Banjo-Kazooie

"Is there a good game Rare CAN'T make?"

I still remember the day I got that VHS tape in the mail. It was a video advertisement that had been sent to Nintendo Power magazine subscribers. I had received several of them before, but most of them did an absolutely terrible job in convincing me to buy the products. The Pilotwings video mostly showed people jumping into a wall and the Diddy Kong Racing video had some guy talking really fast. But this particular video was different. Composed of nothing but utterly tantalizing game footage and a sly narration by actor/comedian Jon Lovitz, this video was for Banjo-Kazooie. The graphics looked unlike anything I had seen before, being much more vibrant and detailed than any 3D game I had seen. Heck, I had been waiting for another good 3D platformer like Super Mario 64 (there hadn't been too many since). This was a game I just had to have.

GRAPHICS: 10/10

If I didn't know that Banjo-Kazooie doesn't use the High Resolution Pak, I would think that it did. It is very well possible that Banjo Kazooie has the most gorgeous graphics of any game I have yet seen on the N64 system (maybe even of any 3D game), and even better than most games that do use the expansion pak. Rich and varied textures envelope virtually every surface, bringing Banjo Kazooie's world and characters to life, practically disguising their polygonal composition. (For a good example, look at the shiny ivories of the organ, or the softly-textured cushion of its seat.) There is so much worth seeing and describing in Banjo-Kazooie that it's almost impossible for me to illustrate all of it.

Remember in Super Mario 64 when you began outside the castle and the ground consisted of one single flat green colour throughout its green surface? Step outside of Banjo's house and you see a garden of colourful flowers and a stone path that gives way to beautiful fields of varying greens, yellow, browns and grass textures. Jump in the water and see how realistically the drops splash on the surface. There is very little blurriness and fog is nowhere to be found.

Although the first area gives a taster of what's to come, there is much more inside the ominous Witch's Lair itself. The level of detail here is just astounding. Notice how the paintings on the walls around Mumbo's Mountain and Treasure Trove Cove really look like paint and not just smeared polygon textures. Intimidating wall carvings loom around every corner. (Check out the snowmen carvings by Freezeezy Peak's Jigsaw Puzzle or the crabs by Treasure Trove Cove's entrance.) The grass and leaves surrounding Click Clock Wood's entrance and jigsaw puzzle is some of the greatest I have ever seen, evoking a sense of haunting serenity.

Smooth texture mapping and fluid animation are never spared, from the largest of enemies down to the smallest termite. Stand in front of a Bawl (a giant onion) and watch it bounce up and down. Observe the mighty Clanker, a mighty mechanical shark, as his massive body gently bobs at the surface of the water, while his tail, fins, eyes, mouth and gills sway in rhythmic tandem. Poisonous swamp frogs and toothy piranhas in Bubblegloop Swamp are almost as shiny as the bright star atop Freezeezy Peak's majestic Christmas tree. And speaking of Freezeezy Peak, which is home to the biggest snowman known to video gaming, take a gander at the aurora borealis shining on the cliff-like walls. And if it weren't for the fact that I'm constantly being attacked by a well animated Sir Slush snowman, I would like to just kick back and look up at the sky to watch how the stars and the moon forever hypnotically rotate.

Later levels continue to support this high-quality detail. Gobi's Valley is a desert featuring shifting sands and a giant Sphinx. There's a haunted, spooky graveyard that looks like something out of the creepiest parts out of The Wizard of Oz, which eventually leads to Mad Monster Mansion, whose graveyards, eerie mists, stained-glass windows and other supernatural surroundings put Castlevania 64 to shame. (Was anyone else surprised as I was when those giant tombstones started chasing after me?) But my favourite area is Click-Clock Wood: a forest world that is revisited in all four seasons. It's decorated in light rain showers and lovely greens in spring (check out the neat parallax in the thorn thicket), to blooming flowers in summer and piles of fiery red leaves in fall and finally a glazed icy surface in winter.

Yes, I've gone on about graphics quite a bit, but graphics are one of Banjo Kazooie's strongest aspects. There is still much more I have not spoken of (like the mystically painted ouija board, the DKC2-reminiscent beehive or the polygon-pushing Rusty Bucket Bay). There's really no need to, since I'd not only be rambling, but everything in this game is such high quality that you can basically take all I just said and apply it to everything else in the entire game.

SOUND: 8.5/10

As great as Banjo Kazooie's graphics are, its sound is just about on par. No matter how bizarre, ominous, sad or foreboding the music may be at times, it always keeps a touch of that light-hearted circus-carousel charm that is pervasive from the moment you turn your game on. The opening cinematic begins with an all-out "hodown" amongst the game's main characters, with Banjo strumming his namesake instrument, and others, such as Mumbo, Tootie and Kazooie joining in. Compared with Donkey Kong's anemic "DK Rap", this opening is quite energetic and sets the mood perfectly.

The music for each world pertains well to the current theme, and smoothly changes tone and instrumentation as you move along. In Mumbo's Mountain, for example. the bouncy jungle rhythm becomes drum-heavy when you head into Conga the ape's territory, and develops native chanting when you're strolling through Mumbo's village. The calypso beat of Treasure Trove Cove becomes a piping, merry hearty sea shanty when you're near the pirate ship. Freezeezy Peak's music is like a long lost Christmas carol, while Mad Monster Mansion features Halloween-caliber riffs complete with tolling bells and hooting owls. But my favourite music is that of my favourite area, Click-Clock Wood, which changes with every season. In the spring time, robins are heard chirping along to the delightful forest melody, while in summer it changes to a waltzing song with buzzing bees. In fall, frogs croak a more percussion-based version of the song, while in winter, it takes on a chilling, icy flavour.

And that's just the music. I haven't gotten to the sound effects yet. Most of them are excellent, especially the sounds of breaking wood and glass and the creaks and clanks of metal objects moving about. But the character voices, on the other hand, can be a little annoying. Characters don't actually talk in this game, but they have a distinct "mumbling" sound which is their "voice". Cute and unique, this gives each character a little added personality. However, I think I found myself more distracted by Banjo's goofy vocals when he's performing moves than I may have when I first played the game. Banjo Kazooie's sounds are sometimes used to give audio clues, too. For example, a Jinjo may whistle out to you if there's one nearby, and the grunt of an unseen enemy will let you know its nearby.

CONTROL: 8.5/10

Banjo's control is very similar to that of Mario's in Super Mario 64, but in some ways feels even tighter and more fluid. For one thing, the camera control has been greatly improved. Pressing R once centers the camera behind Banjo, while holding down R makes it stay there, so it's always easy to see where you're going. (Some areas do have fixed cameras, but they usually give you the best view possible.) Flying in 3D is much easier than it was in Super Mario 64, with the ability to raise altitude or make a sharp turn in midair with the press of a button.

Banjo and Kazooie have a number of useful moves that are easy to memorise and perform. There are some that you have from the beginning of the game and others are taught to you by Bottles the Mole in specific worlds later on. The two characters moves compliment each other so well that they basically function as one character. Having Kazooie on your back is like being Mario with an everlasting power up. When Banjo jumps, Kazooie can use her wings to increase the distance and slow his descent. Many moves are accomplished by holding the Z button and pressing any of the buttons on the face of the controller. If Banjo moves too slowly for your liking, you can use Kazooie's Talon Trot, which is also useful for climbing steep surfaces. The wing assisted flip-flap jump allows Banjo to reach new heights. Other moves are used for attacking, destroying things and hitting switches. These include Banjo's standard punches and rolls, Kazooie's beak attacks, egg tossing, invincibility feathers and even a tandem body slam! (And if it sounds intimidating, don't worry; there's a tutorial at the start of the game.)

The best part is not the sheer number of moves, but how necessary they are in many situations and the ease and responsiveness at which they are pulled off. Many puzzles are designed to be solved with a specific move or combination of moves. Switches are pounded with the body-slam-like Beak Buster, some enemies and statues are divebombed from the air with the Beak Bomb, and only eggs will reach some out-of-the-way targets. The game is very well balanced in this respect, and since most moves are specialised with obvious purposes, it's never a matter of "trying everything" to solve some riddle.

As far as 3D games go, Banjo Kazooie has pretty fluid game control, with only a few minor quirks. I think the camera control in Banjo-Kazooie is generally better than most 3D games I have played, but it still takes some getting used to. There is also one thing that can sometimes annoy me, particularly in the final battle. In order to fire an egg, you have to hold Z, then press C-Up. It's kind of easy to get ahead of myself and press C-Up too soon and end up in first-person view when that is what not what I wanted to do.

STORY/ATMOSPHERE: 7/10

The description on the back of the Banjo-Kazooie promotional tape VHS is as such; "An innocent waif is kidnapped... an evil witch consumed by envy plots her bitter revenge... and two heroes answer the call to justice." Technically, that's what Banjo-Kazooie's story is about, but from reading that, you would think they are describing something serious. The actual tone of the game is much more comical, as you might expect from the cartoon-like characters. (Just pointing this out because I thought it was really funny!)

Gruntilda the witch has kidnapped Banjo's little sister, Tooty. Gruntilda plans to use a machine to "steal" Tooty's beauty and transfer it to herself. Banjo, a laid back honey bear, teams up with his unlikely partner Kazooie, a loud-mouthed anti-social breegull that lives in his backpack, to rescue Tooty and defeat the evil witch.

Banjo's cast of colourful characters all have distinct, outward personalities, and the dialogue is often quite hilarious! Kazooie insults and argues with just about anyone she crosses paths with. Gruntilda, forever speaking in rhymes, taunts and threatens you as you trek through her lair. Bottles is a timid mole who helps Banjo while doing his best to ignore Kazooie's tongue-lashings. During your travels, you'll meet up with many other charming and sinister faces who will help, or hinder, your progress. The humor is often raunchy, sometimes embarassingly so, but kept at a tolerable level though it seems somewhat of a contrast against Banjo-Kazooie's lush, atmospheric environments.

CHALLENGE: 6.5/10

The main goal of Banjo-Kazooie is to defeat the witch Gruntilda, but it's not as easy as stepping into her lair and asking for a showdown. You'll have to work your way through the catacomb-like maze of the lair and explore its myriad worlds to progress. The entrances to the worlds can only be opened by completing their respective jigsaw puzzles. Doors to higher levels are locked and can only be accessed by collecting the number of musical notes designated on them. Each world contains 10 jigsaw pieces and 100 notes and collecting them is your major goal.

Much of the challenge in Banjo Kazooie comes from learning to navigate each world and dealing with their many obstacles and inhabitants. Some jiggies are out in plain sight, but it's not usually just a matter of just walking up to them and grabbing them. You may need to learn a special move from Bottles the Mole first or perhaps use a special animal transformation granted by Mumbo Jumbo the Shaman. Some puzzles test your skills, such as a series of rings that you have to jump and swim through within 50 seconds. There are mazes that must be navigated within a time limit, or else the jigsaw disappears, or you lose a life and either way you'll have to start over again. There are bosses such as leaping frogs, a giant hermit crab and exploding dynamite crates to be defeated. The variety of tasks is immense and constantly keep you thinking and searching.

Although it does have its tricky spots, Banjo-Kazooie is relatively easy. Maybe it was purposefully made easier because its cartoonish look is probably attractive to younger gamers. But it also might be due to the fact that Banjo's core gameplay is not all that much different from Super Mario 64, and many of the jiggies aren't as taxing to retrieve as the hardest stars in Super Mario 64. Most of the challenge of Super Mario 64 emnated from falling off the edges of things into "oblivion". Well, that doesn't happen as much in Banjo-Kazooie. In fact, I can only think of four areas in the whole game where it can happen. You can also increase your life meter by finding extra honeycomb pieces, which is something you couldn't do in Super Mario 64.

However, Banjo-Kazooie is not devoid of all action challenges. One of the most difficult parts of the game I can think of is a series of jumps through moving fan blades. In another claustrophobia-inducing scene, you have to swim to the bottom of a very deep well and turn a giant key to raise an object out of the water. It's very tough to do this and get back up to the surface without running out of air. Many ground surfaces are full of hazards, such as shark-infested waters or hot desert sands and some of it is uncrossable without the use of a special animal transformation or boots.

I will say one thing - Rare didn't hold back when it came to the final boss! As crazy as this may sound, I personally think that Gruntilda is one of the hardest and best final boss fights around. After playing through the entire game, having collected every note, jiggy and extra honeycomb piece, I have to admit that Gruntilda's difficulty surprised me. I'd rather not spoil the final boss fight, but let me just say it's a multi-part, fist-clenching struggle that culminates in a freakish way that I did not see coming! (The camera tends to be a little more "touchy" in this fight than it is anywhere else in the whole game, but by the time you get this far, you should be pretty good at controlling it.)

FUN: 9/10

Part of what makes Banjo-Kazooie such a good 3D platformer is that although the worlds were large, they aren't overwhelming and there is very little wasted space. Bubblegloop Swamp, for example, has a small center section that branches off into five alcoves, but in each alcove there are multiple tasks to accomplish and items to find. (Even the center has a couple of things to keep you busy.) Many worlds are set up in a similar fashion. There are practically no dead ends and very few rooms that yield nothing of importance. The Witch's Lair acts as a "hub" between all the different worlds, but it's very easy to navigate, especially with the aid of cauldrons that act as warps between two points. The lair is also far from being empty, as some jiggies and other things are hidden here too.

Another important factor in Banjo-Kazooie's fun is the great variety of tasks to perform and puzzles to solve in search of those elusive jigsaw pieces. I know I didn't want to stop until I found every single one! Sometimes, defeating a boss nets you a jigsaw, but at other times you will have to help, not harm, a friendly character to get those jigsaw pieces you desire. This may be as simple as giving a fruit to a monkey or as complex as helping a young bird grow to adulthood, or even matching notes with a ghostly hand on a larger-than-life organ. Some areas have fun puzzle-like games to play, such as a giant ouija board that you glide around on and a matching card game played on rotating tiles.

As much as I like Banjo-Kazooie, I would have liked for it to have been a little more challenging. I don't mind that there wasn't as much "falling into oblivion" as there was in Super Mario 64. But perhaps I would have liked to have seen more boss fights or tough puzzles that really put your skill to the test.

On a final note, I'll always remember how Banjo-Kazooie's well kept secrets drove me crazy for months! You may have noticed that ice key behind the window in Wozza's Cave, or that map of Treasure Trove Cove inside the Rusty Bucket with an "X" over Sharkfood Island, or the sealed door in Gobi's Valley. I know I did long before I was told about them in the game. I also wondered about the wine barrel in the mansion cellar with the "X" on it. Even though special codes demystified these conundrums, there turned out to be many more "easter eggs" hidden in this game than originally thought. Too bad their intended purpose was never realised, but they kept me thinking and playing Banjo-Kazooie for months.

Incidentally, this game still has "unsolved mysteries" that kind of bug me. For example, what is up with that giant treasure chest in Mad Monster Mansion's bedroom? Or the picture of the pirate in some of the mansion paintings? He's the only character shown that doesn't exist in the actual game. The one map on the inside of the Rusty Bucket is of Treasure Trove Cove, but what the heck is that other map showing? And why is there an "X" on the floor of the Sand Castle when it's the only letter never used? Finally, what's up with that Nintendo Power strategy guide showing a picture of Gruntilda's beauty machine room (where she was holding Tooty hostage) with all the machinery gone and the door in the back standing wide open??

OVERALL OPINION

Today's world is littered with bad video games, but Banjo-Kazooie is one that stands out from the crowd. It doesn't just take platforming gameplay and awkwardly shove it into three dimensions. It embraces the 3D platforming concept, and, in some ways, reinvents it. Although most of my favourite games have been 2D platformers, shooters and RPGs, I shamelessly admit that Banjo-Kazooie is a game that I love.

OVERALL SCORE (not an average): 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/23/08

Game Release: Banjo-Kazooie (US, 05/31/98)