Retro Runback: ‘Banjo-Kazooie’

There are games that change the entire fabric of the industry and are front and center. Super Metroid, for example. The classic 2D game truly gave birth to the Metroidvania genre and continued Nintendo’s ascent to the top of game development companies. Then there are games like Banjo-Kazooie. Which you’ll find on most “Best on the N64” lists but still somehow remains a classic that doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

Now, Dwayne and I are both on the same wavelength when it comes to this game. Banjo-Kazooie just hits different than Super Mario 64. Obviously, SM64 is the game that showed everyone what the N64 was really about, but Banjo-Kazooie took that formula and put a little something extra on it. And that something extra was Jiggies.

‘BANJO-KAZOOIE’ IS MORE THAN JIGGIES, IT’S JUST FUN TO SAY. TRY IT. JIGGIES.

Banjo-Kazooie was something new in platforming. Combining the abilities of two characters with entirely different skill sets to solve puzzles and some incredibly creative boss fights. Yes, it had its control quirks, but by and large, it was a great gameplay experience. The humor was on point, too. Bottles, Gruntilda, and Kazooie all had lines that make me laugh to this day. And let’s not forget the GOAT, Mumbo Jumbo.

Mumbo Jumbo was part of what made the game so great. His transformations for the bear and bird were integral to not just gameplay but the overall aesthetic of the level. You could get to places that you couldn’t access without them, and dialogue for characters would change based on what you looked like. It was a perfect touch for a game that does a great job of establishing its personality and humor.

My favorite aspect of these N64 games was the synergy between Banjo and Kazooie. The team-up abilities were creative and made good use of the fact that Kazooie has essentially made her home in Banjo’s backpack. The best of these to me was always the Talon Trot, in which Kazooie would stick her legs out of the backpack and Banjo would hitch a ride on her back for faster travel. It was just a cool animation and an ability that got a lot of use out of me.

SHOULD WE RUN IT BACK?

Without question. I feel like this is a series well overdue for a proper entry. With the recent success of Astro Bot, it’s time to let the mascot platformer continue to make a resurgence. And I think Banjo and Kazooie could stand side by side with the cute little robot in that fight. For now, though, I’ll make do with Yooka-Laylee, which is a spiritual successor made by Playtonic Games in 2017. Playtonic has a few of the Rare OGs on board and it shows. And they’re dropping a remastered version called Yooka-Replaylee, so we’re not entirely dead in the water yet. But as far as Banjo-Kazooie is concerned? Yeah. Run that back.