It was announced last month that Rare's 3D platforming hit Banjo-Kazooie will be coming to the Nintendo Switch Online program, and a release date was announced just today. The game will be available for those with the NSO Expansion Pack, that allows Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games to be played, on January 20, 2022. This release is significant as Banjo-Kazooie was released during Rare's tenure as a second-party partner with Nintendo before Microsoft's acquisition of Rare in 2002. As such, Banjo-Kazooie has never been released on any of Nintendo's virtual console programs, and has only recently made his long-awaited debut in the Nintendo crossover series Super Smash Bros. However, in recent years, partnerships between Microsoft and Nintendo have become more common, ending the long drought of Banjo's absence from Nintendo's platforms.

 

[ChoChoCup]

Welcome home boys. Again..

 

[The Real Jdbye]

It's finally happened. After so many years, Banjo Kazooie can finally return home. We haven't gotten Banjo Kazooie VC on any console until now. Might not have the same modernizations it does in Rare Replay, but the original version is still very enjoyable, and purists might prefer it.

Tooie I would not want to play a barebones emulated version of though. Needs at least a 60FPS patch, as the original could drop down to as low as 15 FPS or even lower.

 

[dragonblood9999]

Would be cool if rare replay released on the switch

 

[WG481]

Knowing NSO 64, the response time is going to be... varied.

 

[relauby]

Banjo-Kazooie holds a special place in my heart and I got weirdly excited just seeing a flashy new trailer cut together for it. I've been replaying it on an emulator for the past two days because I couldn't wait for it to hit NSO, and the N64 version still holds up beautifully (though it is slightly annoying when you have to recollect a bunch of music notes because you died in the shitty engine room in Rusty Bucket Bay goddammit). Anyway I'm very excited about this and I love seeing Banjo in the news again.

 

[Caleck]

Nice to finally see this game officially released on a Nintendo console again

Still just gonna use Retroarch tho.

 

[Wolfy]

If I actually had a Switch that could go online maybe I'd grab this, but my time playing modded Smash has not swayed my mind that much about it.

 

[Crazystato]

Is the 64 on the switch streamed or is it downloaded like nes and snes?

 

[NinStar]

Is the 64 on the switch streamed or is it downloaded like nes and snes?

It is downloaded and runs directly on your console, but the input lag can be as worse as a streamed game.

 

[raxadian]

Unfortunately lag will still be a thing unless they let you download the game to play ir offline and even then the emulator Nintendo is using sucks.

 

[the_randomizer]

Unfortunately lag will still be a thing unless they let you download the game to play ir offline and even then the emulator Nintendo is using sucks.

NERD's only good emulators were from the Snes and NES, their N64 emulator is utter garbage. OOT is the worst it's ever been officially emulated lol.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Still waiting for DIDDY KONG RACING!
(Also FIX THE EMULATOR)

 

[rimoJO]

every day we take one step closer to diddy kong racing on switch

that game alone may singlehandedly make the switch a decent console

 

[Deleted member 397813]

in the wise words of busdriver, "welcome home"

 

[Marc_78065]

One good game each month, well, at least that.

If I was an NSOEP customer I'd be disappointed with how everything is so underwhelming.

 

[PacBunny]

Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts when? And dont @ me cus its better than Simpsons Hit & Run!

 

[PatrickD85]

Neat, do hope we also get Tooie in the long run ... probably though

 

[tech3475]

Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts when? And dont @ me cus its better than Simpsons Hit & Run!

N&B is a native 360 game, so it would probably need a full port. So I doubt it will happen unless the source code is leaked or someone completely REs it, both of which I also doubt.

IIRC even MS’s emulator felt sluggish on the Xbone.

 

[Milenko]

Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts when? And dont @ me cus its better than Simpsons Hit & Run!

Trigger bait