Xbox Studio Rare “Extremely excited” about Banjo-Kazooie’s arrival on Switch
It was a bittersweet moment yesterday when Banjo-Kazooie has arrived with the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack service.
It’s great to see the UK developer’s iconic duo return to the Nintendo platform after such a long time. It’s been almost 20 years since Rare was acquired by Microsoft, and almost 24 years since the original Banjo-Kazooie game was released on the N64, if you’re counting.
Leigh Loveday, a writer and designer who joined Rare in the ’90s, used the game’s Switch Online release to reflect on the company’s Nintendo era – noting that Rare has been “incredibly funny” please” that it can team up with its old friend again to bring the bird and the bear to the new generation of Nintendo:
“The question of the classic Rare game reappearing for Switch audiences is a question people have been asking for a long time, so we’re incredibly excited to be able to partner with Nintendo to bring the bear back. and birds up the platform.”
And in case you’re wondering, is the Switch version the “original” N64 as many will remember it:
“In the same spirit of preserving the game as the other titles available, this version of Banjo-Kazooie is the original Nintendo 64 as you remember it. And if you grew up on the later generation of consoles, Well, we’re looking forward to a whole new wave of gamers being transformed into a washing machine by Mumbo Jumbo, running away from the Snacker shark, and facing Grunty’s Furnace Fun for the first time.”
In addition to the kind words shared on the Rare blog, here are some other messages shared by Rare and some of the team members who worked on Banjo-Kazooie:
Nowadays, Rare is arguably best known for its live-serve Xbox and PC games Sea of Thieves. The team is also currently working Everwilda title like fantasy but hidden mystery.
Will you try Banjo-Kazooie on Switch this weekend? What other Rare game would you like to see from the N64 generation return to Nintendo’s hybrid platform? Let us know below.