[Official] Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

[FreqFace]

I was a bit dubious about this game, turning Banjo-Kazooie into a game about vehicles? Well, I've actually been playing a few hours now and it's pretty good. Can't say I wouldn't prefer classic platforming style of old, but it's not a bad game because of it. It's different, but I suppose that's good. I love all the references to the old games.

I have to say though, the graphics and art style are amazing! Seriously impressed by the quality. The one thing I always love about Rare is you can see and feel just how much effort was put into making it. This game is gonna take many hours of my time now :p

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

I was a bit dubious about this game, turning Banjo-Kazooie into a game about vehicles? Well, I've actually been playing a few hours now and it's pretty good. Can't say I wouldn't prefer classic platforming style of old, but it's not a bad game because of it. It's different, but I suppose that's good. I love all the references to the old games.

I have to say though, the graphics and art style are amazing! Seriously impressed by the quality. The one thing I always love about Rare is you can see and feel just how much effort was put into making it. This game is gonna take many hours of my time now :p

QFT :yes:

[FreqFace]

I'll reserve my full opinion until I've finished it though :p I still hope the next Banjo (is there one planned? hope so!) will go back to it's roots.

Will get Banjo-Kazooie for XBLA in the meantime. I'm surprised it was even allowed to be released on XBLA, don't Nintendo hold some of the rights to it?

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

There hasn't been any rumours of Banjo 3 to my knowledge, but they have talked about making another Killer Instrinct just the past few days! Another beloved franchise of Rare's.

I'm not sure how Rare got around the IP with Nintendo for XBLA, but I'm happy they did. Banjo 2 is coming to XBLA as well. I hope they can do something in the future with Goldeneye as well, but that's a whole different situation compared to BK.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I'm liking this more as I play it, it's pretty solid, but it's still a spin off in my eyes!

Would kill for a Banjo 3 on this engine, with development time improvements.

Need more HD 3D platformers this generation, not had many to go on :(

[spenser.d]

Downloading BK XBLA this morning. Took about 20 minutes to get every object in Mumbo's Mountain :p Came back to me fast than I thought :laugh:

Totally worth $15, even if I do still remember how to 100% the game.

-Spenser

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Yeah I rememberd a lot of it right away too, some parts I was like hmm. Got it in the end though!

[+Mystic MVC]

Totally worth $15, even if I do still remember how to 100% the game.

-Spenser

I think that is what is holding me back from getting the game. I really love playing it but with all the AAA titles out this fall, I'm so backed up its not funny.

[spenser.d]

I think that is what is holding me back from getting the game. I really love playing it but with all the AAA titles out this fall, I'm so backed up its not funny.

I know what you mean. I actually probably won't get to play it again until the weekend or later, not even because of other games. I have a research paper to write, and then course reading material to catch up on as exams start late next week. I just happened to wake up about an hour earlier than I usually do today so I figured I might as well give it a go.

-Spenser

[FreqFace]

Got Banjo Kazooie, brings back memories. Does anyone know what the stop n swop eggs unlock in Nuts & Bolts?

[Smigit]

Need more HD 3D platformers this generation, not had many to go on :(

Yeah I never got the fact they said if they did a straight platformer they would end up just remaking the older games. Theres so much that can be done in the genre and it's one thats had far too few titles, especially quality ones.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Banjo patched with SDTV text option

by Tom Bramwell

Rare has reportedly patched Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts so that dialogue boxes and prompts are easier to read on standard-definition TVs.

The latest auto-downloading title update turns on large text by default, according to forumites, and introduces a toggle to the brightness and contrast options menu.

When it launched in late October, Banjo was criticised for its tiny on-screen text, which was difficult to make out on smaller SDTVs, impossible to adjust, and important to making progress.

It's the same problem that affected Capcom's Dead Rising in 2006, although to Rare's credit the developer responded to concerns with an update, whereas Capcom didn't.

Sadly we don't have a copy of Banjo in the office, but images on numerous blogs and widespread reports from users confirm its existence.

For more on the game, which transplants Rare's lovable bear and bird character combo into a build-your-own-racer, check out our Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts review.

Source: Eurogamer

[+Mystic MVC]

Cool to see that somebody actually delivered on their word in response to a problem like this.

[Smigit]

Got this for Xmas and so far I'm so disappointed in this game. Shouldn't have expected anything different I guess after reviews but this game simply is not fun in any way shape or form from what I've played so far. And it could have been but Rare seem to have ignored all the hands on previews that were given that said the game controlled like a dog and have released it anyway. The vehicles bounce around like no tomorrow and generally don't do what you want them to. Add to that some other stupid things like having to constantly get out of the vehicle to pull a switch or something and you have a game thats just more tedious than it is enjoyable.

It's a shame IMHO. Not only to see Rare continue releasing games that come close but miss the mark constantly but also that they have continued to release average titles for a number of years now while a company like Ensemble gets disbanded by MS. To think they used to be my favorite game company back in the 90's.

The other issue besides the controls is that the game doesn't even address one of the issues Rare seems to have with platformers in that the games are collectathons. Not that I even agree that that was a problem, but this game is far worse than the older Banjo's or Mario series have ever been since your not only still collecting jiggies and notes but your also collecting engine parts to help your vehicles performance. Hell theres even collectables to unlock by playing the original on XBLA.

I'm a bit lost as to how this game became such a mess to be honest.

As others have mentioned, hopefully they use the engine to make a traditional game because the engine seems very capable to me and all this one really needed was another month or two of testing and tweaking the physics.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

The reviews haven't been 100% positive, but definitely nothing terrible.

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/...ndbolts?q=banjo

[Smigit]

Yeah well theres an ok game there, it just doesn't feel right at all IMHO. I'm going to try sticking with it and seeing if after getting more parts the vehicles begin to handle a bit better.

But the disappointing thing is IMHO this has been the trend with Rare in recent years, where they get close to a really good game and then release something that has a few game play elements that let the rest of it down. If the vehicles handled better IMHO it'd be a high 80's maybe even low 90's game. Well I personally think it would be anyway.

Edited December 28, 2008 by Smigit

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion :yes:

Rare didn't want to make another platformer like you & others described though. They wanted to do something new with the BK universe.

[spenser.d]

I got the game for Xmas too, and I eagerly await New Year's when I'll finally be with the other half of my Xbox's power cable and can actually play it...

-Spenser

[Smigit]

I got the game for Xmas too, and I eagerly await New Year's when I'll finally be with the other half of my Xbox's power cable and can actually play it...

man that must suck. haha

Rare didn't want to make another platformer like you & others described though. They wanted to do something new with the BK universe.

Ohh I have no problem with it being different. As above my complaint is that so far, maybe verging 20 jigsaw pieces in, all the vehicles for me feel pretty awful to drive and given thats the core gameplay mechanic then it hampers the entire game for me. I really don't mind the idea, just the implementation.

I'll stick with it for another 20 or 30 missions and maybe I'll start getting some parts to allow me to make something that handles more to my liking.

On the plus but, I shot through the original that came free with it in 2 days. Was so good to replay that even if I remembered where 99% of things were after 10 years.

[acnpt]

Played multiplayer on it earlier. Quite fun, like mario kart online.

Although do find the handling annoying!!