Banjo-Kazooie (N64) News Articles
Wednesday15th Oct 2025
News Banjo-Kazooie Director Marks Departure From Rare With A Poem
End of an era
If you enjoy Rare's games, then chances are you ought to be thanking Gregg Mayles, a UK-based game designer who not only directed Banjo-Kazooie and its Xbox-only follow-up Nuts & Bolts, but also worked on Banjo-Tooie, Donkey Kong Country, Battletoads, and more. He was a big deal at the studio, and now after 36 years, he's left for...
Friday2nd May 2025
News Banjo-Kazooie Composer Explains Why He Thinks Another Game Is Unlikely
The "overriding factor" is money
There have been ongoing requests over the years for the revival of Rare's famous bear and bird duo Banjo-Kazooie, but will fans ever see this series return? The game's composer Grant Kirkhope already spoke about this earlier in the year - mentioning how he had "zero hope" for a new entry, and now in an interview...
Wednesday16th Apr 2025
News "Nintendo Has Been A Great Partner" - Phil Spencer Reiterates Switch 2 Support
"I’m really a big believer in what Nintendo means for this industry"
Microsoft's Phil Spencer has once again reiterated his support for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 in a new interview with Variety (thanks, VGC). When asked whether Xbox has any specific projects in mind for the Switch 2, Spencer was understandably hesitant to provide concrete...
Friday11th Apr 2025
News Crash And Spyro Dev Wants To Partner With Team Xbox For A Crack At Banjo
"Banjo's been hibernating long enough, right?"
Having helmed well-received entries in the Spyro/Skylanders and Crash Bandicoot lines, developer Toys for Bob has form with 3D platformers featuring beloved childhood characters. Perhaps unsurprisingly, according to a new interview, the team would be interested in reviving another fan-favourite series:...
Sunday16th Mar 2025
News First 4 Figures Teases New Banjo-Kazooie Statue, Pre-Orders Open Next Week
Update: Here's a look at the Definitive Edition
There hasn't been a new Banjo-Kazooie game for many years now, but there are still plenty of fans out there eager for more. Although it's not a game, First 4 Figures has shared a sneak peek of its new statue - Banjo's sister Tooty, who is captured by Gruntilda in Rare's original Nintendo 64 adventure...
Thursday23rd Jan 2025
News Banjo-Kazooie Composer Has "Zero Hope" For A New Entry
We're inclined to agree
Just days after Moon Studios' lead Thomas Mahler expressed his desire to see the Banjo-Kazooie franchise in the hands of a "really talented developer", original composer Grant Kirkhope has taken to social media to say that he has "zero hope" in a potential new entry (thanks, Eurogamer). He then went on to say that a new...
Monday20th Jan 2025
News Banjo-Kazooie Has The Potential To "Rival 3D Mario", Says Ori Dev
If a "really talented developer" has a crack at it
There was once a time when Banjo-Kazooie was rightly considered to be a close rival to the Super Mario franchise when Rare launched two outstanding entries on N64 in the form of the self-titled debut and its sequel, Banjo-Tooie. That was a long time ago, though. While Microsoft flirted with idea of...
Friday13th Dec 2024
Random Upcoming Banjo-Kazooie Mod Is A Nostalgic Trip Through A Bunch Of N64 Classics
Get jiggies with it
Back in 2021, modder Mark Kurko revealed a first look at his monster project, 'BK Nostalgia 64'. This love letter to the N64 and Banjo-Kazooie (whodathunkit with a title like that?) was originally slated for a Christmas 2024 release, though through a variety of complications, the modder has decided to push things back to 2025...
Saturday23rd Nov 2024
News Banjo-Kazooie "Washer Banjo" Revealed, Here's A Sneak Peek
Pre-orders open soon
First 4 Figures has released all sorts of high-quality statues and with this in mind, it's now teasing a "sneak peek" of its latest Banjo-Kazooie figure. This one is based on the transformation "Washer Banjo" and pre-orders will be opening in 10 days on 3rd December 2024. If you sign up to the First 4 Figures email, you can...
Thursday21st Nov 2024
News Composer Grant Kirkhope Joins Davide Soliani's New Indie Studio
"There’s no way out now."
Davide Soliani, the director of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, recently revealed his new indie studio, Day 4 Night. Focused on delivering "deeply heartfelt and original games that innovate in storytelling and design", its a bold new venture for the creator who had previously spent 25...
Friday30th Aug 2024
News Banjo-Kazooie Is The Latest N64 Game To Be Fully Decompiled
Tick tock PC
Fans and coders have been working on decompiling multiple classic Nintendo 64 games over the years, with Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, Perfect Dark, and Majora's Mask just being a handful of titles they've managed to revert to source code. Now, a Nintendo Life favourite is joining the roster of decompiled N64 games (thanks to CM30...
Friday24th May 2024
Random Another Banjo-Kazooie Funko Pop Is On The Horizon, But It's Still Pretty Horrifying
Pre-order, if you dare
If you cast your mind back to earlier in the year, you might remember the horrors of the GameStop-exclusive Banjo-Kazooie Funko Pop. With its big head and soulless, staring eyes, the figure was... well, a Funko Pop, but it was also an acknowledgement that the Rare pair still exist, so we'll take what we can get. Now, Funko...
Thursday18th Apr 2024
Random Latest Fan-Made 'Banjo-Threeie' Trailer Very Nearly Had Us Going
It ain't real, folks!
For years decades now, Banjo-Kazooie fans have been clamouring for a new entry in the dormant platforming franchise, and while 2008's Nuts & Bolts was certainly likeable in its own way, there's just no escaping that niggling thought in the back of our minds: we need 'Banjo-Threeie'. We're not sure what Microsoft is...
Saturday2nd Dec 2023
News Xbox Acknowledges Fan Requests For New Banjo-Kazooie Game
Phil Spencer: "Banjo fans, I hear you"
Rare's famous bear and bird duo Banjo-Kazooie made a return via Nintendo's Switch Online service last year, and ever since then, fans have been calling for a proper comeback. There have even been some rumours doing the rounds about a possible revival, so what are the chances of something like this ever...
Tuesday7th Nov 2023
News Pre-Orders For A Stunning Banjo-Kazooie Statue Are Now Live
Another gem from First 4 Figures
Toy and model company First 4 Figures has launched pre-orders for a new product called 'Banjo-Kazooie Duet'. Based on the 1998 N64 classic Banjo-Kazooie from developer Rare, the statue comes in three flavours, each accompanied by a rather eye-watering price tag. The first is the standard model showcasing the two...
Friday11th Nov 2022
Random No, The Flower Pots In Banjo-Kazooie Weren't Swearing At You
Composer Grant Kirkhope has the proof
One of the most bizarre, yet enduring myths regarding the N64 classic Banjo-Kazooie is one that's perhaps a little NSFW. While developer Rare has certainly flexed its more cheeky side in the past with the likes of Conker's Bad Fur Day, many fans have mistakenly believed that the flower pots found within Mad...
Monday26th Sep 2022
Random A Look Into The Birthplace Of Banjo-Kazooie Developer Rare Ltd
Or 'Ultimate Play the Game', as it used to be known
As that weird android from Ridley Scott's Prometheus once said: "big things come from small beginnings". Or was that Lawrence of Arabia..? Anyway... It's a quote that can be attributed to the creation of many of our favourite game developers, but is perhaps most valid when describing the early days...
Wednesday31st Aug 2022
Random Rare's Unreleased Game Boy Rival Is A True Handheld Marvel
Meet the "Playboy"... No, not that one
British video game developer Rare is undoubtedly best known for its close relationship with Nintendo back in the '90s and early '00s, before Microsoft outright acquired it in 2002. Indeed, games like GoldenEye 007, Banjo-Kazooie, and Perfect Dark have all cemented themselves as icons in the industry; games that...
Monday15th Aug 2022
News Banjo-Kazooie's Gruntilda Gets Stunning Statue, Pre-Order Now Or Else She'll Catch You
Update: Early bird pricing ends soon
Update: Early bird pricing on First 4 Figures' Banjo and Kazooie statue ends at 9am BST tomorrow, 16th August. If you've been tempted to pick one of these up, we'd suggest doing so before the prices jump up after that time! Original Article (Wed 27th Jul, 2022 16:30 BST): Known for her devilishly wicked...
Thursday14th Jul 2022
Random Fake Nintendo Soundtracks Are Apparently Being Sold At Rip Off Prices
Banjo would be so disappointed
Nintendo hasn't had the best track record when it comes to making music readily available to the masses, with the publisher issuing strikes against multiple YouTube users for using (or even just covering) its music online. This latest piece of news, however, signals more than ever that it to make some huge strides in...
Sunday12th Jun 2022
News Rare's Banjo-Kazooie Is Rumoured To Be Making A Comeback
"Something's happening with Banjo"
Rare's Banjo-Kazooie - starring the bear and bird who made a name for themselves during the Nintendo 64 generation - is rumoured to be making a return. In the latest episode of the Nate the Hate podcast, game developer Modern Vintage Gamer suggested a revival could be on the way, based on some things he had been...
Monday30th May 2022
Video Fans Create Stunning Trailer For The Banjo-Kazooie Sequel We Never Got
Oh my guh-huh!
For many N64 owners back in the day, Rare was at the top of the game. Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie were two of the best platformers on the system and the bear and bird combo became iconic figures in the platforming mascot era. Fans were desperate for what they dubbed 'Banjo-Threeie', and that desire still lingers today. Before we...
Thursday19th May 2022
Random Banjo-Kazooie's Gruntilda Returns In Fan-Altered She-Hulk Poster
Grunty's revenge revenge
Just recently, Marvel Studios showcased a first-look at the upcoming Disney+ series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Fans got a glimpse at a new trailer for the series alongside a promotional poster showing off Tatiana Maslany's Jennifer Walters in full Hulk-mode whilst wearing very high heeled shoes (as if she needs to boost her...
Monday18th Apr 2022
Video Switch Games That Just Make Us Happy
Well, Alex specifically
Speaking about games that make us happy is a lot more satisfying than talking about games that are disappointing or just plain bad. It just makes sense, right? Who needs more negativity in this world? Our charming video host Alex Olney found this out first hand over the weekend. After initially wanting to talk about the most...
Wednesday30th Mar 2022
Rumour Could We Be Getting New NES And SNES Games This Week?
Update: Three more classics have been added!
Update [Thu 31st Mar, 2022 02:05 BST]: It's official, Nintendo has expanded its SNES and NES service with three more titles. Nintendo Expands Its Switch Online SNES And NES Service With Three More Titles Original story [Wed 30th Mar, 2022 13:45 BST]: New games for the Nintendo Switch Online service...
Friday11th Mar 2022
Video This Fan-Made Banjo-Kazooie Remaster Trailer Looks Absolutely Stunning
Unfortunately, you can't actually play it...
Even if Banjo-Kazooie is now Microsoft-owned, the bear and bird duo will always have a special place in the hearts of Nintendo gamers around the world. And although Rare re-released an improved version of the original title during the Xbox 360 generation, many fans are still left wondering what a proper...
Saturday22nd Jan 2022
News Xbox Studio Rare "Immensely Pleased" About Banjo-Kazooie's Arrival On Switch
We've waited almost 24 years...
It was a bittersweet moment yesterday when Banjo-Kazooie arrived on the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack service. As fantastic as it is to see the UK developer's iconic duo return to a Nintendo platform after so long. It's now been nearly 20 years since Rare was acquired by Microsoft, and almost 24 since the...
Friday21st Jan 2022
Video We Have A Lot Of Feelings About Banjo-Kazooie On Switch
Good ones, too!
Banjo-Kazooie on a Nintendo console in 2022. It's mind-blowing! Not just because Rare and Nintendo parted ways long ago, or because we still haven't got our hands on Rare Replay, or because there will most likely never be another Banjo-Kazooie game, but because it actually looks really good. There were a few concerns, especially...
Random 'Grunty's Mansion' Is The Banjo-Kazooie X Luigi's Mansion Hack We Didn't Know We Needed
Banjo-Luigee: The Bird, The Bear, And The Brother
It's a match made in hell: The surprisingly creepy Banjo-Kazooie, a game in which you have to fight a witch and all her minions in order to save your sister from... getting very ugly; and the very creepy Luigi's Mansion, a game in which you have to fight a horde of ghosts in order to save your...
News Banjo-Kazooie Is Available Now On Switch Online's Expansion Pack
Rare's iconic duo return
Update [Fri 21st Jan, 2022 01:45 GMT]: Banjo-Kazooie has now been added to NSO's N64 Expansion Pack service. Enjoy! Original article [Wed 19th Jan, 2022 01:30 GMT]: Xbox isn't the only one that has some exciting announcements to share this week. Nintendo (with the cooperation of Rare and Microsoft, we guess...) has just...
