Tag: Rare - Page 2
News Footage Of Perfect Dark's Cut Feature 'Perfect Head' Emerges Online
Heads rolled
We often laud Rare's incredible library of games on the N64, and while the focus has recently been on its seminal movie tie-in shooter GoldenEye 007 over the past week, we want to turn your attention to Perfect Dark for just a few minutes. Footage of one of the game's cut features from E3 1999 has been shared online. As highlighted by...
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...
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...
News Microsoft Renews Trademark For Rare's Classic N64 Game Blast Corps
Viva Piñata, too
Video game trademark renewals are always happening, and while they don't necessarily mean something is on the horizon, they do tend to create some excitement whenever it's a classic game or series we haven't heard about for some time. The latest ones, as highlighted by Game Rant, are tied to iconic British developer Rare - owned...
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...
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...
Random Take A Look At GoldenEye 007 Played Across 4 Separate Screens
The dream multiplayer set-up!
GoldenEye 007 for the N64 is a truly seminal video game. It was one of the first examples of the FPS genre to demonstrate just how viable it could be on consoles, with an excellent single-player campaign backed up by a multiplayer mode that's still enjoyed by many to this day. Times, however, have moved on. Although...
News Classic Beat-Em-Up 'Battletoads & Double Dragon' Gets An NES Re-Release
Available for order now
The classic 1993 NES beat-em-up Battletoads & Double Dragon is getting a fancy new re-release courtesy of Retro-Bit Publishing. The Rare-developed crossover launched on NES before later making its way to the SNES, Genesis, and Game Boy. Retro-Bits collector's edition will include an individually-numbered deluxe hardcover...
News Ex-Rare Devs To Give Talk On The Development Of GoldenEye 007 (UK)
Tickets on sale now at The Centre for Computing History in Cambridge
GoldenEye 007 is one of the most revered video games of all time, known for its move into more realistic shooting mechanics after the likes of DOOM and Wolfenstein, and for proving the validity of FPS games on consoles. If you're based in the UK and are able to pop along to...
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...
Rumour GoldenEye 007 Remaster Could Be Announced In The "Next Couple Of Weeks"
"I think that Microsoft is going to be the one to announce that first"
Remember that GoldenEye 007 re-release we mentioned a while back? Well, it seems like we could be finding out more about it officially in the next couple of weeks. That's according to VentureBeat's Jeff Grubb, who said: I think that Microsoft is going to be the one to an
Video Ex-Rare Staffers Kev Bayliss And David Wise Are Sharing Their Secrets On YouTube
Music and art combine
Not so long ago, we reported on the news that former Rare staffers Kev Bayliss and David Wise had formed 'Salmandos', an "exciting new project" that celebrates their careers in the industry. As part of this, the pair have created DK Creations, a YouTube channel that sees them sharing their secrets and generally looking back on...
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...
Review Banjo-Kazooie - Peerless Platforming Perfection, And Now Available On Switch
Kazooie, we're home
This review originally went live in 2009, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the long-awaited return of Banjo-Kazooie to a Nintendo console, available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack N64 library. Back in the days of the N64’s prime, there was one firm that managed to stand out from the rest:...
News NES Classic Battletoads Is Getting A Physical Re-Release, But Only In Japan
Columbus Circle is launching a new version today
Battletoads is one of Rare's most beloved games from the NES era. An attempt to create a media brand that could rival the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Battletoads mixed platforming with side-scrolling combat, and is famous for its unforgiving difficulty level. It spawned several sequels (including a...
News N64 Classic GoldenEye 007 No Longer "Banned" In Germany, Could A Re-Release Be Coming?
Review process actively requested by "one of Nintendo's European partners"
Rare's legendary Nintendo 64 shooter GoldenEye 007 is believed to be stuck in licensing hell, but there's been a very exciting development in Germany that has now got fans wondering if it could finally be making a return. According to a number of sources, the game is no...
News Guh-Huh! Grant Kirkhope Has Released A Banjo-Kazooie Remix Album
And you can stream it right now
Banjo-Kazooie composer Grant Kirkhope has revisited the score for the N64 classic in a new album entitled Banjo Kazooie Rejiggyed. Comprised of 10 tracks, the album puts a new spin on classic tunes from Rare's 1998 3D platformer. You can listen to it on Spotify, Deezer,
News Banjo-Kazooie Is 'Coming Home' To A Nintendo Console Via Switch Online
Bayonetta's great and all, but B-K's back baby!
You could be forgiven for missing the biggest news buried in the latest Nintendo Direct — the real megaton that turned it into the finest 40-minute presentation Nintendo has ever assembled. No, we're not talking about a gameplay reveal for the elusive Bayonetta 3 or the long-awaited
Feature The Inside Story Of Mockumentary Sequel 'Bringing Back Golden Eye'
And it's all for a good cause
Rare's seminal N64 shooter GoldenEye 007 is coming up to its 25th birthday, and for a whole generation of players, it remains a pivotal experience in their gaming lives – a fact that was playfully acknowledged by Jim Miskell's 2017 'mockumentary' Going For Golden Eye, which focused on the fictional Golden Eye World...
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...
News DKC Artist Steve Mayles Shares Gorgeous New Piece To Celebrate Donkey Kong's 40th
"Nostalgic for Kongs"
Today marks Donkey Kong's 40th anniversary, with the original game hitting Japanese arcades back on 9th July 1981. To celebrate the occasion, ex-Rare staffer Steve Mayles – now of Playtonic Games – has shared a lovely piece of new artwork featuring our favourite ape duo. You can see the full piece for yourself in Steve's...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel #86 - Battletoads
Let's not be Rash
Welcome back to Box Art Brawl, our semi-regular retro box art poll to decide the best regional variants from two or more territories. Last time went on an epic JRPG Dragon Quest in celebration of the series' 35th anniversary. Following a spirited duel between North America and Japan, it was the caricatured beast from the East that...
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...
News Rare Gives Us A Side-By-Side Comparison Of Banjo-Kazooie's amiibo And Totaku
Who wore it better?
Last week saw the arrival of three brand new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo. For many, the highlight of the lot was the release of Banjo-Kazooie - you know, the Microsoft-owned character. While we think the overall design of this particular amiibo is already fantastic, Banjo's creator, Rare, has now gone one step further,...
"believe it or not"
Last weekend, Rare's cancelled Nintendo 64 project Dinosaur Planet was leaked online. It surprised many, including Kevin Bayliss - a former Rare employee who now works at Playtonic Games. With all the memories flooding back, in his words over on VGC, Kev has now revealed how the original star of the game was actually intended to...
News Rare's Cancelled N64 Project Dinosaur Planet Has Been Leaked Online
Take a trip back in time
Just weeks after GoldenEye 007 XBLA was leaked online, Rare's other cancelled project Dinosaur Planet has now appeared on the internet. This title started out during the Nintendo 64 generation around 1999, was cancelled for this system, and eventually resurfaced as Star Fox Adventures on the GameCube. You can read about how...
News Youtooz Is Releasing Official Banjo-Kazooie Figures, Pre-Orders Open Next Week
Tooty and Bottles, too
Banjo-Kazooie hasn't been sighted since Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but that hasn't stopped the famous bear and bird from getting merch and more on a regular basis. If you've not already got a collectible based on this iconic duo sitting on your shelf, you might be interested in the Youtooz creation of this character dating...
News Nintendo Executive Blocked Remake Of GoldenEye 007, Says Former Rare Dev
There was "one guy" who didn't approve of it
It was a rather historic moment in the history of video games last week when Rare's cancelled XBLA remake / remaster of GoldenEye 007 was leaked onto the internet. The game nobody thought would see the light of day was finally released, even if it wasn't official. Following this, discussions immediately...
News No, Nintendo Is Not Solely To Blame For The Cancellation Of Goldeneye's XBLA Remake
A long-standing rights issue prevented this happening, it seems
You might've seen that GoldenEye 007 has been back in the news lately. We've known for a long time that Rare planned an Xbox Live Arcade remake of the acclaimed shooter and, courtesy of Youtuber G
Video A Full Playthrough Of GoldenEye 007's Cancelled Remake Has Leaked Online
Includes bonus multiplayer footage
The glory days of GoldenEye 007 appear to be a thing of the past on all fronts - with the 2007 Xbox Live Arcade remake of Rare's iconic Nintendo 64 shooter seemingly stuck in licensing Hell. While we likely won't ever get our hands on the game via an official release, as of today, we can at least get a better idea...
News New Letter Details Why Donkey Kong 64's Innovative "Stop 'N' Swop" Feature Was Removed
"We must ask that you remove this feature"
Stop 'N' Swop was undoubtedly one of the N64's biggest mysteries, and even now, we're still learning new things about it decades later. With six coloured eggs and an ice key scattered across Banjo-Kazooie, it was designed as a means of unlocking special content in the sequel, Banjo-Tooie. It was never used...
News Arcade1Up Is Releasing Its Very Own Killer Instinct Arcade Cabinet
Includes Killer Instinct 1 & 2, Battletoads and Battletoads & Double Dragon
Arcade 1Up - known for recreating classic arcade cabinet titles such as Mortal Kombat and NBA Jam - has revealed a cabinet for Rare's 1994 release, Killer Instinct. This is the same game that was ported to the Super Nintendo a year later - although there are notable...
Feature Banjo-Tooie Turns 20 - The Rare Team Tells The Story Of Bombs, Bugs And Bottles
"Bottles got what was coming to him"
Nowadays, there's nary a game that doesn't finish with a post-credits tease to tee up a sequel or spin-off. There's always a tantalisingly loose thread or Easter Egg hidden in the DLC hinting at a further instalment. It would be a very bold move, though, to name your sequel and directly reference it in a game...
Feature Perfect Dark Turns 20 - The Definitive Story Behind The N64 Hit That Outclassed James Bond
"We had a lot of ideas, and lots of clever people working out how to do them"
How do you follow GoldenEye 007? In the summer of 2000 – that's 20 years ago this month – Rare presented its answer: Perfect Dark, a sci-fi spy shooter centred around an alien conspiracy. It delivered a cool, competent heroine, a single-player campaign bursting with...
News Banjo-Kazooie Composer Posts Remixes For Halloween, With A Full Album Coming
Banjo-KazooiEP
There are myriad spooky levels throughout the history of video games, although one of the best has to be Mad Monster Mansion from Banjo-Kazooie (officially known as The Best Video Game Of All Time™ around these parts — when this writer's around, at least). Composer Grant Kirkhope recently put out a remix of that level's creepy...
PSA It's Diddy's Kong Quest, Not Diddy Kong's Quest
But you already knew this, right?
Towards the end of last month, Nintendo added even more classic games to its Super Nintendo online service. The highlight for most was Rare's 1995 release Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. As happy as Nintendo is to see everyone enjoying this absolute gem once again, the company's official UK Twitter...
Random Diddy Kong's Creator Is Publishing Drawing Tutorials On YouTube
Watch Kev Bayliss work his magic
Kevin Bayliss is a name that will be instantly familiar to anyone who considers themselves to be a hardcore Nintendo fan; not only was he responsible for the visuals in many of Rare's classic NES titles, he worked as a character designer on games such as Killer Instinct, Battletoads and Donkey Kong Country – in...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel #62 - Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
A Kong time ago...
Welcome to Box Art Brawl, the video game cover contest that pits regional variants against each other in a fight for your vote. Last time we observed a thrilling duel between Okamiden North American / European cover and the Japanese variant. Ultimately, it was an easy victory for Japan with over 70% of your votes going to the...
News Fangamer's Talking Conker Plush Comes With Brand New Voice Lines, Pre-Orders Now Open
Need a drinking buddy?
Rare's heavy-drinking squirrel is getting his own Fangamer plush with brand new voice lines recorded by Conker himself, Chris Seavor. You can order the Conker Talking Plush right now for $32 USD or your regional equivalent. This official Conker plush, designed by Versiris, is about eight inches tall when seated. It features...
News Jet Force Gemini Style Platform Shooter Tamarin Unlikely To Come To Switch Anytime Soon
Ex-Rare talent involved with development
Don't let the cute and cuddly look fool you, the upcoming PS4 and PC release Tamarin has ties with ex-Rare veterans. It's got character designs in it from Banjo-Kazooie creator Steve Mayles, a soundtrack from Donkey Kong Country composer David Wise and reportedly "many other developers" from Rare's golden era...
Quiz How Well Do You Know Rare And Its Nintendo Games?
Rare replay
Veteran developer Rare celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2020. The British studio may be owned by Microsoft these days, but its back catalogue of brilliant games on Nintendo systems mean it will forever be associated with Nintendo in our hearts and minds. The company, a second party Nintendo developer from the mid-'90s, bolstered (and...
Feature Rare Turns 35 This Week - We Pick 10 Highlights From The Nintendo Years
Rare talent
Three-and-a-half decades ago this week, British developer Rare was formed. Formerly known as Ultimate Play the Game, the company was created with the express purpose of creating titles for the Nintendo Entertainment System and from the mid-1980s until the early '00s the Twycross-based team would deliver some of the finest video games on...
News Rare Celebrates Its 35th Anniversary
Making games since 1985
The iconic UK-based developer Rare this month celebrates its 35th anniversary. For any Nintendo fan, arguably its best years were around the time of the N64 generation when it released one hit after another. We're talking Banjo-Kazooie, the first-person shooter Perfect Dark, Diddy Kong Racing, and how could you forget the...
Rumour Buster No, Rare Didn't Almost Make Games For The PlayStation During The N64 Era
"Our belief was that we could make better games if we focused on one platform"
Back in the '90s, Rare was a real powerhouse developer for Nintendo platforms. As one of the earliest western studios to support the NES, it produced a string of titles and would later throw its weight behind the Game Boy and SNES – culminating in the groundbreaking...
Random Recoil In Horror At The Tale Of The Troublesome QA Tester And The Soiled Rare T-Shirt
"Oh my god! There's s*** on my shirt! I can't believe it!"
Perfect Dark turned 20 recently, as you'll know if you read our exhaustive history of the game's creation. Our good friends over at Eurogamer have done a similar piece, speaking to the people who made this amazing game happen. One of those people is Steve Malpass, who also sha
"We could have dynamic responsive scores that react to the gameplay environments"
Former Rare composer David Wise is responsible for some of the best soundtracks ever heard in a video game, and for the longest time, he was the company's main resource when it came to creating music for its NES, SNES, Game Boy and N64 output. He's been speaking to US...
News Perfect Dark's Joanna Dark Was Based On Winona Ryder
"She had this great pixie haircut"
It’s been said in the past that Perfect Dark protagonist Joanna Dark was modelled on historical figure Joan of Arc, but we've been speaking to the guys behind the game and they've put us right on that score – and have revealed exactly who inspired the design of the famous secret agent. “I think that’s the...
News Perfect Dark Was Supposed To Have Push Button Cheats, But They Accidentally Got Deleted
"I’m very sorry"
If you're old enough to remember the N64 classic GoldenEye 007, you might also recall that the game featured a bunch of push button cheat codes which could be entered to change the game and unlock all of the weapons. You might also be one of the many people who were upset that its spiritual sequel, Perfect Dark, lacked this...
Random Rare Uses Banjo-Kazooie To Remind People To Stay At Home
You can't argue with the bird and bear
For the safety of everyone, and particularly society's most vulnerable, a very clear message is being spread around the world at the moment: stay home. The coronavirus (COVID-19) is having a huge impact on all aspects of life, but game developer Rare is doing its bit to help get that all-important message...
News Go Behind The Scenes Of GoldenEye 007 With This Upcoming Documentary
"I remember saying to the team, it's all downhill from here"
GoldenEye 007 is without a doubt one of the most influential video games of all time. While it certainly wasn't the first FPS title to find mainstream success – we'd already seen DOOM by the time it arrived – it popularised the genre on consoles and added layers of depth, such as...
