Banjo-Tooie Quick Review – Nickany

Graphics: 9.5/10- Slightly better than Banjo-Kazooie’s graphics as you can see a bit more detail on the textures. The shine on the Jiggies and notes are done well. You can tell what things are because they are detailed graphics for its time. Sure things may look pixilated, but that doesn’t matter because of the great game play which I will get to soon. Now that it is on XBLA, the graphics are more detailed, but the original N64 graphics still hold up.

Plot: 8.5/10- After falling from her tower in Banjo-Kazooie, Gruntilda got trapped under a boulder for two years. Her assistant Klungo couldn’t help out her, so Grunty’s sisters, Mingella and Blobbelda used their magic powers to lift the boulder and free Grunty. Unfortunately, her body was all bones and her clothes were full of wear and tear. This is where the plot comes in. Grunty uses her B.O.B. or Big O Blaster to suck the life out of characters or blow it back. She uses it to try to suck Banjo’s life by firing the laser at Banjo’s house, but Banjo and Kazooie left before it happened thanks to Mumbo. Bottles didn’t make it out though. She then takes the life of the Jinjo King turning him into a zombie. It’s up to Banjo & Kazooie to beat Grunty and her new Drill Machine the Hag 1.

Sound: 10/10- Once again Rare impresses us with great music. You will hum along with the music because it is very well chosen for each level. Grant Kirkhope really knows what he’s doing by making very well thought out music tracks. It is hard to beat Grant’s music; it may be some of the best tracks in a video game.

Gameplay: 9/10- The gameplay is much more detailed than Banjo-Kazooie’s was. You get long term jiggies that you must work hard to get. They are not just given to you. You learn new moves such as Egg Aiming, Split Up, and Beak Bayonet. These add to the gameplay experience. Levels are bigger than Banjo Kazooie and they range from a Temple area to a level in the sky. You still must collect jinjos, jiggies, and extra honeycomb pieces. You get new items to collect such as Glowbos and Cheato pages. You must also watch out for the dreaded Minjos or evil Jinjos. Grunty is harder this time around and a much more longer fight. This time when you defeat Grunty she explodes, but she still makes a return. Even to today, the gameplay will always be fun.

Replay Factor: 10/10- Even though there is not much to do after you’ve beaten the game, it is still fun to play multiple times. You can replay bosses and mini-games after you’ve beaten it, so there is some reason to replay, but the game is so fun that you’ll want to replay. Just like Super Mario 64, this game will provide hours of fun for years to come.

Total: 47/50

Average: 9.4/10