Banjo-Kazooie Series

I really am starting to enjoy the game. I've been playing through the platformer for quite a bit, almost a month, and I have to say, it is really enjoying. The levels require tons of skill, although the characters and scenery are certainly childish, it is very awesome. I looked at Nuts and Bolts, doesn't look too fun. So, what do you think of the series?

Banjo-Kazooie and especially Tooie (discounting its framerate issues) are some of the best 3D console platform games ever made, and they are still extremely playable up to this day, in some senses a little ahead of their time (especially Tooie, which has lots of large interconnected levels and tons of gameplay types that are all pulled off well). If you don't have the N64 versions then I suggest grabbing them on Xbox Live Arcade, as they're fairly cheap and will give you weeks of fun.

Without a doubt, Banjo-Kazooie is one of my most favourite games and one of the greatest platformers in gaming history as far as I'm concerned.
While initially it came under fire as being a Mario clone for similar controls and premise, that is to say, recusing a girl in distress, BK had it's own unique game mechanic of learning new moves and abilities to solve puzzles and instead of being a pointless collect-a-thon, all items collected serve an actual, meaningful purpose, whether it's Jiggies in the first place to access new worlds, Notes to open doors and unlock moves, Skulls to earn transformation spells or Jinjos to unlock more jiggies.

I don't think the style is childish, more so just whimsical. Unlike most games at the time, BK (and especially BT) had a lot of humour. I liked how some cheeky British humour was put in that I get now, which went over my head when playing the first time. It had actual genuine comedic moments in it, something I think they tried to make a forefront in Conker's Bad Fur Day.
The storyline was nicely paced, and the characters were vibrant and amusing. The worlds were varied and large and the music was absolutely memorable and catchy.

BT certainly felt more epic, but it lacked the cosy, BK magic. But was still a very fun game. Loved Banjo and Kazooie being able to separate and work independently. And the more explicit attempt at cheeky humour.

Just a few things irk me, and these are probably just testament to how good the games were and the mystery Rare's maintained since then;

What is the true Stop'n'Swap?

So many theories, but no definitive answer.
Shame that since Rare was acquired by Microsoft that most of the team left and whatnot, and things like BK: Nutz and bolts was apparently a crapfest, and not a touch on the original game.

I adored Banjo-Kazooie and its sequel on the Nintendo 64 - not only for its platforming, but also for the array of quirky and humorous characters. They are colourful and fun games that I highly recommend to anyone.

It's a pity about Nuts and Bolts...I don't own an Xbox 360 and haven't been able to give it a go, but it seems that changing the style and gameplay wasn't such a good move on Rare's part.

Originally Posted by Super Decimal

What is the true Stop'n'Swap?

So many theories, but no definitive answer.
Shame that since Rare was acquired by Microsoft that most of the team left and whatnot, and things like BK: Nutz and bolts was apparently a crapfest, and not a touch on the original game.

As far as I know, Stop n' Swop was initially meant to be a feature to take advantage of the fact than the older Nintendo 64 consoles had a roughly 10-second 'memory' of the previous game played - obtaining the key and eggs in Banjo-Kazooie was meant to unlock a special feature in Banjo-Tooie if the sequel cartridge was inserted into the console immediately after playing Banjo-Kazooie. It didn't work as planned though, because newer v ersions of the N64 console didn't have that residual memory (well, not as long a memory, anyway). It's still possible to get all the eggs and key though in Banjo-Kazooie by putting in special cheats in the sand castle. They don't actually do anything though, at least not in the original N64 versions (although I've heard they changed that for the Xbox Arcade versions).

I remember spending those gloomy, rainy New Jersey days sitting down and playing Kazooie, and later, Tooie.

I still play them on occasion. I sold Banjo-Kazooie a long time ago at a flea market (yes, I sincerely regret it), however, I still have Banjo-Tooie and every couple months I break it out and play it for about thirty or fourty jigsaw pieces.

The music brings back good times...

I absolutely love these games. I only ever had Banjo-Kazooie on N64, and to this day I prefer it greatly to Super Mario 64. Then years later, when both of them have been released on XBLA, I finally have the chance to play Tooie. I bought them both, since the original is a masterpiece, but not having played Tooie meant it was pretty much the brand new Banjo game I wanted Rare to make, which turned out to be Nuts & Bolts. Speaking of which, I bought that game and it was alright, but definitely not a Banjo title. I disliked a lot of the levels (some were HORRIBLE), and I pretty much hated every mission in the entire game. But yeah.

EDIT: About Stop 'n' Swap, if I remember correctly (it's been a while since I did this stuff)

- Eggs from BK1 translate into boxes in N&B which give you new items to use. It's a shame though, since the items tend to be extra pieces of standard items found in the game. The only new one I got was a British flag.

- Eggs from BK2 translate into extra modes and goodies. Some of them are Jinjo avatars, xbox 360 wallpapers, but you also get the multiplayer mode from it too! Which may I say is a fantastic unlock.

Originally Posted by Astarrrrrael

As far as I know, Stop n' Swop was initially meant to be a feature to take advantage of the fact than the older Nintendo 64 consoles had a roughly 10-second 'memory' of the previous game played - obtaining the key and eggs in Banjo-Kazooie was meant to unlock a special feature in Banjo-Tooie if the sequel cartridge was inserted into the console immediately after playing Banjo-Kazooie. It didn't work as planned though, because newer v ersions of the N64 console didn't have that residual memory (well, not as long a memory, anyway). It's still possible to get all the eggs and key though in Banjo-Kazooie by putting in special cheats in the sand castle. They don't actually do anything though, at least not in the original N64 versions (although I've heard they changed that for the Xbox Arcade versions).

Oh, that I know, but I mean, what were the secrets?
I did all of the egg codes in Treasure Trove Cove and collected them (and can't get rid of the secret locations now - and collected them all, but that was a fun thing to do in any case...even if Grunty deleted my game twice!

Apparently, there were gonna be links with Donkey Kong 64, but the technical difficulties stopped any code transfer in its tracks.

Rare have never released the true details.
As for the Xbox versions, I think none of the two Stop'n'Swaps they have are what the original intent or function was.

Originally Posted by GKANG

EDIT: About Stop 'n' Swap, if I remember correctly (it's been a while since I did this stuff)

- Eggs from BK1 translate into boxes in N&B which give you new items to use. It's a shame though, since the items tend to be extra pieces of standard items found in the game. The only new one I got was a British flag.

- Eggs from BK2 translate into extra modes and goodies. Some of them are Jinjo avatars, xbox 360 wallpapers, but you also get the multiplayer mode from it too! Which may I say is a fantastic unlock.

I dunno, the multiplayer was standard on the N64, otherwise the Stop'n'Swap in BK2/BT is aid to be the poor man's quick decision to try and implement them somehow according to Rare, and that they never did their original intent.


Stop and Swap still remains a [most beloved] mystery. <3

I really never got into these games. I remember renting the first one and finding it ok but i cant remember much after that. A lot of you guys go on and on about these games, but what was the appeal?

I suppose it was one of the first N64 games to be released, and at the time, it had some gorgeous, 3D graphics and a very vibrant, colourful world. And it still holds to this day.

I guess it was just 'cutting edge' back in the day. :]
It was the forefront of platform games, and with such great music and such, it was just easily embraced.

Originally Posted by ɹɐǝqıɹǝ

Banjo-Kazooie and especially Tooie (discounting its framerate issues) are some of the best 3D console platform games ever made, and they are still extremely playable up to this day, in some senses a little ahead of their time (especially Tooie, which has lots of large interconnected levels and tons of gameplay types that are all pulled off well). If you don't have the N64 versions then I suggest grabbing them on Xbox Live Arcade, as they're fairly cheap and will give you weeks of fun.

Tooie was an AMAZING game. That said, I went back and played it a couple of years ago on an actual N64 and OH MY GOD MY EYES. The framerate is painful.

Originally Posted by Florina

I really never got into these games. I remember renting the first one and finding it ok but i cant remember much after that. A lot of you guys go on and on about these games, but what was the appeal?

Banjo Tooie was an amazing game. The atmosphere was original, the script was hilarious, and the levels were masterfully designed and contiguous. As great as Super Mario 64 was, Banjo Tooie was unarguably better. (Spare the frame rate.)

Part of the appeal as well is the fantasic overworlds the games have. Basically think of an Ocarina of Time overworld but packed with more stuff in it and lots more secrets. Then instead of going to a town when you go through the drawbridge, you'd enter a level which is open and packed full of stuff in of itself. A lot of the fun was trying to find out where the next level was, it wasn't just an obvious walk like in SM64. Like, you need to use powers to reach certain areas in the overworld to find new levels. Not to mention that Tooie's levels are interconnected too, and there are so many great moves (has every move from the original game and adds a ton more.)

I COULD GO ON FOR FOREVER. It also has a gay bar and tons of hidden sexual references LOL. Despite it being a child-friendly looking game.

Watch these all the way through.





Some of the things shown are lame, but a whole load of them are great.

Reminds me - was Merry Maggie a trannie, or just a very butch lady?
O Jolly Roger. You and your sneaky Seamen's brew.

Ah, Banjo-Kazooie...One of the most memorable series on the N64, and indeed, in general. The original was great enough already, but I think it was Tooie that really pushed the series into the classics category along with Super Mario 64, OoT, and all other greats from that era. Tooie retained all the charm and humor from the original while improving on all shortcomings the first one had and adding more excellent mechanics on top of that. I hated how in the first one, all notes and Jinjos resetted after you left the level. Thats one of the things the sequel fixed.

And of course, Stop n' Swop. Probably the biggest videogame mystery of all time, that will likely never be solved completely. That Stop n' Swop they did on the 360 is likely similar in concept to what they were originally going to do, but it certainly wasn't exactly what it was meant to be.

My favorite level in the first one is probably Click Clock Wood, and Hailfire Peaks is my favorite in the second. But there's really not one level from either of them that I can say I disliked. Also, fun fact: Fungi Forest from Donkey Kong 64 was originally supposed to be in Banjo-Kazooie. And I believe Donkey Kong 64 was also intended to be involved in Stop n' Swop.

And I have Nuts and Bolts, by the way. The concept of it is definatly interesting, and creating your own vehicle was certainly fun, especially with all the possibilities. But the level designs and missions didn't do it any justice, and I stopped playing before I even got halfway through.

Originally Posted by SuperDecimal

I suppose it was one of the first N64 games to be released, and at the time, it had some gorgeous, 3D graphics and a very vibrant, colourful world. And it still holds to this day.

I guess it was just 'cutting edge' back in the day. :]
It was the forefront of platform games, and with such great music and such, it was just easily embraced.

It was released about 2 years into the N64's life.

As for Stop n' Swap. Basically, using the N64's memory that has already been described above, the player was to switch to Banjo Kazooie after playing Tooie. Recognizing the Tooie data, the Stop n' Swap locations would be unlocked. (This was changed to make it so that Nuts n' Bolts data unlocks it in the 360 version).

The player would then be free to collect the eggs and the ice key in Kazooie and then switch back to Tooie again which would recognize that the Stop n' Swap items were obtained and they would be in your inventory. The ice key could then be used to get the Mega Glowbo, and thus unlock Dragon Kazooie, while the eggs would be brought to Heggy, who would hatch them and give the player cool stuff. (The 360 version of the games are like this. The ice key is no longer obtainable in Tooie, and the eggs that mimicked the BK eggs are now the Stop n' Swap II eggs.)

Just like in Tooie
The Pink Egg would give you the Breegull Bash move.
The Blue Egg would unlock the Homing Eggs code.
The Yellow Egg would unlock Jinjo in multiplayer.

The prizes the other eggs would have had are unknown, and have been made into a 360 theme, a gamerpic, and an unlock for Stop n' Swap II. We will probably never know what they would have been. My bet's that they would have been more code unlocks for the Mayan Mayhem Temple.

Stop n' Swap II and a quote from the end of Nuts n' Bolts makes me look forward to the next Banjo game, as it will be of the same style as Kazooie and Tooie.

B&K is one of the best videogames of the N64,a true master piece. I really want to play B&T someday.

Originally Posted by GKANG

Part of the appeal as well is the fantasic overworlds the games have. Basically think of an Ocarina of Time overworld but packed with more stuff in it and lots more secrets. Then instead of going to a town when you go through the drawbridge, you'd enter a level which is open and packed full of stuff in of itself. A lot of the fun was trying to find out where the next level was, it wasn't just an obvious walk like in SM64. Like, you need to use powers to reach certain areas in the overworld to find new levels. Not to mention that Tooie's levels are interconnected too, and there are so many great moves (has every move from the original game and adds a ton more.)

I COULD GO ON FOR FOREVER. It also has a gay bar and tons of hidden sexual references LOL. Despite it being a child-friendly looking game.

Watch these all the way through.





Some of the things shown are lame, but a whole load of them are great.

He reached on quite a few of them, like the Black Jinjos.
and the "**** You" flower pots.

The flower pots clearly say thank you. That's not even arguable.

The first vid was fun.
The second seemed to really take things out of context though.
"Chuff" is British slang for Vagina, but given the context, Chuffy the Train didn't seem all that naughty. Especially next to a spurting cock with big balls in Terrdactyl Land.

The supposed "**** you flowerpots" is genuinely just "thank you" in one of the more northern-sounding British accents.

As for Mingy Jongo and Mingella, they got that wrong. Minging/being a minger is a word used to tell someone they're ugly or that somethings offputting about them. With Mingella, it's obvious it's meant to be because she's ugly. With Mingy Jongo, I'd guess it's because well, he's supposed to be off putting? As least he got it in the Minjos. Minge is actually said there.
Seems in general the video maker doesn't get or understand Britslang properly. :/

And things they said they were clearly mocking, like African Americans having large families isn't all that founded. Again, as a British developed game, I doubt there were that aware of American stereotypes consciously enough to put int he game. They parodied English things and conventions, like Captain Pugwash, a kids program about pirates where there was an infamous urban myth about characters called Master Bates and Roger the Cabin Boy (to Roger means to f*ck [the Cabin Boy]). M. Bates was most likey if anything been a cheeky naughty nod to that, as well as being at the core, a not to Masturbates.

Surprised they didn't catch "Jolly will need some relief" or things like "How can I get my hands on your honeycombs?" and instead going for the most tenuous link, like getting an extra "honeycomb extension" type of things instead.

One thing for sure, there was a lot of subtext there that went right over the heads of kids!

Good times.

Originally Posted by silver arrow

The flower pots clearly say thank you. That's not even arguable.

I was thinking the same thing. I got that far and basically said "**** it" and skipped through the video looking at random segments. It would have been a LOT better if he had focused on all of the ACTUAL adult humor in BK/T.

These games arent out on VC i take it due to Rare complications? Its a shame, id like to try that game out full on.