean task once before.
In a lot of ways, Banjo-Kazooie did for 3D platformers exactly what Donkey Kong Country did for 2D platformers. Much like how the Donkey Kong Country games solidified the baseline established by the early Mario titles, Banjo-Kazooie made great strides for the 3D platformer genre. No one can doubt Mario 64's influence, but much of the tropes of platformers of the time stemmed from Banjo-Kazooie, not Mario.
It's worth praising the work that went into bringing the stages of Banjo-Kazooie to life. Gruntilda's Lair dwarfs Peach's Castle, featuring far more puzzles and secrets. Banjo Kazooie's stages are filled with colorful characters and surprisingly solid writing. The texture work is absolutely phenomenal--Banjo-Kazooie looks better than anything on the N64 has a right to. And, last but not least, there is the absolutely legendary soundtrack. Praising the soundtrack is done to death at this point, but more understated, however, is the impeccable crossfading.
It's hard not to consider Banjo-Kazooie a massive success, and don't get me wrong, it is. But, all the same, I find myself preferring Super Mario 64. Banjo-Kazooie's huge scope is impressive, but I can't help but feel it distracts from the actual point of a 3D platformer: the platforming. It's telling that Banjo-Kazooie's most frustrating and least enjoyable moments (like the fan room in Rusty Bucket Bay) are the ones that lean more heavily into actual platforming. Mario 64 has, still, the best movement system of any 3D platformer ever. In comparison, Banjo-Kazooie's platforming is a bit passé.
I almost think Banjo-Kazooie has been put into the wrong genre. The things Banjo-Kazooie is remembered by are the zany challenges (like the Furnace Fun Quiz), the transformations, the characters, the evolving worlds, the music; not the platforming. Banjo-Kazooie is a great game, but I'm not actually convinced it's a great platformer. This, honestly, almost doesn't matter though. Banjo-Kazooie is by no means conflicted: it knows what its strengths are, and it chooses wisely to make those strengths the focus.
Banjo-Kazooie stands on the shoulders of giants. It may not eclipse its predecessors in the way Donkey Kong Country did, but what Banjo-Kazooie did achieve is remarkable all the same.
In a lot of ways, Banjo-Kazooie did for 3D platformers exactly what Donkey Kong Country did for 2D platformers. Much like how the Donkey Kong Country games solidified the baseline established by the early Mario titles, Banjo-Kazooie made great strides for the 3D platformer genre. No one can doubt Mario 64's influence, but much of the tropes of platformers of the time stemmed from Banjo-Kazooie, not Mario.
It's worth praising the work that went into bringing the stages of Banjo-Kazooie to life. Gruntilda's Lair dwarfs Peach's Castle, featuring far more puzzles and secrets. Banjo Kazooie's stages are filled with colorful characters and surprisingly solid writing. The texture work is absolutely phenomenal--Banjo-Kazooie looks better than anything on the N64 has a right to. And, last but not least, there is the absolutely legendary soundtrack. Praising the soundtrack is done to death at this point, but more understated, however, is the impeccable crossfading.
It's hard not to consider Banjo-Kazooie a massive success, and don't get me wrong, it is. But, all the same, I find myself preferring Super Mario 64. Banjo-Kazooie's huge scope is impressive, but I can't help but feel it distracts from the actual point of a 3D platformer: the platforming. It's telling that Banjo-Kazooie's most frustrating and least enjoyable moments (like the fan room in Rusty Bucket Bay) are the ones that lean more heavily into actual platforming. Mario 64 has, still, the best movement system of any 3D platformer ever. In comparison, Banjo-Kazooie's platforming is a bit passé.
I almost think Banjo-Kazooie has been put into the wrong genre. The things Banjo-Kazooie is remembered by are the zany challenges (like the Furnace Fun Quiz), the transformations, the characters, the evolving worlds, the music; not the platforming. Banjo-Kazooie is a great game, but I'm not actually convinced it's a great platformer. This, honestly, almost doesn't matter though. Banjo-Kazooie is by no means conflicted: it knows what its strengths are, and it chooses wisely to make those strengths the focus.
Banjo-Kazooie stands on the shoulders of giants. It may not eclipse its predecessors in the way Donkey Kong Country did, but what Banjo-Kazooie did achieve is remarkable all the same.