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.

 

[the_randomizer]

DK64 isn't owned by Microsoft.

Tooie, DK64, Goldeneye, Killer Instinct Gold. But only if Microsoft can have the back catalogue too.

 

[NinStar]

Oh you mean you wanted the baby version rather than the original version? This is whats wrong with gamers today. Rather have the game holding your hand rather than putting in the work on your own.

I mean... if you are on Switch it makes no sense to complain about this, most of the notable ports on the console are just a easier version of their original counterparts...

 

[Panzerfaust]

I'm one of few ppl who doesn't get the buzz around this topic. I mean, you could play this game on the Switch before and even a spiritual successor was released.

pls, someone, enlighten me

 

[the_randomizer]

I'm one of few ppl who doesn't get the buzz around this topic. I mean, you could play this game on the Switch before and even a spiritual successor was released.

pls, someone, enlighten me

Citation needed. It was never on Switch, fake news.

 

[Milenko]

Too bad this doesn't have any of the Xbox improvements, like actually saving music-note collection counts upon leaving a world instead of needing to collect all 100 or so of them in one go...as far as I know, anyway.

Nope, this is the original N64 version, flaws'n'all.

Of course it's the original N64 version, you do realise it's N64 for NSO? Not slightly changed or remastered versions

 

[Wolfy]

Banned switches can still play NSO games

Indeed they can, but honestly I'd rather buy some things and have them legit. That and I still wouldn't pay for the yearly subscription since I barely use my Switch as is.

 

[Hells Malice]

Fuck Kazooie we can play it better on Xbox, but Tooie would be sweet with online multiplayer to play the derpy fps mini game. I loved that damn game as a kid.

 

[relauby]

I'm one of few ppl who doesn't get the buzz around this topic. I mean, you could play this game on the Switch before and even a spiritual successor was released.

pls, someone, enlighten me

It was only playable before on hacked Switches that can run Retroarch, and even then, in my experience, the game didn't run great and was prone to crashes. As for the spiritual successor, Yooka-Laylee was generally not well-received, I believe.

 

[godreborn]

I started banjo kazooie, but the series x/rare replay version. I beat the first world. I'm enjoying it a lot. there were a couple things I couldn't figure out how to get, but I had enough to go to the second world.

 

[the_randomizer]

Please tell me the audio doesn't use inear interpolation

 

[driverdis]

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.

I avoided N&B on Xbox One and played on 360 due to the sluggishness. Now I am doing the complete opposite on the Series X where it runs close to buttery smooth and is rendered at 4K60 now. The Xbox One X handled it pretty good as well but the Series X seals the deal. I only use the 360 version on my jtag for the vehicles in showdown town mod and unlimited parts mod now.

 

[godreborn]

speaking of audio, something odd just now happened with banjo kazooie on the series x. I came back to it, from it being in sleep mode, and there was no audio in the game. no sound effects, no music, but the system audio stuff was working. I had to exit out of the game, then go back in to get audio working again. it seems to be working now, since I've turned it off and on a couple of times, and the sound is still working. also, I don't like the fact that the account has to sync with cloud every time you came back to the game. it interrupts the game, since it happens a few seconds after starting up the game again.

 

[HarvHouHacker]

Looks cute; I've read that Yooka-Laylee is somewhat of a successor to the series. It'd be neat to see the lizard and bat as amiibos!

 

[godreborn]

Banjo Kazooie on the series x did it again, no music, no sound effects. I think it's a bug with the game, but I have lost odyssey in sleep mode, so I'm going to see if it does it (will check tomorrow). is there an email or something to report a bug? I thought there was, at least with xbox.

 

[godreborn]

I think the bug is with the rare replay version of banzo kazooie. lost odyssey hasn't done it yet, and I've tested it several times.

 

[the_randomizer]

I think the bug is with the rare replay version of banzo kazooie. lost odyssey hasn't done it yet, and I've tested it several times.

I've had many games do that, AC Ezio Collection did that when I resumed; I hate quick resume.

 

[godreborn]

I've had many games do that, AC Ezio Collection did that when I resumed; I hate quick resume.

well, I'm glad it's not just me. is it better to save, then exit the game before turning off?

 

[the_randomizer]

well, I'm glad it's not just me. is it better to save, then exit the game before turning off?

That version has autosave, so yes.

 

[godreborn]

well, I looked up where it saves while I was playing the game. it autosaves after getting a puzzle piece or when exiting/entering a world, I think. this may be the achilles heel of the series x. I was try9ing to find something about it I didn't like. I don't like this at all.

 

[DuoForce]

It really took em this long to add a rom file to the NSO service....