At its E3 press conference, Microsoft announced that Rare's original Banjo platformer will be released this year for the Xbox Live Arcade. The game will feature slightly upgraded visuals and the long awaited "stop and swap" functionality originally promised at its release more than 10 years ago.
Many will remember that the first Banjo-Kazooie game promised to interact with Banjo-Tooie. That didn't pan out, but that feature will finally be realized on Xbox 360. By finding specific items in Banjo-Kazooie on Xbox Live Arcade, you will be able to unlock things in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts.
This comes as bad news for Virtual Console fans, the game that was originally released on the N64 will be available on Xbox LIVE. It's been reported that Nintendo's logos and cameos will all be kept intact, so it's not all doom and gloom for Nintendo.
Does this mean we'll see other Rare titles on Xbox LIVE rather than Virtual Console? Time will tell.
[source xboxlive.ign.com]
Comments 13
Well, there was the talk of Goldeneye on the XBLA, so if there are any more games from Rare ported to the XBLA, that would probably be next. I Have a 360 so i don't care, this is good news to me and i will definitely get it when released
I honestly thought this would be on VC reviews due to the situation of it's VC status
Rats
It's a Nintendo game, i sitll think it should be on VC, but i won't rant forever like i first started doing.
I wonder how good an idea releaseing the info on stop and swap is. That's probably the biggest easter egg in video games. I mean, sure it will sell the game now, but who knows what they could have done with it if they continued to let it sit. I'm still not even saying it's a bad idea, i think it's neat. I'm just interested in how this is going to turn out...
I don't think any of actually expected this would land on the Wii's Virtual Console though did we?
I guess there was always the potential of it coming to DS though.
I think in an ideal world we would have the games available on both systems... but as XBLA will have better graphics (rather than the original ROM) I guess Nintendo wouldn't like a direct comparison.
I'm a firm Wii60 believer, so I'm quite happy to get this on XBLA. Really hope the new game is decent, but I'm not holding my breath, Rare just aren't the same company anymore.
Rare have had there time and yes, they're not what they were since the move but i believe if they try, they can reclaim that magic that made there games brilliant all those years ago
Yeah, it's strange because visually the games still have the same style and look great, but in character it just seems to be lacking.
I think pretty much all of the original developers have left the company now, shame.
I think some of them are still there but Game companies come and go, it's all about change
Yeah, I guess your right... things will change over time. It's just sad to see, I had such fond memories of pretty much ALL Rare games on the N64, they were instant classics every single time.
Nintendo clearly had the right idea, selling them at the right moment!
Yeah, they did and change can be sad but it can also be for the better. Rare have changed a lot but they need to have a look at there old games and realize what they're doing wrong right now. I have fond memories of there N64 games as well, there greatest period. I had most of the games, except Blast Corps and Conker
I Wonder if Banjo-Tooie will be put on there as well
If they're able to port the first one over, I don't see any technical reason behind bringing the sequel over aswell..
Even from a politics side, if they've done the first one surely the 2nd will follow.
Yeah, that sounds about right. Maybe (Although Highly Unlikely) we'll see Grunty's Revenge and Banjo-Pilot as well. I did like Grunty's Revenge, almost as much as the first two, even though it was a bit shorter than the others. Then again, it was a GBA game and there are limitations compared to an N64 game
I can't wait for this game now!
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