Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge

"It looks like Banjo-Kazooie, but it doesn't feel like it"

One of the things I love about the Banjo-Kazooie games is their personality. Even though Grunty's Revenge is a graphical breakthrough for the Game Boy Advance, it has none of that personality. It feels more like a re-hash of Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie, without hardly any inspiring elements about it.

The plot is supposed to take place between the two Nintendo 64 instalments. Gruntilda the witch has escaped from under her rocky tomb by means of a spirit machine Klungo has invented (even if he was never a genius), and now she kidnaps Kazooie and goes back in time to change the past. By doing this she hopes to make sure Kazooie and Banjo never meet, and thus never beat Grunty. Banjo travels to the past to save Kazooie and prevent Gruntilda from carrying out her evil plan.

This plot sounds promising enough. The trouble is that the game itself is a very confusing and, worse, uninspiring experience to play. This game has none of the character of the N64 games. There are no worlds like Treasure Trove Cove, Click Clock Wood or Jolly Roger's Lagoon. Instead we have a rather dull beach level, a town with some sludge and oil, and a farm (!) to name 3 of the 6 you play through. This should give you an idea as to what to expect. Interesting characters are practically non-existent as well, though we do at least get to meet a young Captain Blubber (even if I had to consult the Rare fandom to confirm this, because his appearance is very brief). Everything feels uninspiring and cold.

The gameplay is just as bad. A forefather of Bottles called Bozzeye is on hand to teach Banjo moves in exchange for notes. However, before Banjo consults him, he can't do a thing... except move around. That's right. It's no fun at all to have to find a mole to be able to climb a ladder. The layout of the game is very confusing as well. It has a semi-isometric viewpoint that makes it almost impossible to judge jumps and distances like you must frequently do. The Jiggies are either way too easy (more than one world has an easy 'slide' Jiggy) or ridiculously hard. One Jiggy in Spiller's Harbor is VERY frustrating to get because of the limited viewpoint and the ridiculously short timer you get. A couple of enemies kill you way too fast, and they re-spawn almost the second you turn your back. Honeycombs are also rare and in-between, and you never really feel that you're getting anywhere. Trust me, it isn't any more fun that it sounds.

This game may be called Banjo-Kazooie but it has none of the character and spirit to deserve that name. I consider Grunty's Revenge more of an experiment in what the Game Boy Advance is capable of than a good game, because sadly it's not. Dust off your Nintendo 64 if you want to know what makes a good Banjo game.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 05/18/09

Game Release: Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge (US, 09/10/03)