"Eight years later, still a lot of fun"

PROS: Intuitive controls; great story; incredible graphics; just plain fun

CONS: Sometimes too easy; a couple camera issues here and there

Banjo-Kazooie will always be one of my favorite Nintendo 64 games. Eight years after its release, this game is still awesome.

In this 3D adventure game, you play as a bear (Banjo) and a bird (Kazooie) out to peck some witch butt after the evil witch Gruntilda kidnaps Banjo's little sister so she can use a magical machine to take the cub's youth and beauty from her. Along the way, Banjo and Kazooie will meet a strange shaman and visit several different areas within Gruntilda's lair, ranging from an Egyptian desert to an underwater garbage dump. Each of these world has 10 “Jiggies”, which are golden jigsaw pieces used to grant access to the next area. The worlds also have musical notes, which will let you get farther in Grunty's lair. There are health-increasing honeycombs, which are pretty well hidden, and eggs and feathers, which help in certain situations. Kazooie can fire the eggs as ammo, but the aiming really isn't that great. You'll only use the eggs to knock down doors pay tolls, etc. Red feathers will let the bird-brain fly (while Banjo is still attached to her via the blue backpack) and gold feathers will let Kazooie give Banjo a magical shield. There are plenty of other moves that you can learn here, too, and they will make use of every button on the N64 controller except the D-Pad and L. It really isn't too complicated because all of the controls flow smoothly and you'll have little problem picking them up if you're used to the controller's setup. You'll just have to remember which C button to press to execute a certain maneuver. There are plenty of moves here, and you'll be using a lot of them. There aren't too many to make it overwhelming, because this game was made for kids, even though it's suitable for all.

The story here is told amazingly. It's humorous in parts, and the main characters are all well-developed. There are several minor characters that'll help here and there, and they all have a unique voice. Some of these voices are hilarious- the toilet, for instance. They seem to work with the game.

The graphics in this game are incredible for the N64. They honestly look like a GameCube game, and the graphics are even better than some of the GameCube games that I've seen. Also, the music is amazing and you'll have some of these tunes running over and over in your head. They never get old, and the soundtrack never ceases to take away from the game.

On the downside, there are a couple camera issues here and there, but your ability to readjust the camera will make you have little problems. Also, some of the Jiggies are way too easy to get, but this game is far from being a pushover. You'll need to use logical thinking and make use of anything that you can find. This game isn't the hardest, but it isn't too easy, either. But, most importantly, it's a hell of a lot of fun, even eight years after it came out.

This game has a lot to offer. After the first world, the Jiggies aren't just laying around on the ground. You'll have to climb high up to get some, swim down low to get others, and do complicated puzzles and task to receive even more. There are also five Jinjos in each world. These creatures, which are cursed by Grunty and can't move their legs unless you touch them, will call out to you. Once you free all five in a given world, they'll give you a Jiggy. In addition, there are a few boss fights here, although there aren't many of them and none of them are all that challenging, they're a great change of pace from the more child-friendly missions. This game, although it does seem childish, will appeal to gamers of all ages.

There is no doubt in my mind that this was one of the five best games on the Nintendo 64. Almost everything here is amazing, and this game is far from flawed. There are plenty of things to do on your quest, and there really isn't any necessary backtracking. The game makes it easier with Warp Pots, which are located all over Grunty's Lair. Also, since there is so much variety here, you can play this game over and over and never tire of it. The story is involving and funny, and this game will never let you down. Even eight years later, this game still manages to impress. Banjo-Kazooie will only take about 15 hours to beat, but that's pretty good for a Nintendo 64 title. It's amazing while it lasts, and anyone who hasn't played it… well, they should PLAY IT. I give Banjo-Kazooie a perfect 10 out of 10. It deserved it back when it came out, and it still deserves it today. It still is amazing, and still worth playing. Now, where'd I put that honeycomb?

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 08/08/06