Banjo-Kazooie

Summary

Genre: Platform
Number of players: 1
Rumble Pak: Yes
Controller Pak: No
Expansion Pak: Not used

Review

Banjo-Kazooie was Rare's first platform adventure for the N64, and has only recently been given a sequel in Banjo-Tooie. Banjo-Kazooie is a game which, it cannot be denied, is in the same mould as the very first game for the Nintendo 64, Super Mario 64, and even features a couple of moves identical to Nintendo's own platformer. But is Banjo-Kazooie just a cheap rip-off of the classic Mario 64 - or is there more to it than that?


Gameplay: There's more to it than that, obviously. I'll be frank from the outset and say that I took to this game from the beginning in a huge way - and justifiably so. The game is both funny and charming, as well as playing like a dream. You control the eponymous duo, Banjo the bear and Kazooie the bird, as they make their way through nine levels in a search for Banjo's kidnapped sister Tooty. They must collect jigsaw pieces and musical notes from each world, as well as all sorts of items, including red feathers that let Kazooie fly, and blue eggs which are used as ammunition.

The gameplay itself is awesome. The heroes have a vast array of moves, all of which are fun to use and yet often requiring quite a lot of precision. The control is responsive and tight, and you won't have any complaints about how your character moves.

The levels themselves are very large, but well-designed so that there's minimal backtracking. The tasks which you are asked to complete are varied, and all highly enjoyable. One minute you could be battling rogue snowmen with an aerial dive attack, the next you are having a sled race against a rather portly polar bear.

There are a number of original and clever innovations in Banjo-Kazooie. For a start, on many levels you can meet up with the local shaman, Mumbo Jumbo. Pay Mumbo the required amount of Mumbo Tokens, and he will transform you into an entirely different form which is necessary to complete many tasks in the current world. These forms vary from a small termite to a snapping crocodile, but all of them provide key functions, and all are fun to control. Adding to the complexity is the fact that you can exit the level while still transformed, and explore the area in the 'hub' level near the exit while still transformed. More often than not, this is the key to finding new secrets, or even unbarring the routes through the hub level which are otherwise inaccessible.

Another neat innovation is the hub level itself. Rather than the somewhat dull castle in Mario 64, the hub instead is contructed as a forbidding and cavernous maze, only passable through careful exploration - and only if you have collected enough music notes to unlock the various locked doors spread throughout. Shortcuts through the lair can be accessed by finding the magic warp cauldrons hidden in back passages, and you also need to find the giant jigsaw puzzles, which, when filled in with the jigsaw pieces you have collected, open up new worlds to explore.

All of this just adds to the fun of the game, which plays wonderfully.


Challenge: The challenge of the game is quite an interesting question. On one hand, there is an awful lot to do, and there are 100 jigsaw pieces to collect, together with 900 music notes. On the other, many puzzles aren't that difficult to complete, and in the earlier levels most of the 'jiggies' are just sitting out in plain view ready for collection. Most enemies can be killed with just one hit, and it's usually quite rare to lose a life.

However, that said, there are a few challenges which are not so easy. There are quite a few boss characters about, and these can be quite tricky to defeat. The final battle, where you go up against the wicked witch Gruntilda, is difficult indeed, and yet is one of the most enjoyable and satisfying bosses I've ever faced off against in a game.

Another factor contributing to the ease of finishing the game is simply the way which Banjo-Kazooie sucks you in. The set-up is such that you can easily play for hours and hours without ever getting stuck, bored or frustrated. This isn't really a bad thing, and, while it must be said that it takes far longer to clock Mario 64 than it does to complete B-K, that's mainly down to the fact that Mario throws you out of the level after you collect each Star, while Banjo doesn't require you to redo lots of puzzles each time you snatch a jiggy.

All-in-all, it's not a difficult game as such, but it's no pushover either, and many challenges aren't simple in any respect.


Graphics: Banjo-Kazooie looks great. The sheer variety and interest of all the levels is phenomenal, and the graphics are impressively 'solid'. Animation is excellent too, and all the characters move in a believable and flowing manner. There is little 'fogging' to be seen - you can see quite a long way before the scenery begins to fade away. In addition, there is no jerkiness or any other apparent graphical 'twitching'. Everything is exactly as it should be, and this all adds to the depth of the experience.


Sounds: Sounds is another area where B-K really stands out. Starting off with the musical score, the fact of the matter is that Banjo-Kazooie has the best music on the N64, without any other game even coming close. Every level's music is catchy, perfectly matched to the level, and just plain fun to listen to. The music for the final world, Click Clock Wood, is of special note, and you will find yourself humming along with it constantly. Excellent!

Sound effects, too, are great. Every character, right down to those which have only a single line to say, has its own voice, although the voices consist of little chirps, burbles or squawks instead of actually speaking the words themselves. This gives everything its own personality, and fits the overall mood of the game perfectly. In addition to voices, the noises made when Banjo and Kazooie perform their moves, and the attacking snarls of the enemies, are all spot-on, and in places even amusing. It's just one more area where this game truly shines.


Summing up: The opening sequence to the game, where Banjo, Kazooie and their friends play the theme music on a variety of instruments while varying levels of chaos take place in the background, really sums up exactly what the game is all about. Great graphics; excellent music; likeable characters, and, most of all, tremendous fun, all abound in one of the N64's finest games. You will not regret owning Banjo-Kazooie!


Gamesmark: 96%


Reviewer: Maverik