Banjo-Kazooie Review, a Complete Puzzle

It’s Summer of 1998, only two years prior to the release of the Nintendo 64. As an 11-year-old Nintendo fanboy, I rush to meet a friend in the neighborhood 3 doors down who is claiming to have the next big game! He shows me a game which is being called “the new Mario 64” except none of us were prepared for how accurate that statement was (alongside more promises and bigger aspirations). The game is called Banjo Kazooie, which features a brown bear wearing yellow shorts, who sometimes plays a banjo and carries a blue backpack which holds his friend Kazooie; a vulgar red bird who is crass and sarcastic towards everyone you come across.

I was instantly hooked when I saw the vibrant colors and personality of Rare’s first 3D platformer. (Lucky for me). My Birthday was several weeks away, and through the power of childhood persuasion I convinced my mom to buy the game as an early Birthday Present to my heart’s content. The rest is history..

A Cartoon Inside a Video Game

Banjo Kazooie is a cartoon in a video game. The joyous sound of its style and message jumps off the screen from start to finish. Everything in this game is alive. No. Really. EVERYTHING! Feathers, honeycombs, lightbulbs... They all are sentient and conscious. Everything talks to you, like a childhood story every object has eyeballs and alongside everyone else they talk to you through a very humorous chant of sounds, chirps and whistles. Like when an orange talks to you, it makes squishy and wet sound effects, while a Hippo-pirate character constantly burps and belches which will make any 10-year-old boy howl with laughter! This isn’t just a whimsical childhood story; it would be more accurate to suggest it follows a darker method akin to that of an old German fairy tale.. The antagonist is an evil, green witch named Gruntilda who captures Banjo’s little sister so she can steal her youth and turn herself into a sexy, green witch who is ready to pick up some dudes (No, seriously. That’s the plot).

Nine Worlds of Unforgettable Design

In order for Banjo to save his sister, he has to collect Jigsaw pieces (or Jiggies) scattered throughout Grunty’s massive, evil lair. It’s full of traps, monsters and friendly faces who either are avoiding you (like a thirsty camel) or are in need of assistance (a Dolphin pinned underwater by a large ship anchor). The nine worlds are brimmed with identity and unforgettable music (Simply google “Bubblegloop Swamp theme” if you don’t believe me). I still remember my first experience almost 30 years ago swimming through a deep, underwater tunnel only to come across an enormous chamber holding a massively chained, metal shark with large sharp teeth. He introduces himself as Clanker (Grunty’s garbage disposal). You eventually go inside the Cyborg like shark and experience a giant space full of flesh and guts mixed with spinning blades as if you have to survive inside a giant, living sink with a disposal! The game sends you through worlds of snow, swamp, sand and even one of the greatest designed platform stages in Platforming history: Tick Tock Woods. A level which changes itself through all four seasons of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The music changes, the water level shifts, you get to feed an eagle and watch it grow each season. You help a squirrel find his nuts for hibernation, you can even have a crazy Mumbo Shaman turn you into a Bee so you can fly around and join your friends inside a bee hive.

The Lair That Ties It All Together

Grunty’s lair is the pinnacle of outside world hub design. As you advance, unlock secrets and slowly move up through your progress in collecting Notes, Jinjo’s (weird birdlike looking creatures in vibrant colors) and new abilities. You feel the power dynamic between the furry/feathery duo as the game rewards you for the time, commitment and exploration. The passion put in this game is seen all throughout Grunty’s chambers. When you approach a new world, that world’s influence reaches into the lair and alters the music and adds a new coat to the lair’s music matching that world. The music in this game is so iconic you can ask almost any Banjo Kazooie fan to mouth any world’s theme and they will remember almost all of them.

One of Gaming’s Greatest Finales

The game ends on one of the most creative and memorable finales in gaming history. Rare had the audacity to challenge your memory and quiz you on the entire scope of the game through a fancy “Game Show” hosted by Grunty herself. No one can confidently pass this test unless they have actually played the game themself. The game simply rewards you for playing, and even 28 years later I was grinning ear to ear when I was challenged playing this event again. Characters all throughout the game assist you in the game show, I was reminded that the game has a talking toilet (yes, you go inside a toilet in this game), it was abundantly clear that long ago I was the targeted audience once upon a time as a 90’s boy living the dream playing peak Nintendo 64 in all it’s glory!

After the game show, you have the final battle with Gruntilda. An epic battle taking place on top of her high, spooky tower. The fight again requires you to use almost all the abilities you have learned, as Grunty tries to plow into you with her grinning broom as it chokes making struggling engine sounds as Grunty hilariously beats it like she’s trying to start a car! Did I mention that Gruntilda is one of “the” best video game antagonists ever? Throughout the entire game she mocks you, and scowls and laughs at your attempts to reach her. Her dialogue is utterly ridiculous as she simultaneously rhymes every single time she opens her mouth, an example “Hey Banjo, you’re looking glum, it must be hard, being so dumb!” during the game her own Sister Brentilda spoils the lifestyle of Grunty by telling us little absurd facts, like how Grunty washes her hair with engine oil! Or the fact that Grunty enjoys a nice smoothie of Elephant sweat!

A Core Memory, Forever

One of my core memories was finally defeating Grunty as a kid. Not because I had a wild, over the top adventure as a bear carrying a bird in a Witches castle, not because I experienced the pain and hardships of collecting every Note in the nasty waters of Rusty Bucket Bay (all fans will understand this one), but because my two brothers and myself got to witness the resurrection of a “Mega” Jinjo brought to end Grunty’s career as it pummeled her senselessly as she began biting her nails under an exaggerated cartoon style display! the Mega Jinjo in a deep voice yells “JINJO!!!!!” with the final blow And sends her off the tower into the abyss! Oh did we laugh at the game’s Looney-Toon style drama!

Banjo Kazooie defined a generation. The game, its mischief antics and its ludicrous premise has stuck with us 90’s gamers ever since it sweepingly knocked Mario 64 aside and proclaimed itself as the definitive masterpiece of 90’s Platformers. It’s a hallmark in Nintendo and Rare excellence. A paragon of true, polished game design. I will play Banjo Kazooie forever. It isn’t just held by nostalgia and the glory of a bygone era; it’s a game that forever became a part of me... Like Kazooie says in the game: “Great, I get to peck some more witch butt! Let’s go, Banjo!” - Queue the Witch laughter.

Final Score

10/10