I Go a Bit Retro (Banjo-Kazooie)

Game: Banjo-Kazooie
Platforms: Nintendo 64, Xbox 360, Xbox One (as part of Rare Replay)
Played On: Xbox 360
Price: £9.99 (Xbox 360 - will vary for other platforms)
Available on Xbox Game Pass: Yes

It’s a classic, I decided it was time I finally played the 1998 hit Banjo-Kazooie, Developed by Rare and published of course by Nintendo. Now obviously if you’ve read the bit above I’m actually playing the Xbox Live Arcade version released 10 years later in 2008 by Microsoft, Developed by 4J Studios. So I’m sorry for you purists out there but it was on Game Pass and at this point I’d been locked up for a week. For the purposes of trying not to anger people, I’m reviewing just the 360 remake, not the original version.

Now I have to go a little bit further back into the past and talk about the original console wars between the Nintendo 64 and it’s cartridges and the PlayStation with it’s discs. I was a PlayStation owner, that was the console bought for 6 year old me, you didn’t get a choice, an allegiance was assigned for you in those days (unless you were one of the rich kids), so I had Crash Bandicoot and Spyro (although I’d never played Spyro till last year) and Nintendo had Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie. So I saw this on game pass and thought I’d finally play what 6 year old PlayStation me couldn’t. Strange how I mainly use Xbox now...

Throughout its existence, Banjo-Kazooie has had to use Spyro as it’s direct comparison, (yes I know the Nintendo title came out 3 months earlier) and today will be no different, the similarities in these games are staggering really, one main base level, lots of different levels to go into, lots of collectibles in the levels, one big boss at the end. They run parallel. Obviously Spyro was a little bigger as the discs had more storage on them. As well as the PlayStation using a memory card for saves, so score one for the purple dragon. But that’s as far as I’ll go for now with the comparisons, as we all know they both wanted to be Mario 64.

So we begin, we have our big bad villain being villainous, note there is no voice acting in the game so all dialogue is on screen type. After said villainous act our heroes spring into action with a nice, easy tutorial level. And here’s where it’s starts to get interesting, because if you’re like me, a few alarm bells are ringing about how this game controls, mostly the camera controls. They’re not good at all, even slightly good... they’re awful. Here is where I will have to put on my objective hat, and head back to 1998.

‘So 1998 me, how’s the game??’

‘Well thanks 2020 me, well the controls are a bit dodgy here in 1998 but that’s fine for us, also the graphics are amazing and the game is charming and challenging in all the right places. Back to you 2020 me’

‘Good to hear from 1998, how about you 2008??’

‘Well in 2008 what we have here is a blatant cash in, with some slightly revamped graphics but have decided to change nothing else, so the game lacks any real heart and is actually quite frustrating to play in a more modern console’

Sorry, I don’t know what came over me then. So I guess what I’m saying here is the console you play this one could make all the difference. But surely it can’t be as simple as that, can it?? Well the levels are the same, the same levels to jump into with all there variety, the jokes are still there (still funny by the way) and as I said not much has really changed with the game, except it’s a little more polished graphically, and the controller I’m using is different. But truly has this actually taken all charm and joy out of the wonderful game?

I know some of you are saying ‘but you never played the original, how can you compare?’ Well I didn’t play Spyro until the reignited trilogy came out and that was flawless, perfectly redone and had all the charm spilling out of it. This however does not. It handles poorly that can’t be understated, and I mean poorly. The mapping in the controller is way too busy and I honestly feel this remake hasn’t done the original service. Please if anyone has a copy of the 64 version going I’d love to play it!!

Despite its downs it doesn’t take away from the fact that this is a remake of a very, vary good game, if that’s one positive it’s still a very fun and challenging platformer that goes for about 12-15 hours and you will have fun with it. Like all good games the level variety is crucial jumping from sandy beaches to haunted houses and of course a few dreaded water levels to beat as well. But as you’re playing, you can’t help shake that feeling that this version feels just a little too corporate, and sadly it suffers.

7/10

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