Banjo-Kazooie

BIG FUN: BANJO-KAZOOIE

Nintendo's Newest Platform Game Features Huge Worlds, Huge Enemies, Huge Fun; Features the Richest, Most Detailed 64-bit Graphics to Date

ATLANTA, May 27, 1998 – Banjo-Kazooie is not the latest dance craze, nor a new chocolate candy bar, nor a new alternative rock band from Seattle. It's a gigantic, 3-D, action/adventure home video game from Nintendo of America Inc. and the world-famous game designers at U.K.-based Rare Ltd. The one-player game – only available on Nintendo 64, the world's most powerful home video game system – will be available nationwide, June 29, 1998, with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $59.95.

At 128-megabits, Rare's first character-based platform game for Nintendo 64 also is Rare's largest game ever, enabling huge advancements in both game play and graphics. Banjo-Kazooie features two humorous, co-joined characters – Banjo, a male honey bear and Kazooie, a female red-crested breegull. Exuding personality, the duo use more than 20 different moves and abilities through vast worlds, each filled with a variety of challenging tasks. The game also showcases the awesome graphic power of the system with the richest, most detailed environments of any Nintendo 64 game released to date; an enormous number of polygons rendered instantly, with a lightning-fast rate of frame display; and an excellent depth of vision.

"Big, huge, enormous, gigantic are all appropriate descriptions for Banjo-Kazooie, not only in the graphics and game play, but also in the number of players we expect will add this game to their collection," says Peter Main, Nintendo of America's executive vice president, sales and marketing. "Super Mario 64, the first Nintendo 64 action/adventure game, set a standard of excellence and created a model of what could be done with the Nintendo 64. As the benchmark for the next wave of games for the system, Banjo-Kazooie advances those aspects to give gamers a logical next generation Nintendo 64 experience."

Banjo-Kazooie has a giant story – literally. Because Banjo's sister Tooty is the prettiest female in the land, a huge, ugly, evil witch named Gruntilda captures her and locks her away in a giant castle. Banjo and Kazooie must rescue Tooty by journeying through the vast lands to find all of the pieces to complete a puzzle that will open a door leading to a final battle with Gruntilda.

Each of the nine worlds is meticulously detailed and textured to create the most immersive video game experience yet. For example, when Banjo swims in a lake, not only does each foot create its own rippling effect, but drops of water also emit from the splash onto the lake to create their own ripples, just as in real life.

Banjo-Kazooie is big on game play as well. To find each puzzle piece, the game's heroes need to perform challenging feats such as: solving perplexing mini-games, traversing confusing mazes, morphing into a variety of other animals and battling immense enemies and level bosses.

A unique game play feature will make Banjo-Kazooie appeal to players of all ages and experience levels. As players progress through the game, they will discover new moves and abilities — like shooting eggs, backflipping, shoulder barging and high jumping that will help them advance through each level.

The soundtrack for each level is perfectly themed to match its look. As Banjo and Kazooie move to a different, more profound part of the level, the music becomes more intense.

Banjo-Kazooie will be Rumble Pak compatible, and Nintendo Power will release a Banjo-Kazooie Player's Guide to coincide with the release of the game.

Source:

Press Release

Action and Puzzles and Bears. Oh My!

Trouble brews when Gruntilda the witch captures the unbearably beautiful cub, Tooty. But before the grisly hag can steal the bear’s good looks, big brother Banjo and his fine-feathered friend, Kazooie, join forces to stop her. Combining their 24 moves and special powers, Banjo and Kazooie will fend off armies of beasts. Bear and bird must hunt down the 100 puzzle pieces and 900 musical notes that will ultimately lead them to Gruntilda. However, miles of swamp, desert and snow and one bear of an adventure stand in their way.

Soar over islands to scout out buried treasure.

Brave past whirling blades in the belly of a mechanical shark.

With some voodoo magic, transform into different creatures to gain special powers.

Solve the puzzles of the ancients to unearth the cursed labyrinths

Source:

Back of Box (US)

What are you supposed to think about a game that stars a big, goofy honey bear named Banjo who wears tight yellow shorts and carries around a raucous, red-crested breegull in his bright blue backpack? Sounds like a puzzling combination, right? Amazingly, the creative and kooky folks at Rare made all the pieces fit in Banjo-Kazooie, Rare's 3D prequel to Banjo-Tooie.

The action starts when wicked witchy-poo Gruntilda nabs Banjo's cute kid sister, Tooty, to use as a test subject for her beauty-stealing invention. Banjo sets out immediately to the rescue with his inseparable companion Kazooie stashed in his backpack. The bear-and-bird duo must use constant teamwork to overcome the many obstacles in Gruntilda's cavernous lair. Banjo's brute strength comes in handy in beating up on foes, while Kazooie's locomotive versatility enables the pair to scour the world in search of the necessary pieces to solve the puzzles of the place. And if controlling a bizarre bear-bird pair isn't enough, players can seek out witch doctor Mumbo Jumbo to undergo a variety of magical transformations. Banjo and Kazooie can learn more than 20 different moves, and they'll need them all to make it through the nine nightmarish worlds inside Gruntilda's Lair.

Source:

www.nintendo.com - Nintendo 64

Die Hexe ist los!

Die bitterböse Grundtilda hat die süße Tooty entführt und ist im Begriff, sie ihrer Schönheit und Jugend zu berauben. Doch da hat sie die Rechnung ohne Banjo, den Bruder des kleinen Bärenmädchens, und Kazooie gemacht! Der freundliche Bär und die freche Straßendame stürzen sich furchlos ins Abenteuer und begeben sich auf eine Reise, wie sie die Videospielewelt noch nicht gesehen hat. Ihr Weg führt sie durch düstere Sümpfe, heiße Wüstenoasen, tiefe Wälder, idyllische Bergalmen, umheimliche Geisterhäuser, schneebedeckte Täler und sogar in den Bauch eines Wales. Wenn es gar nicht weiterzugehen scheint, hilft nur noch die Verwandlung in eine Termite, ein Walroß, eine Biene, ein Krokodil, einen Kürbis oder... eine Waschmaschine!

• Märchenhafte Grafiken und atemberaubende Spezialeffekte
• 9 riesige Welten voller Spannung, Abenteuer und Humor
• Über 20 neue, haarsträubende und witzige Special-Moves
• 360° Bewegungsfreiheit und witzige fantastische 3D-Umgebung
• Modulintegrierter Speicher zum Sichern von 3 Spielständen
• Realistisches Spielgefühl durch das Rumble Pak (separat erhältlich)

Source:

Back of Box (German)

Meet the newest Dynamic Duo, Banjo-Kazooie!

Trouble is brewing on Spiral Mountain! Gruntilda the witch, wildly jealous of Tooty the Honey Bear's good looks; is determined to steal them for herself! But even as she whisks the helpless youngster off to her tower, Tooty's big brother Banjo and his loud-mouthed partner Kazooie are hot on the trail to rescue her...

Aided by the mystical shaman Mumbo Jumbo, Banjo and Kazooie must tackle gloomy swamps, scorching deserts, towering mountain ranges and spooky haunted houses on their way to the final confrontation at the summit of Gruntilda's Lair. * Incredible 3D environment defined by state-of-the-art graphics! * Nine huge worlds brimming with variety and excitement! * Bear and Breegull teamwork opens up a whole new range of special moves! * Save your game directly onto the cartridge for future play! * Immerse yourself in the action with Nintendo's Rumble Pak (sold separately)!

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Back of Box - N64 (UK)

The bear and bird's first ever outing available in full. Loads of rollicking fun to be had here and with the legendary Stop N Swop feature reinstated. You’ll never look the same again at a jigsaw.

Source:

Xbox.com product page