Top 5 Best Rare Crossovers on Xbox
Xbox! Home to Rare‘s prestigious titles of yesteryear/futuretimes, and also notable for the latest incarnation responding to the first two words of this article via voice recognition and sending you back to the hub menu. Tricky tech! With three generations released exclusively for Microsoft’s console, we’ve decided to catalog some appearances from classic Rare characters that have popped up in some unexpected places. For the purposes of this list, we’re sticking to releases seen on Xbox 360, Xbox Live Arcade and Xbox One. These are the Top 5 Best Rare Crossovers on Xbox!
#5. BANJO AND KAZOOIE GET SERIOUS SPEED – SONIC & SEGA ALL-STARS RACING (XBOX 360)
Following the release of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, the Bear and Bird duo wouldn’t need to be roused out of a second pepperoni binge, as the advent of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing put them back behind the wheel in the Xbox 360 version. Prepared with Mumbo’s Wrench and a discourse of driving experience from Diddy Kong Racing and Banjo-Pilot, the pair could use their ‘All-Star’ power to litter the track with oversized golden jigsaws, which would create roadblocks and hazards for Sonic and his friends. While Banjo and Kazooie are naturally as quirky as their series suggest, the appearance in Sega’s racing romp turned them into instant icons. For fans of wild driving and Rare‘s unique flair, this iteration of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing with Banjo-Kazooie was the definitive version to own and master.
#4. CONKER’S NEW FUR DAY INSPIRES FAN-DRIVEN WONDER – PROJECT SPARK (XBOX ONE)
Developed exclusively for the Xbox One, Project Spark is an incredibly extensive creation tool that allows avid gamers to become game makers, with arguably the most surprising addition unveiled at E3 2014 courtesy of a certain Red Squirrel at the end of the presentation. Aided with his trusty chainsaw, Conker made quick work of the Project Spark logo, imploring viewers to make their own “Bad Fur Day” game to end a decade-long dry spell. While Rare‘s fuzziest dipsomaniac will make his debut in the latter-half of 2015 via DLC, his call was answered with Project Spark owners recreating levels, assets and more from his original Bad Fur Day and Live & Reloaded adventures. Inspired with true passion, it’s only a matter of time before fans manage to create an entire series of outstanding Conker games!
#3. THIS SECRET AGENT IS HIGHLY CLASSIFIED – PERFECT DARK XBLA (XBOX LIVE ARCADE)
While Crackdown 2 may have started its journey at Twycross, Ruffian Games would ultimately come to ‘crack on’ with its development for release on the Xbox 360, leading to an explosive title rife with shooting action and lethal secret agents. Those familiar with critical darling Perfect Dark may have noticed some similarities between the titles, but the best crossover treat can be found in Joanna Dark‘s latest release, Perfect Dark XBLA. Owning both Crackdown 2 as well as Perfect Dark on Xbox Live Arcade will allow the protagonist ‘Agent 4’ to become available within the combat simulator. With Rare and Ruffian Games teaming up to bring their best agents together in a fast-paced trigger-ready battle of wills, this fated showdown came completely free – so long as you had good taste in exhilarating shooter fare.
#2. GATHERING THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF CLASSIC RARE HEROES – MINECRAFT (XBOX 360)
Serving as a gleeful time vampire and inspiration to architects, masons and gamers alike, Minecraft took its addicting construction sandbox all the way to the Xbox 360 in 2012 where it was greeted with shouts of praise and shouts of legitimate fear from approaching Creepers. Making the transition from extra blocks to Xbox were a series of DLC Skin Packs from several developers, including Rare. Entering the blocky foray were a cavalcade of likenesses based on characters from Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, Viva Piñata, Jet Force Gemini, Conker: Live & Reloaded, Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Kinect Sports and Killer Instinct. For many this meant touring Minecraft as their favorite heroes, and for a very small majority it meant finally building a small dream house for Gruntilda and Horsetachio to share.
#1. DIGGING UP SOME RETRO ACTION WITH THE BATTLETOADS! – SHOVEL KNIGHT (XBOX ONE)
Revelling in the classic charm that made the 8-bit era so memorable, Shovel Knight took the gaming world by storm in 2014 with its solid gameplay and distinct visual style. Delivering in spades (heh) on the Xbox One, Shovel Knight isn’t without some new features and exclusive secrets – the largest of which heralds the emergence of the Battletoads from the eponymous Rare series. Rash, Pimple and Zitz have presumably grown tired of putting an end to the nefarious plots of the Evil Dark Queen and have instead bring their radical fighting styles and tubular modus operandi back to the era that made them celebrated idols. The world of Shovel Knight is forever changed when the Battletoads land the Vulture ship – with the appearance of the Speeder Bike, we can only earnestly hope for more Turbo Tunnel action!
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