Banjo-Kazooie

Rare was once a promising video game developer, particularly during their days with Nintendo. Their first big seller game was Diddy Kong Racing where the characters Banjo and Kazooie made their debut.

Following the release of that racing game, Banjo and Kazooie became star characters in their own right when they appeared in the game Banjo-Kazooie. Lucky for them, that game too was a big seller. Banjo-Kazooie would have sequel in Banjo-Tooie, and that one made even a bigger sale.

After getting booted by Nintendo years later, Rare saw new life after teaming with Microsoft. Banjo and Kazooie then appeared in a new game called Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts. Although it did not sell as many copies as the two previous games, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts was able to achieve platinum hit status, a title achieve by Xbox or Xbox 360 games that sold 400,000+ copies within 9 months of release.

Because of showing such marketability, Banjo and Kazooie are absolutely Rare's true cash cows. Conker the Squirrel could have been a cash cow too but Rare destroyed that character.

Banjo-Kazooie was without a doubt one of THE best N64 games ever to be created, but sadly Nintendo's not making anymore Banjo games>:(. It's really a shame too because this was a fun game. Anyways the levels were fun to explore (Especially Freezy Peak or whatever it's called). The moves were creative and original and the animation, hoo boy. The animation in this game was a MAJOR improvement over some of the N64 games' animation. If they still sell Nintendo 64 games where you live and you have an N64, then make sure there's a copy of Banjo-Kazooie that's being sold because like they say: Chances like this don't come around often(Especially not anymore).

Overall a really great and addicting game that Nintendo should re-release on the Gamecube.

This game has to be one of my favorites. I was instantly hooked to the strangely-entertaining story, goofy characters, assortment of levels, music, graphics and control (which are surprisingly good for N64), and difficulty. Everything from Gobi's Valley to Freezeezy Peak (sp?), from Mad Monster Mansion to Click Clock Wood, from Treasure Trove Cove to Grunty's Furnace Fun. I guarantee at least one of the tunes to get stuck in your head for good, especially Gruntilda's Lair. It may look just like your average kid's game, but it is actually quite hard to beat, since you must collect about 99.9% of all items, which is no small task. If you are bored and have a loony sense of humor, check this game out and its sequel, Banjo-Tooie. Rare Ware makes great games.

Banjo-Kazooie is a joy to play after all these years, with so much atmosphere, lush worlds loaded with things to collect and puzzles to solve, using you own wits and sense of navigation to track down all the jiggies aswell as learning an array of creative moves with the help of your feathered friend. With memorable characters and the unique and charming Rareware humor sprinkles throughout, this game will always put you in a cheerful mood when you sit down and play it.

The overworld of Gruntilda's castle is complex and layered with many secrets to find aswell with some very well crafted and designed worlds that will leave a memorable impact on you that just begs to be explored. There are secrets behind every corner as the people who designed this game are british crackwits, the game's soundtrack by Grant Kirkhope is what makes the game however and it just wouldn't be the same without him.

It really is suprising just how smartly designed this game really is, oozing with charm and creativity. It's still just as great to play today as it was years ago and I recommend it to anyone

I just need to say, that this is one of the first games I have played in my life. I've always remembered this as the golden age to 3D platform and the way it influences others like Crash Bandicoot and Astro Bot. And this is what makes the game really something special. Banjo-Kazooie is not only one of the best games from N64, but also one of the greatest 3D playformers. Considering that Rare was experimental at the time, they have done something for this game and make it the most fun any gamer can have. The story for it is engaging, the snarks are at their best, the bosses are exciting, the graphics live up decades later, and the gameplay is some of the most fun in any gaming. If it weren't for this game, 3D playformers would never have become relevant. This is the game every gamer needs to play. I don't care if you already completed it, go play it again. Because games like this are something we need much often. Not only does it really stand out in terms of its platform gaming, but also one of the best video games of all time.