You Need To Play Banjo-Tooie Again
I don't know about you, but there was always one platformer each year I wanted for Christmas as a child. There was nothing quite like finally having that long-anticipated game in your hands on that festive morning, and knowing that for the next few weeks, nothing else mattered until you were finally carted back to school.
Over the years, games such as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on the PS1 and Toy Story 2 on the Nintendo 64 kept me up until the early hours of the morning, tossing and turning in anticipation. But out of everything, one stood proudly above them all as one I desperately needed to dive into, and that game was Banjo-Tooie.
Two Can Be As Good As One
Click to enlargeIf you’ve ever played Banjo-Kazooie, you'll know just how fantastic the series is. It's criminal that it's been dormant for so long, with Microsoft sitting on an incredible IP. In a world where Super Mario 64 dominated the Nintendo 64, it’s mind-boggling to think that another open-world platformer could even think of standing toe-to-toe with one of the industry greats.
Yet, despite the competition, developer Rare created a loveable duo and a series of worlds punctuated with pitch-perfect platforming. Its legacy lived on for a few years, with a couple of Game Boy Advance titles and even a third entry that focused on building vehicles rather than platforming. But the magnum opus of Rare remains in the often overlooked sequel Banjo-Tooie.
Sure, the original game continued ushering in the great generation of platformers, but the sequel managed to build upon everything found in its predecessor to become a shining beacon for what the genre should strive for. Even to this day, it holds up, with some incredible level design, gorgeous visuals, and loveable characters that absorb you into the world.
The Birds And The Bears
Click to enlargeThe world of Banjo-Tooie is just a joy to explore, but the true star of the show is the titular pair themselves. Combined with Rare's sharp writing - which carefully manages to balance dark humour with the feeling of a Saturday morning cartoon - there's never a cutscene or character interaction where you're not reeling from the classic British comedy woven within its narrative.
From the beginning moments where the loveable mole Bottles is crushed to death as the fiendish villain Gruntilda rises again, the surprises just keep coming, and it never dumbs down its creativeness for the audience's benefit. Even to this day, I'm still scarred by Bottles' demise, which hit me in the feels more than Mufasa in The Lion King (spoiler alert!).
While most platformers often feature silent protagonists, the constant bickering from Kazooie as they're reluctantly dragged from level to level is consistently humorous, as Banjo just wants to help those in need. The two aren't simply there for comedy value either, the way they interact with the world is performed in unison, each offering abilities to complement the other - more so than the first game.
Every ability from Banjo-Kazooie is here, and a whole new arsenal of moves to sink your teeth into. There are even pads to separate the duo to complete puzzles together as you control each hero. While Banjo-Tooie doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to platformers, what it does do is build upon everything that came before it, refining it in the process.
Similar to this year's God of War Ragnarok, it uses everything that came before it to be the best of its class.
A Whole New World
Click to enlargeThe level design in Banjo-Tooie is another star of the show. With a giant overworld to explore, filled with secrets, collectibles, and challenges to complete, it makes for a wondrous playground to utilise your abilities. Every nook and cranny is purposefully crafted with a reason to explore every inch. Whether it be to grab a puzzle piece to unlock the next world or return the cute Jinjos to their home.
As for the levels, well, they're just as good, with some true standouts across the board. Two of my personal favourites include the horror fuelled theme park of Witchyworld and the good vibes of Jolly Roger’s Lagoon. The sheer amount of locations you visit is diverse, with each offering new challenges to overcome as they slowly increase in difficulty as you power through.
Similarly to the overworld, they are densely packed with stuff to do, to the point where it can be somewhat overwhelming. Sporting some of the best visuals seen on the Nintendo 64, it's hard to believe Rare managed to cram so much in for players to do. There is even a selection of multiplayer mini-games for players to check out - something me and my neighbours would partake in fairly regularly.
To further exasperate how phenomenal the world design is for its time, all of these worlds directly tie into the overworld and other lands, meaning everything feels like one huge adventure. It was incredibly exciting at the time, and as that younger gamer sitting around my tiny TV across the Christmas break, it felt like I'd truly been transported to another world.
But Why Now?
The question now remains, why play Banjo-Tooie after all this time? It's no shock to hear there's been a resurgence of platformers of late - both in and outside of the indie scene. The last generation saw franchises such as Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and Ratchet & Clank return to critical and financial success, yet, our good friends Banjo and Kazooie remain on the sidelines.
It just seems like the right time for the bear and bird to have their time in the spotlight again. While it seems no plans for a new entry are in the pipeline, at least in the immediate future, the original two games still hold up massively to this day. But for me, the sequel just edges over the first game with its superior level design and wonderful cast of characters.
Both can be played easily if you have an Xbox console. They're available natively with 4K support and achievements, allowing you to experience the best version of Banjo-Tooie possible. Elsewhere, you can get your Banjo fix on Nintendo Switch, with Banjo-Kazooie being part of the Nintendo Switch Online service. If you want a cute and cozy platformer to play this holiday season, you can't go far wrong with either.
