Metareview -- Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (360)

by Justin McElroy { Nov 6th 2008 at 9:00AM }

We were admittedly cynical about Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts before we actually got our hands on it at E3, when we fell and fell hard. It seems like most reviewers are having the same response, even though some are pining for the simpler days of Banjo.

1UP (A-): "To all the Rare-haters out there: Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (the latest in a series that's scarcely been heard from since the Nintendo 64 days, barring a pair of Game Boy Advance spin-offs) puts the ailing developer on the road back to relevancy. Nuts & Bolts' single-player structure, addictive multiplayer, and intricate vehicle-crafting system handily show that this isn't just another generic cute-n-furry platformer."
IGN (83/100): "A game that never stopped being fun for me. It's an odd duck that doesn't fit into any conventional game genres and probably isn't right for everybody. Despite its friendly appearance, Nuts & Bolts isn't exactly easy to pick up and play and might be over the head of some small children. There's a lot of depth here and the vehicle creation tools allow you to flex your mind and your fingers at the same time. "
Eurogamer (70/100): "Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is not a platform game. The game it has become instead demands thoughtful, exciting challenges that inspire the player to pitch in and help get the most out of each level, but it fails to provide them, and even though it's worth persevering with for the occasional hurdles race, egg-and-spoon and a game-world in aptly Rare form, ultimately it's a brilliant shell with a mostly hollow centre. "

Tags: banjo-kazooie, banjo-kazooie-nuts-and-bolts, metareview

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

themizarkshow @ Nov 6th 2008 9:06AM

I'm so glad I preordered this. I can't wait to get my hands on it and the original title which will come with that preorder.

Marty @ Nov 6th 2008 11:38AM

Hey for $40? You can't go wrong!

Pudge @ Nov 6th 2008 2:10PM

I could! I have a SDTV, and then I had the gall to try to play the demo. I couldn't read it, and the gameplay was HORRENDOUS. It took me about 70 tries just roll that damn Jiggy so far, it was SO frustrating.

I'd rather pay 40 bucks to someone to kick me in the balls than pay 40 bucks for this game, or to ever play this game again for that matter.

Vidikron @ Nov 6th 2008 2:15PM

Roll what jiggy? I don't remember anything like that.

Vidikron @ Nov 6th 2008 2:15PM

Roll what jiggy? I don't remember anything like that.

Zsavior @ Nov 6th 2008 2:17PM

Yea pudge I also have an SDTV and games are hard as hell for me to read also when I play them. I think that is why I have not done much in this console generation.

Vidikron @ Nov 6th 2008 5:15PM

Come on, Pudge... what jiggy? I played through the demo and don't ever remember rolling around a jiggy. I remember taking that ball from the top of the mountain down to the town so I could enter the first world, but I carried that in the vehicle. Then in the first world I did the challenge where you have to roll soccer balls through the goal.

That's pretty much it. I didn't roll anything else around and I finished the two task I mentioned pretty easily (took two tries on the soccer challenge). The demo ended when I attempted to enter the second world.

Pudge @ Nov 25th 2008 4:21PM

I don't remember exactly, but I drove to the top of the hill, and I had to hit this ball off the cliff. If it didn't go far enough it told you to try again. Was it a Jingo maybe? It was the little imp things.

I just hate this game. That is all.

MowDownJoe @ Nov 6th 2008 9:08AM

BROKEN ITALICS TAG! YAY! DON'T I SOUND SO SARCASTIC?

MowDownJoe @ Nov 6th 2008 9:08AM

Damn, you guys are fast.

Jakka @ Nov 6th 2008 9:09AM

Inbeforeeurogamerhate!

xFenixKnightx @ Nov 6th 2008 9:14AM

Im getting it. Do I wish there was a bit more platforming? Sure, but the game is still fun. The graphics, color, design and music in the demo are just great. Can't wait to play the other levels!!!

Cyro @ Nov 6th 2008 11:46AM

Actually. I was going to get it and after the demo I realized it was not fun for me. Im sad because I really wanted a nice platformer. Last ones I played were Kameo and Rachet and Clank for the psp, which I liked both.

Trippy Haps @ Nov 6th 2008 2:26PM

Yo', Fenix!

After my brother and I run through the campaign on GoW2, I'm going to be diving head first into the Horde multiplayer mode.

So if you'd like to join me in my quest to get to Wave 50, that'd be awesome.

Gamertag: Tru Turmoil

ON TOPIC: This game looks mighty purdy...

Zertoss @ Nov 6th 2008 9:15AM

5/5 Would get Jiggy with it again.

Counting the days to it's release.

Chase @ Nov 6th 2008 4:30PM

Best present avatar.

Trance Addix @ Nov 6th 2008 9:20AM

I'm picking it up for 32 dollars; it's practically a steal.

Jack @ Nov 6th 2008 9:42AM

Who has that deal?

I'm really interested in this game... but not 60 dollars interested.

Trance Addix @ Nov 6th 2008 9:47AM

Amazon ^^

dark_inchworm @ Nov 6th 2008 9:47AM

Isn't this one's MSRP about $40?

Trance Addix @ Nov 6th 2008 9:48AM

Amazon ^^

Zertoss @ Nov 6th 2008 9:48AM

It's like $37 at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Banjo-Kazooie-Nuts-Bolts-Xbox-360/dp/B0019MLWL4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1225982857&sr=8-4

Trance Addix @ Nov 6th 2008 9:51AM

I ordered it when it was 32; the price is quite dynamic on Amazon.

dark_inchworm @ Nov 6th 2008 10:20AM

"Amazon ^^" is not an answer to my question, but yes, the MSRP is $39.99. Woo. So if you did blow $60 on this, you got gipped :)

Jack @ Nov 6th 2008 10:28AM

Wow! I didn't realize Rare was putting this out for 39.99.

Instant buy now. That's huge. I'm stoked.

J.Goodwin @ Nov 6th 2008 12:21PM

And don't forget that if you preorder on Amazon, you also get a download code for Banjo Kazooie 1 emailed to you.

Two games, 37 bucks.

J.Goodwin @ Nov 6th 2008 9:27AM

My preorder's in on Amazon.

We're seeing that MacGuffin about Rare games being too difficult for kids again. There's definitely some solid challenge there, but wasn't that true of the games that we grew up on? What percentage of the kids who played and loved Mario 3 or Sonic actually managed to finish the game?

J.Goodwin @ Nov 6th 2008 9:27AM

And that's before we start getting into Rare's games. Battletoads anyone?

Zertoss @ Nov 6th 2008 9:45AM

I never did manage to beat Battletoads, but I did finish all the classic Mario and Sonic games back when I was a little kid. But I doubt I'm in the majority somehow.

I do agree with you, this whining about the games being too tough for kids needs to stop. There are guides freely available on the internets and available for purchase in any store that sells games to help them out if they get stuck, or if they're lucky, they'll have a gamer parent that can help them out or maybe a gamer older brother or cousin or something.

Come to think of it, a lot of those tough games from my childhood were spent with a circle of friends around, all of us taking turns trying to get further in the game.

ExMcCloud @ Nov 6th 2008 10:30AM

Want a hard game go buy Maximum Carnage...Took me 4 ever to beat that game

StrangeBum @ Nov 6th 2008 10:31AM

@Zertoss

I used to do the same thing with my childhood friends too. I remember countless nights passing a controller around waiting for someone to really get the feel for the level and get passed it.

Zertoss @ Nov 6th 2008 12:07PM

StrangeBum, yeah man, good times. We would alternate levels, lives, whatever. And there was a lot of shouting out possible solutions to puzzles or hidden power-up locations or just a simple "Oh God! JUMP!"

Old school co-op.

J.Goodwin @ Nov 6th 2008 12:17PM

A lot of people still play games that way, particularly Metal Gear (never played it myself, but I've heard of plenty of "Metal Gear launch night parties" where people pass the controller around and they just burn through the game in one sitting).

T @ Nov 6th 2008 9:31AM

Is there an adjusted score for gamers on SDTVs?

baby sea tuna @ Nov 6th 2008 10:32AM

Yes, gamers playing on SDTVs can get adjusted back to BK1 on N64. I'm sure the text on that one is plenty readable.

Jakka @ Nov 6th 2008 11:15AM

Hey BST, how's the weather up there?

Haggard @ Nov 6th 2008 11:35AM

*blurry intelligible comment here*

Marty @ Nov 6th 2008 1:51PM

Honestly, it's really not that bad on an SDTV. unless you're playing from like 30 feet away or something.

T @ Nov 6th 2008 1:59PM

I have a 24 inch SDTV, and was sitting within 10 feet of the TV.

I could almost make out words, but was getting an intense headache from straining to read them. And yes, I have glasses. And yes, the perscription is from within the past 6 months.

"Yes, gamers playing on SDTVs can get adjusted back to BK1 on N64. I'm sure the text on that one is plenty readable."

The game in that one is also plenty more enjoyable.

MC Double Def DP @ Nov 6th 2008 9:32AM

Local co-op?

ScottG13 @ Nov 6th 2008 9:41AM

Good for Rare. I love building stuff and can't wait to try this one out.

russtophiles @ Nov 6th 2008 9:43AM

I don't care too much about the text issue since I have a decent sized HDTV that shows the dialogue well enough, but what I really don't get is why the avatars of characters talking next to the text are f-ing microscopic. What's the point of even having them there if you can barely see them on an HDTV?

ExMcCloud @ Nov 6th 2008 10:09AM

Buying it! Screw Eurogamer....I got into the Killzone Beta Fellas....IT is teh FUCKING AWESOME....That game is BEAUTIFUL

xFenixKnightx @ Nov 6th 2008 10:18AM

Lucky bastard! lol

Been having issues with my router since Tuesday man. :( I have to get it fixed by tonight!!!

ExMcCloud @ Nov 6th 2008 10:21AM

Hell yeah u do....I played KZ beta this morning....But fuck that when I get Gears 2 tonight I'm not tuning it off until 2010 so YO ASS betta be ready for Horde FENIX...

Nuthing against KZ2 by the way....But u know.....It Marcus Fenix...What the hell do u want me to do?