Banjo-Kazooie

Developer : Rare

Publisher : Nintendo

Platform : Nintendo 64

Release Year : 1998

Let’s Get Collecting

There is something very cathartic when it comes to ‘collectathon’ games, at least to me. Going from level to level, completing said level’s challenges and collecting the level’s many collectables is such a satisfying game loop. I fell in love with the concept when I played Super Mario 64 for the first time, and I spent a whole summer collecting coins and power stars in each of the castle’s painting; it was so addictive and so satisfying when I collected everything in a level only to move on to the next. My infatuation with the collectathon style only increased when I jumped into the Saturday morning cartoon inspired Banjo-Kazooie. Collecting the puzzle pieces, Jinjos, and a whole host of other things is still awesome and satisfying to this day and is a game mechanic that is still very near and dear to my heart.

Back in ’98, I was already a fan of Rare and their games thanks to their work on the wonderful Donkey Kong Country series. So, when I saw a preview for Banjo-Kazooie in one of those old school gaming magazines I loved so much, either Nintendo Power or Electronic Gaming Monthly, I got pretty excited to play the new game Rare was cooking up. Now, almost 30 years later, I am coming back to this title thanks to my Retroid Pocket 5, and I am hoping that Banjo-Kazooie is as amazing and fun as I remember.

Gameplay

3D platformers were all the rage in the mid to late ‘90s with the release of the Nintendo 64 and the original PlayStation. It was a time when everyone was trying to make iconic characters and memorable worlds, with some hits and more than a few fumbles along the way: we got classics like Super Mario 64 and the Spyro games, as well as countless games and characters that have been lost to time because they couldn’t compete. It was a real time of growth and experimentation in the industry, and Rare was leading the way. After knocking things out of the park in the 16-bit era with the Donkey Kong County games, it should come as no surprise then that Rare was still firing on all cylinders when it came to the new era of 3D games.

In Banjo-Kazooie you take control of the titular Banjo, the lovable bear and his backpack dwelling and sassy partner, Kazooie the bird, as the duo jump, roll, and fight their way through the game’s nine levels. You reach each of these levels by exploring Gruntilda’s Lair, which is the game’s large hub world. Your goal is to travel through the nine worlds collecting jigsaw pieces, known as Jiggies, and then using said pieces to complete a bunch of jigsaw puzzles that are hidden throughout Gruntilda’s Lair. Completing theses jigsaw puzzles open new worlds, where you go and collect more Jiggies, so you can complete more puzzles, which then opens more worlds, so you can complete more puzzles, and so on and so on. Rinse and repeat. It’s repetitive for sure, but the level variety, which include classics like a beach level, snow level, and a good ol’ fashioned haunted house, along with the challenges the game throws at you keep the adventure interesting and engaging.

The Jiggies are not the only thing you collect during your adventure, not by a long shot. One hundred music notes are scattered about the levels, and they are needed to open locked doors that bar your progress through Gruntilda’s Lair. Five different coloured critters called Jinjos are also hidden in each of the worlds and finding them all nets you a Jiggie. You also collect new abilities by finding Bottles the mole in each world: these moves let you jump higher, walk through hazardous terrain, fly, and a whole bunch of other things that let you get traverse the worlds and solve the game’s environmental puzzles in new and interested ways. Collecting things is the game’s main theme, and I think Banjo-Kazooie does it really well without overstaying its welcome.

Presentation

The Nintendo 64 is known for its polygonal graphics, and even with my Pocket 5 upscaling the visuals, Banjo-Kazooie has that distinctive N64 look. It is a look that people will either love or hate, and I find it really depends on if you grew up with the 64 or the PlayStation. I am a big fan of the game’s Saturday morning cartoon inspired style, like how so many inanimate objects in the world have eyes and even talk to you, or how the music is channeling childhood with upbeat and super jaunty tunes. The game presents itself like a cartoon and pulls it off really well. You will either find the whole package charming or irritating and childish, and I am in the charming camp.

Like a lot of games from the early days of 3D gaming, the camera in Banjo-Kazooie is serviceable but definitely nothing to write home about. More than a few times I would miss a jump or get hit by an enemy because the camera would not, or could not, move into a position that would let me see what was going on around me. It is definitely not the worst camera I have used in a game, and for the year Banjo-Kazooie came out, it is more than okay for what it needs to do. It will still be a bit of time before developers really come to terms with how to handle 3D worlds, and it is cool to see how the design philosophies around 3D gaming have changed as time has gone on.

Story

Our story begins with Gruntilda abducting Banjo’s younger sister Tooty while Banjo is fast asleep, because she wants to steal the young bear’s youth and beauty. Banjo and Kazooie embark on their quest to rescue Tooty by jumping, and rolling, and fighting their way through the witch’s Lair and the game’s nine worlds, collecting everything in sight. The story is definitely not the focus here, but it is solid enough motivation for the quest. There are no twists or turns, or heavy dramatic moments, because Banjo-Kazooie really doesn’t need them. This is a game you are not playing for the story, but for the gameplay and the tone.

One aspect of the story that does shine is the colourful cast of characters you meet along the way. From Bottles the mole who teaches you your new moves, to the witch doctor Mumbo Jumbo who uses his magic to transform Banjo is a variety of animal forms, the odd but lovable cast add so much character to the game. These characters really add to the feeling that you’re playing through a cartoon, and I find them all so charming.

Keep Collecting

The late ‘90s was a time of major change when it came to the world of console games. While PC gamers had been exploring 3D worlds for a while at that point, 3D was still quite new for the rest of us who only had consoles. Rare was able to step into this brave new era and deliver something special with Banjo-Kazooie; Along with Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie was able to show us how the world of 3D gaming was going to evolve and come into its own. It was cool being able to live through that time of transition from the old to the new, and it makes me appreciate what we have these days, and how traversing 3D worlds is now second nature. I was not disappointed when Banjo-Kazooie was released all those years ago, and even today I still find it to be a wonderful experience.

Rare gave us so many great games on the Nintendo 64, and Banjo-Kazooie is just the first of many I am going to talk about here on this blog. I think that without Rare and their catalogue of amazing games, the N64 wouldn’t be as well remembered as it is today, and I am glad that I got to live that live that time. I wonder which Rare game I’ll throw down next? Only time will tell!