Rare celebrated Banjo-Kazooie’s launch on Nintendo Switch Online

Rare celebrated Banjo-Kazooie’s launch on Nintendo Switch Online

Banjo Kazooie, the iconic Nintendo 64 3D platformer from Rare was launched to critical acclaim in 1998, is now accessible to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers.

Now, the Microsoft-owned company, which is part of Xbox Game Studios, has released a new essay on their official blog by Rare creator Leigh Loveday, who wrote a few words on bringing the game to Switch, which he claimed the team was “very thrilled” to accomplish.

“People have been clamoring for vintage Rare titles to be resurrected for the Switch for a long time, so we’re ecstatic that we were able to collaborate with Nintendo to bring the bear and bird to this platform.”

About Banjo Kazooie on Nintendo Switch Online

This version of Banjo-Kazooie is the Nintendo 64 original as you remember it, in the spirit of keeping the game precisely as it was among the other games available. If you grew up with a later console generation, we’re anticipating a whole new generation of players being transformed into washing machines by Mumbo Jumbo, fleeing from Snacker the shark, and confronting Grunty’s Furnace Fun for the first time.

The odd combination of an amicable bear and the sardonic bird that lives in his backpack was introduced in this much-loved 3D platformer, as they fought head-to-head with Gruntilda the stupid, rhyme-obsessed witch in an effort to release Banjo’s sister before she became… Actually, if you watch the Banjo-Kazooie in 60 Seconds video we did for Rare Replay, you’ll see what I mean.

In addition, here’s a short rundown of the series: Banjo-Kazooie was launched in 1998, after Banjo’s solo role in Diddy Kong Racing the year before, and it soon became a fan favorite, riding the wave of platformer popularity. Its brightly colored cast of characters, locations, puzzles, and collectibles were seasoned with odd Rare humour, making it stand out in a crowded industry.

The success of the first game led to the production of an even larger N64 sequel, Banjo-Tooie, in 2000, as well as a pair of original Game Boy Advance games and the duo’s lone lead role in Rare’s Xbox period, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts for Xbox 360 in 2008.”