If you’ve been into gaming for a few decades, you’ll have fond memories of Saturday mornings diving into the latest releases on Nintendo 64.? While the likelihood of you having a ??Nintendo 64 still available to play is slim, the Switch offers a limited number of titles from the iconic console. 

It’s been 28 years since the Nintendo 64 first hit TV units across the world, and 22 years since the final game was released for the console in North America (Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, for those interested). That’s a long time to go without playing some of the classics that were available duri?ng the console’s six-year tenure. 

However, if you’ve got a Nintendo Switch Online+ Expansion Pack membership, there are a few of those classics available to play. While some of them are definitely more niche, here are 10 of the best titles available to play. Apologies in advance if this list reminds ??you that we're aging up a little too fast...

Super Mario 64

I can’t begin this list without mentioning Super Mario 64. It was one of two games that were released alongside the launch of the N64 in North America (alongside Pilotwings 64), so it’s one of the first games that springs to mind when I think back to queuing outside my local video game store to get the console on lau??nch day in 1996. 

I don’t feel like I need to explain Super Mario 64 too much, but just in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last 39 years, let me give you the TLDR (which goes for most of the games): Mario is invited to visit Princess Peach, only to find Bowser has infiltrated and kidnapped her. Cue a ma??d dash across the realm to locate and res??cue the Princess, and take down Bowser. 

Pokémon Snap

If you want an updated version of this classic 1999 Pokémon title, then you can get New Pokémon Snap, which was released specifically for the Switch back in 2021. However, nothing quite touches the original in terms of nostalgia and classic design. There’s something really special about?? curling up and snapping shots of Pokémon as remembered from childhood. 

What tips the original over the successor, personally, is the lack of pressure to complete tasks. Admittedly there isn’t much in the new one either, b??ut if you face a lot of pressure?? on a daily basis, being able to simply focus on taking photos rather than needing a reason to is actually really nice. 

Paper Mario

First reaching North America in 2001, Paper Mario is the first in a series of six games (or seven, if you count Paper Jam) to feature Mario and associated characters in their â€?.5Dâ€?forms. Again, the plot is familiar to all Mario fans - Bowser has Princess Peach, and Mario must battle through the Mushroom Kingdom to get her back and kick so?me overgrown turtle butt. 

What makes the Paper Mario series incredibly special, and especially the first, is not only the art st??yle but the puzzles and cooperation with other characters as well. The RPG elements and turn-based combat moments are tense, but not overly so. 

GoldenEye 007

GoldenEye 007 is an absolutely guaranteed memory for anyone who grew up in the 90s, whether you actually played or simply knew other people who did and desperately wanted to but your parents thought it was too graphic. The idea of the latter is laughable now, considering the current gaming graphics we’ve become so use?d to, but the 90s were a different time. 

Regardless, the cover art of GoldenEye 007 is enough to trigger some childhood memories for most, featuring Pierce Brosnan as Bond and Izabella Scorupco as Natalya Simonova. It’s based on the story from 1995’s GoldenEye, ?and as Bond, it’s up to the player to take down a criminal syndicate and prevent them from using a satellite weapon. It also had multiplayer options, which would usually result in an argument or two. 

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Released in 1998, Ocarina of Time was the first of the Zelda game series to feature ??3D graphics. It is, arguably, among the best and most iconic video games of all time, and at the time of release, it received far more pre-orders than any other game before it. 

As with most other Zelda titl?es, you take the role of Link and have all of his usual weapons in your arsenal, including the iconic sword and shield. The story is hard to explain if you’ve never p??layed, but in short, Link must awaken the five Sages, defeat Ganondorf, and protect the kingdom of Hyrule. 

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards was released in 2000, and as with the previous Ocarina of Time, The Crystal Shards was the first Kirby title to have 3D graphics. For most people of a certain age, Kirby is one of those games that invokes a huge amount of nostalgia and has come to many platforms in the time since it was f?irst released, including the Wii, Wii U, and now the Nintendo Switch. 

The story of The Crystal Shards involves Kirby having to reassemble a sacred crystal that has been shattered by Dark Matter. If you’ve ever played a Kirby game, you’ll know what to expect - explore 2.5D levels and devour your enemies to gain their powers. However, The Crystal Shards also introduced?? Power Combos, allowing you?? to mix and match powers to create new and much more powerful ones. 

Banjo-Kazooie

As far as platformers go, Banjo-Kazooie borders on being wildly underappreciated. The first in a line of five titles, Banjo-Kazooie was released back in 1998. Banjo, the honey bear in fetching yellow shorts and always in possession of his trusty backpack, was first introduced in 1997 as part of the cast of Diddy Kong Racing. Kazooie, the Breegull who can be found s?heltering inside the aforementioned backpack, was introduced in this game and the pair became a belove??d duo. 

Together, Banjo and Kazooie must track down Banjo’s kidnapped sister, Tooty, who has been kidnapped by the evil witch Gruntilda. Gameplay is a mix of delightful (althoug??h often frustrating) platform levels, puzzles, and boss fights. There’s something incredibly satisfying a??bout collecting music notes and Jiggies that open doors to new worlds. 

Yoshi’s Story

Yoshi’s Story was released in North America in 1998, and is a fruit-eating joy to play regardless of age. While most of the other titles on this list are adventuring games with someone to rescue, Yoshi’s Story provides something different: the endless frustration of trying to be bette??r than you were before. There is an element of adventure and storytelling, but it arguably takes a back seat to beating your own high score.

There are two modes in Yoshi’s Story: Story Mode and Trial Mode. To unlock new levels in Trial Mode, you must first complete the levels in Story Mode, and completing them requires the apparently si?mple task of eating 30 fruits. But of course, it’s not that simple. Each type of fr?uit is worth a different amount of points, with Melons giving the most, and there are also Lucky Fruits that offer a bonus. 

Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark is described as a “spiritual successor�to GoldenEye 007, runs on an upgraded version of the same game engine, and was developed and released three years later in 2000. Perfect Dark came not only with a solo campaign mode but also multiplayer options such as co-operative and deathmatch modes. It's making a comeback as well, but it rema??ins to be seen whether a remake can touch the nostalgia of the orig??inal.

As Joanna Dark, you must complete objectives while avoiding or eliminating oppone?nts to eventually stop an extraterrestrial conspiracy by a corporation known as dataDyne. As with GoldenEye, there are many weapons to choose from, but?? now these weapons all have additional useful features. The K7 Avenger, for instance, will detect threats such as nearby explosives. 

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Released two years after Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask hit shelves and TV screens in 2000 and features the same 3D graphics that premiered in the previous title. Majora’s Mask is�Confusing, to say the least. The gameplay involves a 3-day cycle that must be replayed, using knowledge learned from previous cycles to perform better duri??ng subsequent ones. 

One of the best features of Majora’s Mask is the transformations provided by the core ?masks that Link can use - a Deku Scrub, a Goron, and a Zora. Each transformation provides Link with different, incredibly useful abilities, and you’ll need to think carefully about which form you take to complete puzzles and quests throughout the story. And did I mention that Link can control time and the moon is enough to gi??ve any kid nightmares for weeks?

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Banjo-Tooie is the critically acclaimed sequel to Banjo-Kazooie, and most people regard them as some of the best 3D collect-a-thon platformers in the Nintendo 64, a console where the genre thri?ved more than ever. After many years, fans of this classic can re-experience it on their Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo recently posted a trailer that confirms the addition of Banjo-Tooie to the Nintendo 64 catalog of its Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service next week, on October 25. This was long overdue, because Banjo-Kazooie has been available on the service since 2022.

However, the most interesting aspect of this new version of Banjo-Tooie is the addition of widescreen mode, something that is not quite common on Nintendo Switch Online releases. This not only makes the game look great, but it most likely means that Microsoft decided to use the version of the game that it's also available in the 2015 collection, Rare Replay.

This Banjo-Tooie port shows us how much the relationship between Nintendo and Microsoft has improved

Fans are quite excited about Banjo-Tooie's addition to the Nintendo Switch Online service, not only because of the high quality of this ?fun platforming adventure but also because of the significance this game and its predecessor had for the Nintendo 64. The bear and bird duo starred ?in two of the best titles in the system, not to mention that they solidified the close relationship between their developer, Rare, and their publisher, Nintendo.

However, as most fans already know, Microsoft bought Rare in 2002, which gave the rights to the Banjo-Kazooie IP to one of Nintendo's biggest competitors. After a long absence, the bear and bird duo finally returned to the Nintendo family in 2019, when the company added both of them to Super Smash Bros Ultimate as DLC fighters. This marked the beginning of a fresh new amicable relationship between Microsoft and Nintendo, which led to the inclusion of Banjo-Kazooie and other classic Nintendo 64 games by Rare on Nintendo Switch Online and culminated with this new port of Banjo-Tooie. Nevertheless, fans are still hoping that both companies will continue adding some of the studio's other titles to the service in the near future, like Conker's Bad Fur Day or Donkey Kong 64.

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The best canceled games that failed to reach the finish line

The gaming industry is brutal. You need the right budget, a talented team, and a realistic working schedule to finish ??a project. These "best canceled video games" failed at least one of those three aspects.

Sometimes, fans get a metaphorical punch to the face when a game they're looking forward to gets shut down. Let's look at 10 games that had potential ??(or were exciting to hear about, at least!).

10. BioShock on Vita

[caption id="attachment_372601" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via 2K Games[/caption]

When series director Ken Levine announced BioShock on Vita on the PlayStati??on E3 2011 st?age,  I was intrigued.

How could you place the intensity of Rapture into a portable game? According to Levine himself on Twitter, it was supposed to be a "Final Fantasy Tactics style thing set in pre-fall Rapture." The unique genre mixed in with BioShock's groundbreaki??ng storytelling and setting would have been a?mazing. Hopefully, one day, 2K revitalizes the idea because I'm intrigued. It's one of the best canceled games based on its concept.

9. Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned

//youtu.be/hUvCI7XXOJM

How hasn't an open-world Pirates of the Caribbean game been released yet?! It would be a slam dunk, and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag proved that it can work.

Armada of the Damned was actually going to give us this dream game before it was canceled. The combat looked clunky, but exploring the seas on a ship like the Black Pearl or the Interceptor would have been sensational for fans of the property. We did get a Pirates of the Caribbean expansion in Sea of Thieves, bu??t it would be cool if a developer like Rare or Ubisoft went the extra mile with this Di?sney property.

8. Scalebound

//youtu.be/U_MZ-MmyIbU

The Xbox One was a rough era for Microsoft. Like Fable Legends (which could also be on this list), Scalebound was canceled. This particular game was something special. It offered an action-RPG experience that included dragon-focused combat from Nier Automata developer Platinum Games. Scalebound looked spectacular but struggled with its frame rate, potentially leading to the game's cancellation. It would be cool if the project gets rebooted by Microsoft?? because its subscription service Xbox Game Pass is lacking new triple-A titles.

This is one of the best examples ?of a canceled video game that should return on stronger hardware.

7. Telltale's Stranger Things

//youtu.be/s-2nNksMBpg?t=1471

Telltale gets too much flak. Its games feature impactful narratives and memorable decision-making. Telltale's Stranger Things adaptation was going ??to be a step up from the traditional formula and get the studio to the next level.

It was developed in the Unity engine, upgrading the graphics and fixing the stiff animations in prior games. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to develop Telltale's Stranger Things before the studio closed down (before reopening again). The staff thought at the time, "We are going to do what people want to see and hopefully [the game] will be groundbreaking and different enough for the studio that reignites interest," according to Executive Assistant Paul Mastroianni in a Noclip documentary.

6. Silent Hills

[caption id="attachment_372562" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via GameZone'?s Y?ouTube Channel[/caption]

P.T. is genuinely spooky. While playing it, I never knew what to expect around every corner, and its gameplay approach was intriguing. Once you finished the engaging demo, a trailer revealing Silent Hills played, showing future Death Stranding star Norman Reedus walking into the mysterious town. Silent Hills was highly anticipated due to its intense demo but was sadly shut down by Konami in 2015.

You can't even download P.T. anymore, and it's infuriating. Hopefully, the Silent Hill 2 remake brings new life to the horror series.

5. Star Wars 1313

[caption id="attachment_372563" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Star Wars' YouTube Channel[/?caption]

Playing as a bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe sounds exciting to me, so I was thrilled to see the announcement trailer for Star Wars 1313. Little did I know that Disney would cancel the LucasArts project after it purchased the studio behind the sci-fi franchise. It's one of the biggest disappointments as it mixed the shooting platformer gameplay of the Uncharted series with the Hollywood blockbuster universe of Star Wars. The visuals tha??t were shown off are also impressive for 2013, with detailed character models and environmental design.

It's a shame this was dropped amid the Disney buyout. Maybe the right studio could bring it back; I'm looking at y??ou, Respawn! Bring back one of the coolest-looking canceled video games ever.

4. Visceral Games' Star Wars title

[caption id="attachment_372572" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via EA Star Wars?' YouTube Channel[/caption]

Unfortunately, another Uncharted-like Star Wars game was canceled. What makes it worse is Amy Hennig, the creative director of the original Uncharted trilogy, was behind the production of the Visceral Games title before the studio closed down.

The early in-game footage looked impressive and seemed to be set in Tatooine with a huge Star Destroyer in the background. While we did get the excellent Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, it would have been amazing to get another interactive Star Wars story from the galaxy, far far away.

3. Agent

//youtu.be/I4nxFUmSaOU

The lauded developer of the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series, Rockstar Games, was working on a PlayStation exclusive called Agent. Not much was shared about it, but Sony was happy to announce the project during E3 2009. Then PlayStation boss Jack Tretton said it would have taken "a player across the shadowy world of espionage and assassins in the da??rkest hours of the late 1970s." The project sounded promising, but we heard very little since its mysterious announcement.

It has been abandoned since, and the URL of the original website is defunct. Perhaps with the power of the PS5, Rockstar's ambition to make an espionage game may return, but right now, all signs point to GTA 6 being its next project. Regardless, Agent is one of the best canceled video games, due to its promising concept? and the studio behind it.

2. Final Fantasy Versus XIII

//youtu.be/YiIx9VJWSl8

Final Fantasy XV is just okay, but Final Fantasy Versus XIII looked amazing. While the 15th entry has the same protagonists, it did not follow the story or Kingdom Hearts-l?ike battle system in the above trailer. Its combat system let you switch between characters, take out mini-bosses roaming around the world, and had blockbuster-like action within key gameplay moments.

It looked exciting and not as restrictive as Final Fantasy XV, a game that took director Tetsuya Nomura's characters and placed them in a different direction. However, the ending of Kingdom Hearts III Remind and Yozora bears an eerie resemblance to Versus XIII's camera ??angles in the trailers and its interpretation of Noctis.

1. Banjo-Threeie

//youtu.be/QLWLdO9GLWM

This one is so strange on multiple levels.

We hoped for a polished Banjo-Kazooie sequel on Xbox systems, and it was finally teased at E3 2006. The first trailer shows Jiggies, the Honeycombs, and all kinds of collectibles you'd expect. However, what we actually got was Nuts & Bolts, a mediocre vehicle construction game. What made this even worse is how the introduction of Nuts & Bolts made fun of the fanbase. You control a version of the duo chasing after a straight line? of golden collectibles. "Gamers today don't want all this," one of the characters says. "They just want to shoot things." It was a real jab at the fans of the original two N64 classics.

The annoying thing is that Xbox still hasn't provided us a Banjo-Threeie or even a remake of the first two after Crash and Spyro had their comebacks. They have shown their popularity through their delightful inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Come on, Xbox??, hire a talented studio, and give the fans what they want.

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Microsoft should have announced this with the Xbox Series X reveal

Banjo-Threeie isn't a real thing yet, but after watching this fan-crafted trailer from Project Dream, I want it to be. Although the project stresses that it "will not be made into a playable game," I would play it today if it was released.

Here's the full pitch from the creators:

"The Adventure Continues! Banjo-Threeie takes place 22 years after the defeat of Gruntilda in Banjo-Tooie.. However, for a third time the old hag is back and stronger than ever.. She has gathered an army bigger than you could imagine.. And she's out for her final revenge! Battle your way through an inspired story explorin?g fantastical worlds collecting notes & jiggys! Be captivated by magical transformations into different shapes of Banjo & Kazooie to unlock puzzles and jiggies, as well as fighting an array of terrifying bosses to defeat Gruntilda and her army for one last time."

Note that the trailer does in fact have its own music track! If you're interested in the "main theme" of the faux game, you can check it out here: it's composed by Dark-Grunt.

We have a serious shortage of AAA mascot platformers in the current era. We do get some third-party efforts, but I could go for a new entry in a series like this. It's beloved enough, and relevant enough with its enduring legacy, plus it's bolstered by a fairly recent Smash Bros. appearance. Games like A Hat in Time have also shown publishers t??hat the audien??ce is there still.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VsPdWKqo4Y

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Da huh?

Banjo-Kazooie Switch Online? Believe it. One of ??the most iconic non-first-party games is coming to the service in J?anuary of 2022.

The news was confirmed via a tweet from the Japanese Nintendo account, which showcased Paper Mario 64 as the December release for the Switch Online Expansion Pack, followed by a low-key tweet for Banjo-Kazooie in January (and later, a Nintendo of America tweet). Does this mean we could get Diddy Kong Racing and other Rare classics? I hope so! G?iven that Microsoft and Nintendo have been friendly for a while now, it's likely on the table: as is Banjo-Tooie.

So at this p??oint it seems like the cadence is one to one-and-a-half months for a single game. To be frank, it's not great. And in all this, there's no mention of further support for the Genesis part of the E??xpansion Pack, which comprises have of the add-on.

It feels like Nintendo hastily put this out before the holidays, because given the quality of the engine itself, it's a hard sell. With that in mind, Banjo-Kazooie is also on Microsoft platforms, and fully remastered with modern enhan?cements at that. Side by side, I hope this Switch Online version is even remotely?? comparable.

//twitter.com/Nintendo/status/1469219580577198082

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These Banjo-Kazooie remixes are so playful

I've been listening to new takes on classic Banjo-Kazooie tunes from Grant Kirkhope, and I am beaming. The composer shared 10 new arrangements for the beloved N64 game.

The remix album is called Banjo Kazooie: Re-Jiggyed �I hope you didn't get your hopes up with a hastily-read headline! �and it's now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Dreezer. You can soak up the songs in this YouTube playlist, too.

//youtu.be/f0tou94hDqE

These renditions of Mad Monster Mansion and Rusty Bucket Bay go pretty dang hard, but it's tough to top Kirkhope's chiptunes-if??ication of Click Clock Wood and the escalating feel-good nature of Spiral Mountain. Gruntilda's Lair is super catchy, as always.

"Re-Jiggyed was supposed to be an 11-track album but I couldn't include one of the tracks because of publishing issues," Kirkhope tweeted. "Maybe I'll find somewhere to put it so you can all hear it." Presumably, he means Cl??anker?'s Cavern �that's the odd level out.

In a video message on Instagram, Kirkhope thanked fans for listening and admitted it's taken "ages" to get the Banjo Kazooie: Re-Jiggyed album done. "I find it really hard to do it, I don't know why. Remixing my own stuff was difficult, and trying to think of different things to do with it. I didn't want to do just a straight remix, ??you know, note for no??te. I wanted to make it different, or fun, or different styles to appeal to everybody."

"Who knows, I might do another one if I ever get the energy ?to do it," he said.

Banjo-Kazooie is a top-ten game for me, and that's due to numerous factors �the well-tuned stuff-collecting, the exploration in the individual worlds and imaginative hub, the fantastic music, and the vibes. It's such a complete package. No matter how far removed we get from its original Nintendo 64 release, Banjo-Kazooie will always be timeless to me.

I'm excited to reunite with this duo on Nintendo Switch, no matter the cost.

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Gruntilda and Mumbo Jumbo didn't make the initial cut

The collectible company Youtooz occasionally leans into video game characters over real-life personalities, and later this month, it's coming out with a trio of figures based on Banjo-Kazooie.

There's Banjo and Kazooie looking all cute, Tooty playing piccolo, and Bottles min?us his iconic eyewear. The figures will cos?t $30 each when orders open on February 26, 2021, and they're shipping in June.

They're on the sm?aller side at heights of 4.5", 3.7", and ??3.5", respectively.

I can't think about Tooty without picturing the "game-over" scene (that played when you exited the game) where she's turned into a monstrous green-skinned version of herself by Gruntilda. As for dear old Bottles, I can't see him without dwelling on his untimely demise in Banjo-Tooie. He had a family!

For me, the duo is t??he best figure of the group, though I'd like to see Mumbo or K??unglo in this style.

[Via Comic Book]

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Grunty Returns and Mad Monster Mansion

Grant Kirkhope is a legend. We know this. Having worked in the industry for nearly three decades, Kirkhope is responsible for scoring or performing a few of your childhood classics, including Banjo-Kazooie and Perfect Dark?. Now, the master is back to rev??isit the former with a few spooky remixes.

"Just in time for Halloween," Kirkhope has tweeted out a link to his "Grunty Returns" remix, a take o?n the track from the original game. He also reminded us that he has a similarly themed Mad Monster Mansion remix available, dubbed "Mad Monster Mansion Rides Again." These aren't just one-offs though. Kirkhope notes that there is "more to come."

Exactly when will that happen? Well that's the bad news: it's all pretty vague right now in terms of a timeline. The good news is that they have confirmed on Twitter that they are "going to release a remix album of music from [Banjo Kazooie],"?? they just aren't sure i??f they'll "get to it all."

Although we don't exactly have a new Banjo game on the horizon (that we know of), the character did get plenty of attention when he was added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2019. There's hope!? Either way, plenty of folks like Kirkhope will keep this classic alive.

Grant Kirkhope [Twitter]

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'We love Banjo & Banjo fans though'

Playtonic Games has had a good run so far.

After a very successful Kickstarter for Yooka-Laylee, they also released their second game, Impossible Lair, which had a better reception with a more pared-down platformer approach. They seemed to really hit their stride and their publishing partnership with Team17 has endured over several years. So what are they doing next? That's anyone's guess! But it isn't a Banjo-Kazooie revival.

If you haven't heard, there are myriad rumors that Playtonic is working on a new Banjo-Kazooie game for Microsoft, either for the Xbox One or the Xbox Series X. Well, Playtonic decided to put th?ose rumors to bed this morning, stating simply that "they're rumors," and that they "aren't working on a new Banjo game." The account clarifies that they "don't want fans getting their hopes up," so they decided to stamp this rumor out quickly.

The account follows up by saying that they "love [Banjo] fans," and that they acknowledged the rumor as they don't want "hopes pinned" on them. Smart move! Even though Banjo-Kazooie isn't stric??tly a Nintendo property anymore it has Nintendo roots, and everyone knows the rumor mill can go absolutely ??bonkers with anything in that arena.

In other Playtonic news, the studio is extending an offer for Yooka-Laylee Switch owners from April 9-19: if you own the game on Switch, you can get Impossible Lair for 50% off. Also, the Nintendo 64 model update is coming to Xbox One and PS4 "before April ends," and the plan going forward for Yooka DLC will involve "small incremental updates for fre??e, for everyone, rather than backers only as originally planned."

Playtonic [Twitter]

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Here's a look at Spiral Mountain, Mario style

Mod fiend Kaze Emanuar is at it again, this time fusing two of the most beloved Nintendo 64 platformers of all time: Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie.

The mod actually transplants Mario himself and many of the enemies from his 64 iteration into the world of Banjo-Kazooie, and there's even a walkthrough video for the first stage: Spiral Mountain. Kaze says they intend to port "every level from Banjo-Kazooie" and already has a plan for wher??e every star in the game would fit, with 12 Jiggy pieces floating around in each world.

Kaze notes that a "new Mario 64 modding tool" is being utilized for a much smoother experience, which turns "months" of work into "1-2 weeks." That said, they aren't keen on giving any release windows for the mod as they have multiple projects underway, and are fully aware of the "lag," framerate issues in the below video, which are? expected to be smoothed over.

If you're interested, there's another similar mod you can check out.

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She should've taken shelter in Banjo's backpack

Whenever a major storm makes headlines, I'm bound to run across entirely too much footage of stomach-turning airplane landings, and I just can't with that, you know? Storm Ciara is no exception.

The UK has been battling harsh winds, and over the weekend, they took a toll on a prized possession at Rare's office. The studio i?tself is "uns?cathed," but Storm Ciara managed to break the Kazooie statue.

The studio got by unscathed but #StormCiara did claim a few casualties on its way through the Rare grounds yesterday. Thanks weather! pic.twitter.com/l9yvIZ5m5s

— Rare Ltd. (@RareLtd) February 10, 2020

Banjo??, on the other hand, is busy grinning like a madman, ready to collect your soul.

Update: Kazooie has been rescued for repair and will be back to eyeing everyone sassily as they drive int??o?? the car park soon.

Also, Banjo is okay. pic.twitter.com/M2pVXiMTN8

— Rare Ltd. (@RareLtd) February 10, 2020

F??or better or worse, the statue looks like it's straight out of a late-'90s time capsule.

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No, really, *you shouldn't have*

After all ?these years, the rascals at Rare still have a cheeky sense of humor??.

In today's Fort of the Damned content update for Sea of Thieves, the studio acknowledged fans' passionate requests for a new Banjo-Kazooie. You want Banjo? You're getting Banjo!

Well, a banjo.

The rest of the u??pdate is a little more dour, what with it being Halloween-themed and a?ll.

Players have a new challenge to face at Old Boot Fort, which has attracted the attention of the Shadows of Fat?e and become the eerie Fort of the Damned. There's a whole process to go through, but Rare has promised big rewards. It all begins by chatting with Duke at any tavern, and ultimately sacrificing Ritual Skulls and using the six lights of the Flames of Fate, which are "obtained by being sent to the Ferry of the Damned in various fatal ways." Do all that, and you've got a stronghold to attack.

While some of the new content like the Skeleton Cockatoo and Skeleton Marmoset pets will only stick around for a limited time, the Fort of the Damned activity is here to stay. It's not Oct?ober-only.

Rare has also adde??d sloop support for folks who want to run duos in the PvP Arena, a new set of Xbox Achievements, and "more emergent loot" around the world including Skeleton Captains on i??slands.

I've seen people complain that their gold is missing. If that happens, Rare recom??mends "purchasing one of the 0 doubloon voyages or other free items and it should update you?r wallet balance."

The post Aww, you shouldn’t have! Rare just added a banjo to Sea of Thieves appeared first on Destructoid.

The dream has finally come to fruition

Spiral Mountain is music to my ears. In a short but sweet announcement during today's Nintendo Direct, we got a release date for Banjo and Kazooie's arrival in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: later today!

The bird-and-bear duo also got a how-to video from Smash director Sakurai after the show, where it was also revealed Home-Run Contest is being added as the supposed final mode for Ultimate with the Ver. 5.0 update.

The post Banjo-Kazooie drops today in Super Smas??h Bros.?? Ultimate appeared first on Destructoid.

Looking rare

Speaking in an interview with VGC, the man who gave us the fine tunes of the Banjo-Kazooie titles has expressed doubt that a new entry in the classic Nintendo 6??4 series is even being considered right ?now.

Grant Kirkhope, who composed the soundtrack for 1998's Banjo-Kazooie and 2000 sequel Banjo-Tooie said that although it is easy to get wrapped up in the duo's Super Smash Bros Ultimate. hype, he doesn't know whether developer Rare or Microsoft will see? the market appeal, or even have the manpower, t?o produce a fully-fledged sequel.

"My honest opinion is I don’t know if they’ll ever be a new Banjo," begins Kirkhope. "It’s easy to go, ‘look at these numbers’, but it might be a drop in the ocean for Xbox. Is there a market for it? I just don’t know. I would think that Rare probably doesn’t have the appetite for it. They’re super busy with Sea of Thieves and that’s a gigant??ic game: it’s going to take the whole studio to keep making?? content for that."

Kirkhope did go on to suggest that perhaps the loud, almost rabid reactions to Banjo and Kazooie's Smash Bros. inclusion might?? at least give Microsoft pause for thought on the matter, before adding that the response to the reveal was certainly noticed by Nintendo.

"(Nintendo) were surprised by how crazy it went," Grant says of the reveal. "The E3 reveal seemed to be gigantic. When I was speaking to Nintendo back at their booth at E3, they were all saying it was a bigger reaction than they’re normally used to for Smash."

Although Kirkhope's comments are disappointing, there is some hope for Banjo-Kazooie buddies, given how taken aback so many in the industry were by the reaction to the Smash Bros. announcement. Noise and hype can be positive messages to send to developers and publishers, tough to ignore, and while it doesn't always pay off with a glorious return to a franchise, it's go??od to know that the reaction of the fans has been noted.

Banjo and Kazooie will join the roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate this fall.

Ba??????????????????????????njo-Kazooie composer 'not sure' if E3 reaction will lead to new game [VGC]

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DUH HAH!

After a massive troll from the Duck Hunt dog, yes, Microsoft told us to watch the Nintendo Direct, and for good reason: Banjo Kazooie is coming to Smash.

Microsoft and Nintendo have buddied up for some time, and now it's really coming home to roost. First cross-play, now, Rare has teamed up with Nintendo to bring an iconic Nintendo 64 character to Switch. Banjo and Kazooie will arrive in the fall of 2019 as part of the Fighter's Pass. The hub for the original game seems to be the stage, and man I am looking forward to hearing more Banjo music. Plus, if Grunty makes more than just the cameo appearance she has in the trailer, t?hat would be grand.

Dragon Quest was announced earlier today for Smash, so that's two Fighter's pass slots taken, three if you include Persona 5's Joker. Two more to go!

The post Banjo and? Kazooie are coming to Super Smash B??ros. Ultimate! appeared first on Destructoid.

UH UH UH UH

Banjo-Kazooie speak is my aesthetic. I mean, the series in general is just my thing: in the same breath you can have a kindhearted bear spout uplifting quotes while his companion bird completely dunks on your hopes and dreams. It's i??ncredible.

That's partially why I'm so into this site, created by Haochies, which allows you to input the name of a Magic: The Gathering card and ??have Banjo read it back to you in gibber??ish speak. Even if you don't play you'll probably get a kick out of it.

Gibberish speak has been implemented by many studios?? since but it typically doesn't have the same endearing charm to it. There's something about the way Chris Sutherland and Grant Kirkhope were able? to capture the magic of that series with their voices that can't be replicated.

Banjo MTG [Github via Reddit]

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Modders are working their magic

An impressive modding scene has sprung up around Super Mario Odyssey, and even though most of us will never get to play fan-made levels for ourselves, it's still fun to see them demoed. This week, I got a huge kick out of seeing the iconic Banjo-Kazooie level Clanker's Cavern up and running in Odyssey.

The creator, ItzSka, has wonderfully "imported and ?repurposed" one of gaming's most memorable water levels. It's not just a static or soulless recreation, either. Along with assorted Jiggies and Jinjos to track down, Itzska added a timed platform cha??llenge and some Cheep Cheeps to possess.

This run-through from YouTuber BeardBear is probably the closest I'll ever come to the mod. I don't have the patience or desire to tinker with my one and only Nintendo Switch, even if it means gaining the ability to play something as enticing and ambitious as new mod-enabled Mario Odyssey levels.

While Grunty's "garbage grinder" might've once seemed like an odd fit for a Mario outing, the poor metal-plated fella doesn't seem particularly out of place here. I mean, Odyssey goes to unexpected places (look no further ?th?an the Ruined Kingdom). Also, he's no scarier than the dang eels.

With games like Crash Bandicoot and more recently Spyro making high-def comebacks, I can't help thinking about what Rare's beloved bear-and-bird duo could look like in a remaster. I consider the first Banjo-Kazooie not only one of my favorite platformers, but a?mong m?y favorite games, period.

Just pict?ure locations like Treasure Trove Cove, Click Clock Woods, and especially Gruntilda's Lair all spruced up for 2019. Oh my goodness. I'd pay top dollar for a remaste??red duology in a heartbeat.

Clanker's Cavern - A Banjo-Kazooie Custom Level! [GameBanana via reddit]

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A Rextro-spective

Limited Run releases have become a steady part of my Nintendo Switch diet, starting back in the fall when they had an open pre-order for Yooka-Laylee. Thankfully, their Switch releases have all been generous in this manner, rather than being restricted to their usual few thousand impossible-to-get copies that disappear within seconds of being listed online. Probably something to do with the manufacturing process. Just this past week, I had two releases hit my desk: Yooka-Laylee, and Golf Story, both gorgeously pack?aged with cute little manual?s.

But Yooka-Laylee was the star for me. I grew up in the N64 era, a weird, special time where cartridges were in their last days, where collectathon games were becoming a thing (to some, notoriously), and where the 3D platformer was king. Banjo-Kazooie, Mario 64, Bubsy 3D...well, scratc?h that last one, but these were the titles that acquainted a generation with 3D gaming and acclimatized us to its quirkiness.

Yooka-Laylee was hyped all to hell. It was in the heyday of Kickstarter campaigns, amidst some major wins and disappointments (not to mention the stupid JonTron debacle). With the amazing Playtonic team behind it, and one of the best musicians in gaming history (fight me, I'm right), it was shaping up to be a worthy spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie.

It came, it saw, and it s?ort of floundered, like a turd in the wind. And frankly, I could not understa?nd why.

Reviews were lukewarm, or outright unkind. The game was notably lacking in some areas: the hub world was confusing, the mini-games were almost universally disliked, and some people complained about agitating voice-overs, or just in general that they were expecting Yooka-Laylee to be more of an "evolution" of the genre rather than a straight clone of it - a proper follow-up to Banjo rather than a "re-imagining" which kept an archaic design at the forefront.

Whatever the case, it was a disappointment to many, b?ut I wasn't one of them.

This past year, my cousins came together and bought me a Nintendo Switch (God bless 'em) in what was a very generous offering, me being in school and broke, and them feeling it wasn't right for me not to have the latest Nintendo console. We practically lived together (sometimes literally) over the years as kids, grew up playing NES, SNES, N64, and GameCube, traded Game Boy Advance cartridges, and even played with the awful voice chat functionality the Wii had when Animal Crossing came out. We are Nintendo veterans, and as such, I had some catching up to do. So one of the first games I bought was Super Mario Odyssey.

Of course, it is amazing. It's everything you could want from a modern 3D platformer. It offers tons of freedom, and tons of collectables, but trims the fat at every corner. Much like A Hat in Time, it is also compared constantly, and unfairly, with Yooka-Laylee as a much better example of what the genre should be. And everyone who claims Mario Odyssey is better is unequivocally right.

But that doesn't change the fact that, well, I actually really enjoy Yooka-Laylee. At the time of its original release, it was hard to sit there and just appreciate its simplicity - a variety of annoying bugs and some bad design choices probably didn't help. But when I cracked op?en my physical copy of the game, and popped it into the Switch, for the first time it just felt absolutely right. Gone are a ton of the bugs, thanks to updates. The?? Switch port itself is absolutely fantastic, and plays great in handheld mode or docked, and is still visually nice to look at.

It's the same game that it was on PC and PS4. On the PC, it runs at 60 frames per second, making it much smoother, but the nostalgia factor of what is basically a new Banjo game, on a cartridge, on a Nintendo system, adds just a bit of nostalgia value that it didn't have in those other implementations. Apart from rose-tinted goggles though, I just find the game to be fun in its own right, regardless? of warm memories for its predecessor.

The sense of humor is right up my alley. I'm sure it's because I have a borderline clinically concerning low IQ or whatever, but I can't get over the fact that there is a snake in trowsers called Trowzer Snake. I like Rextro! His mini-games are a brief, mildly fun distraction that you only need to engage in for a few minutes out of the entirety of the game. I don't mind the quiz sections. But everything else about the game to me is a lot of fun. I like the big sprawling levels. I love the freedom to explore them, and find Pagies on your own without constantly being told where things are or what you should be doing next. The music - my God, the music is so, so good. Even in the months where I didn't play Yooka-Laylee at all, I would catch myse??lf humming ??the tunes randomly.

The patches introduced a quality-of-life feature of signs in the hub worlds to show you were all the worlds are. But to me, they were never any more or less difficult to find than some of the worlds in the Banjo-Kazooie hub. In between the PS4 and Switch releases of Yooka-Laylee, I went back to play Banjo again. And yes, I will agree, it's the better game. Of course. It's a bloody classic. But there is almost nothing Yooka does that is worst than what Banjo does i??n terms of hub layout that annoys me more. 

Yooka-Laylee's biggest failure to me is that it feels like? an old N64 platformer. So I guess this is the one thing about it that is potentially subjective. And for me, that is precisely why I like it, why despite a variety of far "better" choices out there for 3D platformers today, that I have been playing it non-stop, not a second time, but a third for the Swit?ch, after playing it through on both PS4 and PC. 

I am not trying to convince anyone who has already drawn a line in the sand. But for the people out there like me who were scratching their heads when Yooka-Laylee was bein??g dunked on...I feel you. I think it was a solid first effort by Playtonic, and I hope that it has been at least successful enough to warrant them taking a second crack at it. I am happy to own the lovely physical release by Limited Run, and still think it's a super fun throwback to a bygone era - with all of its flaws and blemishes.

If you hate the game, I get it. It ain't for everyone. But it tickles me in all the right, dirty, disgusting, revolting, disease-ridden shameful places, and I am happy to have it in my collection on what is, in my opinion, the best console in the last few generations. The Switch has brought me a lot of joy in what has been a really difficult year, and brought back some of the magic to games. And for me, Yooka-Laylee f?its right in with the best of its rapidly expanding library.

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More stuff for your already-cramped shelves

Remember Totaku? I have to admit that the brand had slipped my mind completely, despite my writing about it in January. But t?hey're a range of mini-figurines replicating classic video game characters, which launched in GameStop and GAME this y??ear.

The range currently includes many recognisable heroes from a gamut of brands and platforms. The Totaku range currently includes PaRappa the Rapper, Tekken's Jin Kazama, characters from the Street Fighter and Sonic the Hedgehog series, God of War's Kratos and even Bloodborne's sinister Hunter.

Totaku are looking to the Nintendo 64 for their next two releases in the range, with the three characters next in line to be immortalised in plastic form are memorable N64 heroes Conker - of Conker's Bad Fur Day - and Banjo-Kazooie of... erm... Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie.

You can check out short videos featuring the upcoming figures below, courtesy of Germany's Game Mania. No specific date was given for their release outside of Fall, when they will be made available at Forbidden Planet and GAME stores in the U??K.

The post Totaku reveal new figures of N64 icons Conker an??d? Banjo-Kazooie appeared first on Destructoid.

N64 heroes immortalised by First 4 Figures

Banjo &am?p; Kazooie, the adventure loving twosome who starred in Rare's '90s N64 titles, are the next characters in line to receive the st?atue from the talented craftspeople at First 4 Figures.

A new video, which you can check out below, features a prototype of the resin model, which features gaming's most well-known bear and bird duo in mid-flight. Standing 20 inches tall, the Banjo-Kazooie statue comes in Exclusive and Regular formats, with the former featuring a chr??ome gold plated base o?f the game's pesky collectible: the gold jiggy.

The exclusive edition also includes separate, standalone pieces of a gold jiggy and a gold musical note. The standard edition features a matte base and does not include the extras. Also, as a surprising bonus, all pre-order customers will receive an in-game "Bird and Bear" figurehead for the swashbuckling adventure Sea of Thieves.

Now for the damage. Both editions of the Banjo-Kazooie statue are currently availa??ble for reservation at the First 4 ??Figures store at a price of $430, with an expected release window of late 2019. Reservations for the exclusive edition are only open until Aug?ust 9 and all reservist?s must return to the site after July 10 to validate their purchase. You can check out the link below for further details.

Banjo-Kaz?ooie resin statue now op?en for reservation [First 4 Figures]

The post You’ll need ALL the gold Jiggies to pick up this Banjo-Kazooie statue appeared first on Destructoid.

Nab the Bear & Bird Figurehead for 1,998 gold

In celebration of Banjo-Kazooie's 20th anniversary, Rare is selling a referential ship customization item in Sea of Thieves for (a very fitting) 1,998 gold. The Bird & Bear Figurehead is available throughout July, and you'll find it for sale at the Shipwright Sh?op on the outpost docks. I just had to get one.

It'd be incredible if we could play some B&K-inspired shanties, wouldn't you say?

Today's update also ?brings a few more items of note:

• Rock the Boat – Upon impact, cannonballs now apply a rocking effect to ships.
• PC Exit to Desktop – Players on PC now have the ability to exit to desktop from the front end.
• Shop Clutter – Player Titles no longer remain in the shop when purchased, reducing the amount of clutter in the clothing shops.

Rare has cleaned up some standing issues as well:

Multiple giant sharks? That first bullet point sound??s wild.

Patch Notes 1.1.5 [Sea of Thieves]

The post Now’s your chance to get a bit of Banjo-Kazooie in Sea of Thieves appeared first on Destructoid.

Dahaaaaaa

When asked yet again if Phil Spencer was game for the previously Nintendo adorned duo of Banjo and Kazooie appearing in Super Smash Bros., Microsoft boss Phil Spenc??er tweeted out a "yep" in so??lidarity.

It might seem like a quick useless tweet, but there's a history behind it. Spencer has been a fan of the idea for years, explaining that there's no IP problems at all from his end: "I think it would be cool if Banjo was in the next SSB DLC. We've worked with Nintendo on Rare IP before, no issues." It seems like Nintendo didn't take him up on the offer for Smash on Wii U and 3DS.

While it's easy to say that Ni?ntendo wouldn't be so adven?turous, Mega Man, Sonic, and Solid Snake are pretty out there -- though they aren't direct competition like Sony and Microsoft. Either way I hope we get an insane "Mega Man" or "Snake" moment with the character reveals this year.

Phil Spencer [Twitter]

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So wrong, yet so very right

If I had seen this mod back in the Nintendo 64 days, I would've lost my mind. It's essentially a clever mash-up of Banjo-Kazooie and Super Mario 64, and while Mario running around Spiral Mountain is impressive in its own right, the fa??n creation is even better once you take in all the little details.

Whereas some of these projects can be cool conceptually but rough around the edges in execution, this one nails a sense of authenticity. Clearly, a lot of thought went into it. Super Banjo-Kazooie 64 is the result of the program SM64Paint and the modders Trenavix, Waschpenner, and Shyguyhex.

This isn't a full game yet but it isn't insignificant, either -- the demo has 18 Jiggies to collect.

"If this ends up getting a lot of attention, I'll consider continuing the hack, but oth??erwise, it'll just be the demo," says Trenavix. Something tells me we'll want to see more.

[Via reddit]

The post This Super Mario 64 x Banjo-Kazooie mod ??is so surreal appeared first on Destructoid.

Body parts and ghost images

YouTuber Shesez has a ??pretty neat little program called "Boundary Leak," where they take a look at off-came??ra objects in retro games.

As we've seen many times before developers either house holdover objects in random places they assume players would never be able to access, or place Easter eggs in certain zones that will be discovered years later. No one knows for sure what these Banjo Tooie?? discoveries fall under, but they're interesting nonethe?less.

If you've ever finished any giv?en retro game from back to front with a 100% rating this serie??s is worth watching -- if only just to see secrets that have been right under your nose for decades.

The post Off-camera,? Banjo Tooie houses some pretty creep??y stuff appeared first on Destructoid.

Grant Kirkhope is here!

One of the more infamous pieces of music from Nintendo's library of tunes is the DK Rap from Donkey Kong 64. That mad display of aural madness was crafted by Grant Kirkhope, who is basically the songwriter of our childhoods. Since he is composing the music for Playtonic's Rareware homage Yooka-Laylee, it would obviously make sense that Playtonic ?wants him to recreate the D??K Rap.

Wait, what?

Playtonic has something planned for tomorrow at EGX Rezzed, so we'll find out more about what this wild teaser is. Hopefully there is some unlockable rap in Yooka-Laylee or maybe Gr??ant has to perform this new monstr??osity live. I'm not sure he would want that, though.

Playtonic and Grant Kirkhope ?tease new take on DK Rap [Nintendo Everything]

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Stories from the making of Banjo-Kazooie

Rare is still making videos recounting what it was like behind the scenes on Banjo-Kazooie, and I'm still fascinated. Today, it's five (more) things we probably didn??'t know??.

As discussed in the video, the game's musical intro was originally going?? to employ motion capture, but the team later decided to hand-animate the characters playing their instruments instead. There is at least one major holdover, however: Banjo's "little hip shimmy." The footage is illuminating.

Now t??hat it has been pointed out, I? can't not see it. So... lively!

Another tidbit: Nintendo kept hearing "Thaaaank yoooou," a line spoken by a gravestone in Mad Monster Mansion, as something far more explicit. Composer Grant Kirkhope recalls having to re-record the voice-over a? bunch of times until the publisher was happy. "They wouldn't believe ??me!"

The post I’ll never look at Banjo’s hips the same way appeared first on Destructoid.

It was almost Bunny-Kazooie

With the archival nature of Rare Replay -- a collection of games on Xbox One that spans the developer's entire history -- it's natural that the studio would be digging through a lot of old boxes lately. One of those boxes (proverbial or not) yielded a very special find: footage of the evolution of the game that went on to become Banjo-Kazooie.

Through this ten minute video, key staff at Rare describe Dream as it was running on both Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64. Early looks have it using the Donkey Kong Country aesthetic to move through a world from ?an isometric viewpoint. Later, a canine companion is added in. Just a man ??with a pirate sword and his dog, off to do some adventuring.

That obviously wouldn't last. As the game grew, it also got too ambitious. Rare realized it couldn't pull off this giant pirate-styled role-playing game. The team reverted to a more signature cartooney look and created Banjo (who was originally concepted as a rabbit) to traverse linear 2D-like levels, not unlike, again, Donkey Kong Country.

Seeing Nintendo's work on Super Mario 64 prompted Rare to once more scrap its work on the game. Itching to make something on par with the iconic N64 title, Rare created a fully 3D test level for what would become Banjo-Kazooie. The rest is histor?y. It was a long process, but few would probably argue that the developer didn't eventually get it right in the end.

The post A lost look at Rare’s scrapped SNES project that eventually became Banjo-Kazooie appeared first on Destructoid.

Before it settled on Nuts & Bolts

I'm way behind on watching those documentary shorts included in Rare Replay and I might never catch up unless I set aside time to see them on YouTube. Rare uploaded this video today detailing how it arrived at Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts instead of a more traditi??onal platforming sequel.

Before the studio locked in its concept for the vehicle creation game, it had a few other ideas in mind. One of them was to remake Banjo-Kazooie, but not exactly the way we remember it. The developers got as far as the first level, Mumbo's Mountain. "[A]ll the puzzles and tasks in that level -- we would see how we could adapt them," said designer Steve Malpass. Conga th?e Ape, for instance, would realize he had fought Banjo and Kazooie (on Nintendo 64) and act differently.

Rare thoug?ht this would be a "hard sell," according to designer Gregg Mayles, and that "players would expect a whole new game." Which is probably true, but damn I would've liked to play that.

A remake in which the characters figure out they're in a remake? Th??at's cool.

The post Rare had a cool idea for a Banjo-Kazooie remake appeared first on Destructoid.

30 games for 30 bucks

It doesn't have Donkey Kong Country or GoldenEye, but Rare Replay does offer a neat challenge for Battletoads fans: how long can you stay alive on ??the? infamous speeder bike sequence?

During a hands-on session with the 30-game bundle, I was told that someone at the studio managed to survive for four minutes before wiping out. I got nervous just hearing about it. Besides bundling 30 years of history onto a single Xbox One disc, Rare Replay has l??ittle challenges for some older titles and behind-the-scenes interviews with current and former staff.

I tried out several of those earlier titles, like Jetpac, Banjo-Kazooie (looks crisp!), and Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise (less crisp, but still adorable). This collection will be worth it for folks who hate using their old, slow, nearly-dead Xbox 360. Speaking of which, thanks to the upcoming backward compatibility functionality on Xbox One, your save data can be transferred into Rare Replay.

Full game list:

• Jetpac (1983, 1-2 players) – A single-screen shooter where Jetman must reassemble and fuel his rocket while fending off alien hordes. 
• Atic Atac (1983, 1 player) – A top-down adventure with increased replayability, thanks to randomized object locations and three different character classes.
• Lunar Jetman (1983, 1-2 players) – A return to the Jetpac sidescrolling formula, but with a scrolling, randomly generated landscape and much more to do.
• Sabre Wulf (1984, 1-2 players) – A classic jungle maze game and the first appearance of explorer Sabreman, tackling dangers including the vicious ’Wulf itself.
• Underwurlde (1984, 1 player) – Rare’s first true platform game. Help Sabreman survive the perils of the Underwurlde and escape through one of three exits.
• Knight Lore (1984, 1 player) – The introduction of Ultimate’s groundbreaking isometric Filmation engine. Sabreman must scour the castle for items to cure his werewolf curse.
• Gunfright (1986, 1-2 players) – A Wild West spin on the isometric style, with an improved engine and new first-person target-shooting sections.
• Slalom (1987, 1-2 players) – Rare’s first console game. Make it to the bottom of each course before time runs out, while avoiding trees, sledders, snowmen, and other skiers.
• R.C. Pro-Am (1988, 1 player) – A responsive racing game that inspired elements of Rare’s future racers, including speed boosts, upgrades, and collectible power-ups littered around the track.
• Cobra Triangle (1989, 1 player) – Hop into a boat and power through a branching game world, completing challenges such as shooting targets, disposing of mines, and defeating leviathans.
• Snake Rattle N Roll (1990, 1-2 players) – A fast-paced isometric adventure. Rattle and Roll must eat Nibbley-Pibbleys until they’re heavy enough to ring a bell and open the exit.
• Digger T. Rock (1990, 1-2 players) – A 2D platformer, in which Digger must find an exit switch, stand on it, then make it to the exit in 60 seconds. 
• Solar Jetman (1990, 1 player) – A game built around exploration and physics; Jetman has to tow fuel and other items to his mothership.
• Battletoads (1991, 1-2 players) – Skill and perseverance as required as the ’Toads take on multiple game styles to rescue Pimple and Princess Angelica from the Dark Queen.
• R.C. Pro-Am II (1992, 1-4 players) – This sequel to R.C. Pro-Am features a wider variety of environments, more car customization options, and bonus games.
• Battletoads Arcade (1994) – The first Battletoads game to allow all three ‘Toads to play simultaneously. It has never had a home release... until now!
• Killer Instinct Gold (1996, 1-2 players) – The home version of Killer Instinct 2features several multiplayer modes (including tournament mode), and a training dojo.
• Blast Corps (1997, 1 player) – This cult classic sports a fleet of destructive vehicles (from bulldozers to robots), used to clear the path for a runaway nuclear missile carrier.
• Banjo-Kazooie (1998, 1 player) – A 3D platformer adventure, wherein Banjo and Kazooie must take on the evil witch Gruntilda, who’s kidnapped Banjo’s sister Tooty and plans to steal her beauty.
• Jet Force Gemini (1998, 1-4 players) – This interstellar action adventure mixes third-person exploration and alien-blasting action, as the last three JFG members go up against Mizar.
• Perfect Dark (2000, 1-4 players) – In this stealth-based shooter set in the year 2030, players lead secret agent Joanna Dark against the DataDyne Corporation, uncovering an alien conspiracy that takes her around the world.
• Banjo-Tooie (2000, 1-4 players) – This sequel builds on Banjo-Kazooie with larger worlds, separately controllable characters, multiplayer modes, and many more moves to learn.
• Conker’s Bad Fur Day (2001, 1-4 players) – A beloved comedy adventure that mixes up lots of genres (platformer, third-person shooting, racing) with mature humor, pop culture references, and parodies.
• Grabbed by the Ghoulies (2003, 1 player) – Rare’s first Xbox game! A comic book beat-’em-up, set in a haunted house filled with breakable scenery and Ghoulies of all kinds.
• Perfect Dark Zero (2005, 1-4 players locally, up to 32 players online) – This Perfect Dark prequel reveals Joanna Dark’s origins, and fuses first-person shooting with third-person, cover-based combat.
• Kameo: Elements of Power (2005, 1-2 players locally or online) – A fantasy adventure focused on combat and exploration, with Kameo able to transform into 10 different Elemental Warriors.
• Viva Piñata (2006, 1-2 players locally) – A magical gardening/life sim, in which the player can cultivate a garden paradise, attract different Piñatas, and keep them safe from Professor Pester and his Ruffians.
• Jetpac Refuelled (2007, 1-2 players locally or online) – A modern update to Jetpac. Assemble and fuel your rocket before blasting off to the next of 128 challenging stages.
• Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (2008, 1-2 players locally, up to 4 players online) – A more open-ended, customizable approach to the Banjo series, with vehicle-based challenges set by L.O.G. (the Lord of Games).
• Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise (2008, 1-2 players locally or online) – The sequel to Viva Piñata features new species of piñatas, as well as desert and arctic regions to capture them from.

Rare Replay will be out&n??bsp;for Xbox One on August 4, 2015. Remember the good times?

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Educated guess

If any game would be described as a "uniquely RARE game" and a "career highlight" it would be Banjo-Threeie, which may very well be getting announced at E3 next week. The URL banjothreeie.com used to redirect to the Rare website, but not anymore, though it seems to just not load. The domain is still owned by Microsoft, who renewed it earlier this year.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer said early this year that Rare is "going through the process of preparing to unveil their next things, they have multiple projects in development and we feel really good about them." Microsoft also registered trademarks for Battletoads, and the toads made a cameos in Shovel Knight, and in Kinect Sports Rivals.

So who is ready for Banjo-Threeie and a Battletoads reboot announced at E3? I'm calling it now, it is happening?. For those who don't have an Xbox One, would these be enough to make y??ou buy one?

The post E3 Predictions: Banjo-Threeie and Battletoads appeared first on Destructoid.