Banjo-Tooie (N64) News Articles
Monday1st Dec 2025
Random "Splendid Game" - Shigeru Miyamoto Was A Fan Of Banjo-Tooie
Update: Well, he signed off on it, didn't he!?...
Banjo-Tooie isn't the most beloved adventure in the bear and bird's series, but it has its fair share of fans. One of which happens to be Nintendo's very own Shigeru Miyamoto, which former Rare designer and director Gregg Mayles revealed on social media. Sharing a fax from the legendary game creator...
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...
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...
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...
Wednesday20th Nov 2024
News N64 Controller For Switch Receives A Tasty Black Friday Discount (Europe)
Grab it while you can
If you're in the market for an N64 Controller for Nintendo Switch Online, then you're in luck. Nintendo is currently hosting a Black Friday discount on the peripheral, knocking it down from £39.99 to £27.99 (or €34.99 down from €49.99 in the EU). Naturally, you will need to ensure you're subscribed to Nintendo Switch...
Friday25th Oct 2024
Random Oops! It Looks Like Banjo-Tooie's Idle Demo Is Sped Up On NSO
Banjo-Kazoomy
Rare's wonderful platformer sequel Banjo-Tooie landed on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack's N64 library today, and we are enjoying the chance to take our best bear and bird buds on the road with us once more. On the whole, this NSO version feels great, but as we left the game idly sitting on the start screen while we nipped...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's N64 Library With Banjo-Tooie
"The bear & bird are back!"
Update [Fri 25th Oct, 2024 02:05 BST]: Rare's famous bear and bird duo Banjo-Kazooie returns to the Switch Online library today in their sequel outing Banjo-Tooie. You can play it right now provided you have an active subscription to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack service. Enjoy! Original article [Fri 18th Oct,
Saturday19th Oct 2024
News Xbox Studio Rare Excited About The Return Of Banjo-Tooie Next Week
"Another modern way" to revisit the sequel
Nintendo delivered quite a surprise for N64 fans this week, announcing Rare's 3D platformer Banjo-Tooie would be joining the Expansion Pack service next week on 25th October 2024. As part of this announcement, Rare (known nowadays for titles like Sea of Thieves) has taken to social media to voice its own...
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...
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...
Thursday2nd Jun 2022
News Fangamer's Gorgeous Banjo-Tooie Vinyl Box Set Is Now Available
And Banjo-Kazooie is back in stock!
Back in 2019, Fangamer launched a rather lovely-looking set of Banjo-Kazooie goodies that was hard for some of us here at Nintendo Life to resist. Within that collection was a gorgeous vinyl set for the first game with tracks curated by the composer himself, Grant Kirkhope! Further reading: Fangamer's New Range...
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 Aug 2021
Video Check Out This Fan-Made Remaster Trailer For Banjo-Kazooie
It looks good enough to play
Although Rare technically re-released an improved version of Banjo-Kazooie during the Xbox 360 generation, there are still many fans out there who have been wondering for many years now what a full-blown remaster of the first title would look like. YouTuber Project Dream has been working on a video series called...
Wednesday12th May 2021
News F4F Reveals Banjo-Kazooie Mumbo Jumbo And Crocodile Banjo Statue
Pre-orders are now live
Update [Wed 12th May, 2021 04:55 BST]: Following on from last week's teaser, First 4 Figures has now officially revealed its Mumbo Jumbo statue and a Crocodile Banjo one. Pre-orders are now live on the official F4F website. The Mumbo Jumbo statue will be available as a standard and exclusive edition. Crocodile Banjo can be...
Monday10th Feb 2020
Random Storm Ciara Decapitates A Rare Video Gaming Legend
"So I got you there once more, I knew your skill was very poor!"
Those of you based in the UK will no doubt be counting the cost of Storm Ciara, which has done its best to batter the British Isles over the past few days. High winds and lashings of rain have caused disruption all over the country, from power cuts, cancelled trains,
Sunday10th Nov 2019
Poll Box Art Brawl #16 - Banjo-Tooie
Bear-and-Bird-based brawling
Come one, come all - we're about to begin the Box Art Brawl! Yes, welcome back to the weekly battle where we throw three versions of box art from the same game into a ring to determine which one wins the beauty pageant and which one(s) deserves to be boxed up forever. Last week Super Mario took on his continental...
Monday28th Oct 2019
Video We Almost Had A 2D Banjo-Kazooie Platformer On Game Boy Color
Original design documents tell the tale
With the bear and bird now perfectly playable in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the love for Banjo-Kazooie has felt particularly strong as of late. You'll no doubt be aware of the original N64 game, its sequel Banjo-Tooie and more, but did you know that the series almost received a 2D platformer on the Game Boy...
Tuesday16th Jul 2019
News Banjo-Kazooie Composer Grant Kirkhope Doesn't Know If There's A Market For A New Game
"I just don't know"
Around the time of E3 2019, when it was revealed Banjo-Kazooie would be added as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the composer of the bear and bird's original Nintendo 64 outing spoke with VGC about the possibility of a new entry in the series. In a more recent interview with the same website, the one and only...
Wednesday12th Jun 2019
News Original Banjo-Kazooie Team "Pleased" About Duo's Return, But Unsure A New Game "Would Sell"
Also doubts about Rare's interest
In the same VGC interview featuring the former Rare composer Grant Kirkhope, Steve Mayles and Chris Sunderland shared their own thoughts about Banjo-Kazooie being added as a DLC fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Steven Mayles, the original character designer of the bird and bear, said he was "pleased" to see...
Friday5th Oct 2018
Random Banjo-Kazooie And Conker Are Being Added To The Totaku Collection
Retro-inspired
If you were around during the years of the Nintendo 64, you'll no doubt remember Rare's foul-mouthed squirrel Conker and the beloved bear and bird duo, Banjo-Kazooie. To help you remember the glory days of these iconic characters, the Totaku Collection is adding the characters to its officially licensed figurine line. Both the...
Saturday7th Jul 2018
News Pre-Orders For Banjo-Kazooie Statue By First 4 Figures Can Be Validated On 10th July
A rare opportunity for $429.99
Last December, First 4 Figures revealed it was collaborating with the iconic UK developer, Rare, to release a new line of collectibles based on the Banjo-Kazooie and Conker game series. Fast forward to several months later and the first statue in this new line - Banjo-Kazooie - has now been unveiled. Sporting...
Thursday22nd Mar 2018
News Xbox's Phil Spencer Is Still Open To Banjo And Kazooie Appearing In Super Smash Bros.
Rare is also open to giving IP to third parties
As we all know, Rare used to be a solid partner for Nintendo. During the N64 years, Nintendo held a significant stake in the UK firm, which created seminal games like Donkey Kong Country, GoldenEye 007, Blast Corps, Perfect Dark and Donkey Kong 64. It was also the company responsible for the N64...
Saturday30th Mar 2013
News Grant Kirkhope Wishes He Could Make Banjo-Kazooie 3 For Nintendo
Explains why Rare chose to make Nuts & Bolts
Banjo-Kazooie is revered by many as one of the best games to ever grace the N64. The platformer, which starred a docile bear and a wise-cracking bird, could have ended up being something completely different as it was originally set to be a highly ambitious venture known as Project Dream. Speaking as a...
Wednesday26th Sep 2012
News Ex-Rare Developers Join Forces To Create A Spiritual Successor To Banjo-Tooie
All hope is not lost
Nothing puts a frown on a Nintendo fan's face like mentioning Rare. The company that once brought Perfect Dark, Donkey Kong 64, Banjo Kazooie and GoldenEye 007 are currently working on the Kinect Sports series for Microsoft. While most gamers have given up on seeing a new "proper" Banjo Kazooie sequel from Rare, a new glimmer of...
