This Wednesday: Bird, bear, backpack join forces on XBLA

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Dec 1st 2008 at 7:30PM }

This Wednesday's Xbox Live Arcade update will finally deliver the spruced-up N64 classic, Banjo-Kazooie. After experiencing a brief delay, fans of the backpack-packing bear from Rare will be able dive headfirst into nostalgia, once again transforming into compulsive note-collecting maniacs. It happens to the best of us.

Aside from notes, tokens and jiggies, this version also requires one other collectible: Microsoft Points. You'll need 1,200 of them to proceed beyond the trial version.

Tags: Banjo-Kazooie, Platforming, Rare, XBLA, XBLAWednesday, Xbox-Live-Arcade

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

giantenemycrab @ Dec 1st 2008 7:35PM

Now if only they could get Goldeneye.

Strategy_Panda (the artist formally known as Titanium_Orchid) @ Dec 1st 2008 7:46PM

I think you would be surprised at how bad that game would look.

Also, I think a lot of the charm of the game would be lost if the controls were ported to a twin stick interface.

That being said Golden Eye was great for the time it was released, and has been ported to the 360. Its in certification limbo right now.

Strategy_Panda (the artist formally known as Titanium_Orchid) @ Dec 1st 2008 7:50PM

http://www.giantbomb.com/goldeneye-007/61-3166/goldeneye_007___execution/51-207063/?offset=8

Remote mines + friends = bad ass

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/1/11055/301580-16.jpg

FAT MAN @ Dec 1st 2008 7:58PM

yeah golden eye is one game i wouldn't mind if they changed the character models in.

rTwelve xbl:Chilblane @ Dec 1st 2008 7:59PM

I always loved how incredibly creepy those paste-on face textures looked in Goldeneye and Perfect Dark.

butaneko @ Dec 2nd 2008 2:35PM

You can't make accusations like that without evidence. I ASSHUME that you have some?

SoulPatch @ Dec 1st 2008 7:37PM

Okay, if they are doing Banjo-Kazooie for XBL, where the hell is Conker's Bad Fur Day? Microsoft owns Rare, and all they have done with it is release it for the original Xbox.

It better be next, that's all I know. I would download that in an instant. That game was hilarious, and a lot of fun to play.

Foetoid @ Dec 1st 2008 8:03PM

..........

I'm pretty sure 'Conker: Live and Reloaded' was released some time ago with updated graphics and multiplayer. Why would they re-release the N64 version when an actual 360 versions exists for cheap. They'd only be taking away sales from their own 360 version

Moptimus Slime @ Dec 1st 2008 8:10PM

Conker:L&R was an Xbox game. Not 360

ryan @ Dec 1st 2008 8:13PM

Yeah, it's also pretty glitchy on 360 BC.

time @ Dec 1st 2008 9:21PM

They should really release an unedited version of the game on XBL. I've never played it, but I've heard the Xbox version isn't too good.

-slycooper_rocker- (lorddshadow the amazing) psn: shahanasalam @ Dec 1st 2008 10:10PM

@ Foetoid

the original was SOOOO much better. the xbox one was heavily edited and censored. so...

J.Goodwin @ Dec 2nd 2008 9:59AM

Edited? Lightly.

Censored? You never played the original did you?

Guibs @ Dec 2nd 2008 10:18AM

Conker bad Fur Day for xbox runs pretty well on Xbox 360. I don't see where the glitches you are referring to are from. The single player experience (which is basically the same as the N64 game but with updated graphics) runs perfectly to me.

offday @ Dec 1st 2008 7:39PM

Surprisingly I missed out on this game in the N64 days, or what I like to call the good old days. I might have to get this. N64 games and achievements? Count me in.

FAT MAN @ Dec 1st 2008 8:02PM

the good old days?

yeah it was fun alright, if you were a PS1 owner.In America the N64 barely had any good games for it. On top of that, the good games were spaced so far out that there were many droughts were nothing good came out for weeks. It was the modern day PS3.

Damn karmas a bitch.

Wiinterfang @ Dec 1st 2008 8:37PM

Nintendo show a lot of support for its console back then, a lot of Great Great games and classics, you can't diss the N64, isn't that like a rule or something?

FAT MAN @ Dec 1st 2008 8:49PM

you couldnt give me 20 good games for the American N64.

you could give me around 7 classics though.

Shadow Hog @ Dec 1st 2008 9:03PM

Well, I can certainly try.

Super Mario 64.
Mario Kart 64.
Paper Mario.
Mario Golf.
Mario Tennis.
Goldeneye 007.
Perfect Dark.
Jet Force Gemini.
Banjo-Kazooie.
Banjo-Tooie.
Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Zelda: Majora's Mask.
F-Zero X.
Star Fox 64.
Kirby 64.
Super Smash Bros.
Pokémon Puzzle League.
Rayman 2.
Glover.
Wipeout 64.
Mega Man 64 (although I only know the PS1 version, MM Legends, so).
Doom 64 (it's literally an all-new, exclusive game).
Mischief Makers.

Oh dear, I appear to have mentioned 23.

Although I'll grant you, it does start to get slim pickings around 15 or so, and the inability to mention Sin and Punishment is a downright shame.

offday @ Dec 1st 2008 9:14PM

You forgot Superman 64.

I kid.

Seriously though, that list is right on. I actually just beat Paper Mario a couple months ago on the wii's virtual console. The virtual console is the only reason I still own my wii.

FAT MAN @ Dec 1st 2008 9:20PM

I give you a round of applause.

I forgot alot of those games because they came out so late in the consoles life.

oh, and was Glover really a good game?

Tiptup300 @ Dec 1st 2008 9:20PM

No Duke 64? Man I loved that game. It was 100% different from Duke 3D though.

time @ Dec 1st 2008 9:22PM

Lol, N64 games set the standards for today's 3D games more than any other system that generation, even if Nintendo did have problems with 3rd parties.

Shadow Hog @ Dec 1st 2008 9:28PM

"oh, and was Glover really a good game?"

Well, given that it's a list of "good" games, a bit of personal opinion will eventually rear its ugly head... but yeah, I rather liked that one. It's not as high-caliber as most of the other entries in that list, though.

As for missing many other titles - well, I never actually owned an N64, I'm just going by what I've played at friends' houses, emulated, or played on VC (the last two options clearly being the same damn thing). Certainly, I'm gonna miss a few diamonds in the rough.

Now, when it comes to a console I'm very intimate with, like, say, the Saturn... don't even get me started. :3

LxgShaka @ Dec 1st 2008 9:50PM

Great list! And I also would say that Glover is a good game, I remember borrowing it from a friend and being so attached to that game XD damn little glove xD (fisheye thing anyone?) lol

o and @FAT MAN, I just gotta say...
OWNEEEEEEED (:

FraGNeM @ Dec 1st 2008 9:56PM

You forgot Wave Race 64

Oh, and 1080 Snowboarding

Don't forget Turok 2

Whoa, and Blast Corps, can't believe I nearly forgot that one.

And, and...

...and Pilot Wings 64?

N64 had plenty of hits

offday @ Dec 1st 2008 10:19PM

I'd like to include Excitebike 64 and Harvest Moon 64 too. I think we've above and beyond proved fat man wrong, but hey let's keep going anyway. :)

Foetoid @ Dec 1st 2008 10:50PM

My goodness Shadow Hog. How dare you make a list of great N64 games without including:

Shadowman 64
Forsaken 64
Conkers Bad Fur Day
Turok (all 4 of them)
The New Tetris
1080 Snowboarding
Donkey Kong 64
Resident Evil 2
WWF No Mercy
NBA Hangtime
Quake 2

Shame on you!

Rollins @ Dec 1st 2008 7:45PM

I just want to know how they're justifying $15 for this game. Did it really take that much work to port?

Of course, if GoldenEye ever comes out, I'll make a complete hypocrite of myself and pay whatever price they put next to it. Heh.

CB @ Dec 1st 2008 8:14PM

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/41027.html

Cleaner graphics, much better draw distances (very important in a game like this), clear text, upgraded sound, plus widescreen really does make the game so much better.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm selling the game but I'm having so much fun with it.

offday @ Dec 1st 2008 8:36PM

Wow. I'm sold. I'd rather they just fix it the graphics a bit, rather than completely re-do them. This is perfect.

But what do you mean "you're having so much fun with it?" It's not out yet?

Roto13 @ Dec 1st 2008 8:40PM

I was going to ask where they get off charging $5 more than it would cost if it was released on the virtual console, but I guess it's justified if they improved it in ways besides adding achievements.

Chrono Trigger DS still doesn't have $32 worth of new content, though. :P

Duke @ Dec 1st 2008 8:44PM

Gotta agree with Cb on this. The improvements look like more than a minor cleaning and seem to be worth the cost of $15.

CB @ Dec 1st 2008 8:50PM

*But what do you mean "you're having so much fun with it?" It's not out yet?*

Gotten by preordering BK:N&B but I had to wait a while to finally get mine.

offday @ Dec 1st 2008 8:55PM

Oh, I didn't know the pre-order entitled you to get it early too. So it's awesome then?

time @ Dec 1st 2008 9:24PM

I wish they had done something about the camera. You really shouldn't have to fiddle with it that much to get a good view of things.

FraGNeM @ Dec 1st 2008 10:02PM

I got it free, too, but for anyone who's played the original already, one of the new features is reason alone:

Stop N' Swop.

CarpeD1em500 @ Dec 1st 2008 7:46PM

I enjoyed the photoshop where the "Only For" is now replaced by the xbox logo. Good stuff guys...haha

religiousjedi @ Dec 1st 2008 7:55PM

Well...they forgot to shop the "Designed for N64 Rumble Pak"...

:)

LAZoftheTamarinds @ Dec 1st 2008 8:11PM

Man, I loved this game back when I was younger. The BK games were some of the best N64 games ever! If I had a 360 I would definately download this since I'm sure my N64 will crap out on me soon.

But still should have cost 5-10 bucks IMO.

LxgShaka @ Dec 1st 2008 8:27PM

"The BK games were some of the best N64 games ever!"

IMO the BK games were some of the best games ever, period.

I just love'em (haven't got around to playing Nuts n' Bolts yet, too busy with far cry 2 and my 2nd fallout runthrough) ^^

jbm @ Dec 1st 2008 8:50PM

Rumor has it Stop'n'Swoop works now with Nuts & Bolts.... hmmmmm

Snowblind @ Dec 1st 2008 9:16PM

It's not a rumour. I already have 100% on this game :P

MagiKarp @ Dec 1st 2008 9:10PM

I am here to warn potential buyers that in my experience playing this game on my 360 I have had some framerate issues, especially near water. Game looks and plays good though (love the stick for camera controls)...if you're nostalgic I would say it's worth it still.

FraGNeM @ Dec 1st 2008 10:09PM

Do you have a 1080p TV?

I had that same problem and I was running the game in 1080p (I'm assuming it's native).

However, on a friend's TV (720p), those same areas ran perfectly fine. So I switched my 360 to output at 720p before launching the game, and now it runs fine.

I'd recommend trying that, just in case.

Ignatius @ Dec 1st 2008 10:22PM

Ugh, that explains all the lag I was getting in 1080i. Oh well, I've already beaten the game, no reason to go back through unless I plan on beating that crazy guy's two and a half hour rampage through the game.

Rk0n @ Dec 1st 2008 9:12PM

The "Stop'N'Swop" feature now works with Nuts & Bolts. The feature was planned for the N64 but couldn't be done efficiently with the cartridges so it wasn't put through. However now they are able to do it and are letting you swap between N&B to the first Banjo. This is done to be able to unlock 7 special crates which are not achievable without the first game on XBLA.

Ignatius @ Dec 1st 2008 10:23PM

From what I remember, it had something to do with Nintendo changing the specs of the N64, which made the Stop N' Swop of cartridges impossible... therefore, the ability to use it was merely blocked. Though, the Rare Witch project hacked open the game and collected all the items.

Super G-Man @ Dec 2nd 2008 4:54AM

I like the whole Stop N Swap thing being brought back for Nuts & Bolts, and was really looking forward to finding out what's in the special crates.
I've found 3 eggs and the ice key so far, but the vehicle parts from the special crates don't really seem that good.
Am I missing something? Do they do something special when attached to a vehicle or are they just for show?!