Overview

Number of Players
1 (Single Player)
Genre
Release Date

Nintendo 64

  • US 29th Jun 1998
  • EU 17th Jul 1998
  • JP 6th Dec 1998

Nintendo Switch (Nintendo Switch Online)

  • US 20th Jan 2022
  • EU 20th Jan 2022

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack (Subscription)

  • Available Now
Series
Tags
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org

Reviews

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Screenshots 9

Banjo-Kazooie Screenshot
Banjo-Kazooie Screenshot
Banjo-Kazooie Screenshot
Banjo-Kazooie Screenshot
Banjo-Kazooie Screenshot
Banjo-Kazooie Screenshot
Banjo-Kazooie Screenshot
Banjo-Kazooie Screenshot
Banjo-Kazooie Screenshot

Banjo-Kazooie Guides

Banjo-Kazooie News

About The Game

Banjo-Kazooie is comprised of several non-linear 3D worlds in which the player must gather jigsaw pieces, or "Jiggys", to progress. Banjo and Kazooie are aided by Bottles, who teaches them new abilities, and Mumbo, who uses magical powers to transform them into other creatures, such as a termite or crocodile.

The player progresses in the game by finding Jiggys, Musical Notes and Mumbo Tokens. Jiggys open doors to new worlds by collecting enough to complete the corresponding jigsaw puzzle. There are ten in each world; nine must be found, and one is granted by finding all five Jinjos on each world. Musical Notes open note doors that allow Banjo and Kazooie to progress further into Gruntilda's lair. There are 100 notes in each world, and 900 total in the game. Mumbo Tokens grant the player magical transformations at Mumbo's hut when the player collects a sufficient amount.

Besides these primary items, the player can also collect items which are used in performing certain moves. Bottles must teach Banjo and Kazooie the move before the item can be used. Items include blue eggs, red feathers and gold feathers, which can be held in quantities of up to 100, 50 and 10, respectively. Blue eggs are fired as projectiles or ejected from Kazooie's rear, and bounce slowly until they either hit an enemy, or break on their own; red feathers are used in flight and flying attacks; and gold feathers are for the most powerful attack, Wonderwing, which uses Kazooie's wings to make her and Banjo invincible and can kill almost any enemy, or at least protect the bear and bird. Rarer, temporary items can be found which have specialized use in puzzle-solving, namely wading boots, which enable the crossing of hazardous terrain, and turbo trainers, which grant extra running speed, often as part of a race or a time-based puzzle. Other items include extra lives and honeycomb energy, which respectively increase the player's lives and health, and extra honeycomb pieces, which give the player a permanent increase of one honeycomb of health for every six collected.

Comments 17

Supermarioman

Why is this exactly on the site, haven't rare and Microsoft kinda said no way to letting Banjo come to VC? I hope it does.

BlueFlameBat

I think it's just part of the Retro section of this website and they put it on the "Coming Soon" list by mistake.

Supermarioman

Yeah sorry about my first comment, that was when the WiiWare World/VC-Reviews/Nintendo Life merger had just started and it was accidently in the VC section! Also this and Goldeneye keep my N64 busy even almost 15 years after its release!

RetroNL

The visuals, the music, the puzzles. . This game is in my opinion a masterpiece and one of the best games ever made. For me its the best platformer I have played so far (in feeling) I like it even more than Galaxy.
I will never forget the first time playing it on the N64 in 1998, and yes I know the camera critics, but what early 3d game didnt have that flaw ?
I hope they will release this on VC some day, though Microsoft owns Rare now, that means the chances are very slim.

geek-master

my first ever N64 game that i got when i was young

Mario-Xaveir

It was said that this was the best platforming game for N64. Im a HUGE Banjofan. Not to lie and this isnt just the best platforming game ever its also the most mysterious game ever. How is it well its a mystery called Stop 'N' Swop and no Im not about to explain all of it. Its way to much to explain. Go online and read about it. Its a huge theory and takes place with banjo tooie transferring data with the Banjo-Kazooie catridge. And you can find these mysterious as references in other banjo games and other random rareware games.

1080ike

One of two N64 games that I ever got new. I found a brand-new, unopened copy in a thrift shop one day a few years ago, and, well, the rest is history.

MegaJoeySA

this is one of the best game in the library of all time.

HollyKazooie

This game is the epitome of perfection.

Maz_64

Banjo Kazooie is my all time favorite game i have played it since i was a kid, it beats most games these days i hope they make banjo kazooie 3!!

N00BiSH

Just want to remind you all that Banjo won't be in Smash purely due to licensing issues.

Nintendo-Power64

Banjo-Kazooie is a CLASSIC! bought the game first time at CEX in the early 2000's great memories I still own it.

ryobi85

@N00BiSH you got that one wrong! Banjo kawrongy 👏😂😂

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