E308 | Banjo Kazooie 64 Returns...on XBLA! #1 at Nintendo Cubed3

In what will come as quite a shock to many, the N64 classic Banjo Kazooie will arrive on XBLA this year, complete with Nintendo branding!

News has broke from Microsoft's E3 conference (along with the fact that Square Enix is now bringing Final Fantasy XIII to the Xbox 360 at the same time as PlayStation 3 in the US and Europe) that Microsoft has struck a deal to bring Rare's Nintendo 64 classic 'Banjo Kazooie' to the Xbox L!ve Arcade download service, complete with slight graphical touches to make it look marginally better than the N64 version, as well as a possible return for the fabled 'Stop 'n Swap' feature.

The game is being ported to XBLA by an outside partner whilst Rare continues work on the original Banjo Kazooie 360 title 'Nuts & Bolts'.

But will it also appear on the Virtual Console at some point as well? Only time will tell...

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jb on 15.07.2008 at 00:28#1

Oh...ma...gawd!

Hopefully the original version will come intact on the VC service. Would be good to see how the original version is polished up Smilie

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SuperLink on 15.07.2008 at 00:30#2

Complete with Nintendo branding? Does this mean the intro and Nintendo references will be unaltered?

Nintendo might not be happy about that.

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Adam Riley on 15.07.2008 at 00:35#3

Exactly, Nintendo logo, Banjo playing with a Game Boy...all there, according to CVG who saw it recently!

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dartmonkey on 15.07.2008 at 00:38#4

GTFO!!! Full Nintendo branding????!!!

Wow - one of those new-fangled interweb acronyms! I must be astounded and/or excited.

Less posty, more gamey.

LeeTSanders on 15.07.2008 at 00:47#5

This great news. Hopefully this will show big companys that games like these can find a way on to downloadable services

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Light Wolf on 15.07.2008 at 01:06#6

I suppose that discards the possibility of BK reaching the VC?

Kind of sad, I never played it.

TAG on 15.07.2008 at 01:34#7

Do you think Nintendo gets any of the profits? I would think that Nintendo still owns some of the rights for the N64 Banjo games.

I don't think Nintendo has gotten profits from games on other systems since the Cd-i was around.

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Birdo Is A Tranny on 15.07.2008 at 02:12#8

This is a total joke right? Are they allowed do this? Did Nintendo strick a deal or something? WTF! Smilie What an outrage!

( Edited 15.07.2008 01:12 by Birdo Is A Tranny )

Glenjamin on 15.07.2008 at 02:16#9

artmonkey said:
GTFO!!!

Yeah, my thoughts exactly!

patjuan32 on 15.07.2008 at 06:12#10

Birdo Is A Tranny,

Rare owns the Banjo IP. This means that they can do what ever they want with older games. Perfect Dark is another game that could come to the XBLA since Rare owns that IP.

Remember, Nintendo sold it's stake in Rare and came to an agreement that allows Rare to keep the IPs that it created on it's own, i.e. Banjo, Conker, Jet Force Gemini, Perfect Dark, and maybe Killer Instincts. Those are all the IP's that I know of. There could be others.

However, Rare is releasing Banjo to the XBLA to establish support for it's up coming game, Banjo: nuts and Bolts. Some Xbox 360 gamers may not know Banjo and this is a cheap way to introduce Banjo to them and possibly increase the sales of the title.

Laurelin on 15.07.2008 at 09:21#11

Yes, they may be owning the IPs, but it's not that easy with the branding. They would have to remove it. But I think Nintendo had an agreement here. Remember, Rare does some DS games. Maybe they will do some Wiware or VC or maybe Microsoft brings out some games on VC, too (But whay should they? They don't have any history *lol*).

But, hey: What's the point? Since rare left Nintendo, they didn't bring out any game, that lived up to Nintendo's standards. Even Viva Pinata is a cheap Pok�mon ripoff, Kameo would have been great on Wii or Cube, but... doesn't matter.

I find your lack of faith disturbing!

erv on 15.07.2008 at 10:09#12

The old rare from the perfect dark, jet force, dk64 days genius is gone.

I see nothing but revamps or disappointing rebuilds from previous projects in them.

Shame, but that's how it is.

And the new banjo looks like it does not have the level design charms of the original...

Dr_R on 15.07.2008 at 10:44#13

If Nintendo published the game then they should have rights on it. It doesn't matter if they transferred the IP with the sale of Rare. That should only affect the creation of new games with the existing IP.

As it stood, Nintendo's publishing rights for the existing games stopped Microsoft from putting them on XBLA, whilst Rare's ownership of the IP stopped Nintendo putting Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Banjo, Blast Corps, Battletoads et al on VC.

This suggests that some kind of deal has been made. Expect to see Rare games coming to VC sometime soon (either that or Nintendo's been given a big boat-load of cash).

"This man has advanced communist views ... He dresses in a bohemian fashion both at his office and in his leisure hours."

Darkflame on 15.07.2008 at 13:14#14

Rare owns the IP, that dosnt mean they own all the code.
They might do, but its not nesscerly the case.

Anyway, the new Banjo game does look superb.
Looks like the first truely great thing they done in awhile.
Banjo platforming plus a kinda mechcanical version of Spore.
---

\"I don\'t think Nintendo has gotten profits from games on other systems since the Cd-i was around.\"

I think PC has had a few random things over the years.
But mostly, no.

( Edited 15.07.2008 12:15 by Darkflame )

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GhandisRevenge on 15.07.2008 at 14:35#15

I dont think Microsoft would have been able to go a head with the Banjoo download with out coming to some agreement with nintendo. Ater all Rare are still creating games for the DS and as with the up and coming Viva Pinata DS, There may be a possibility that we will see it on the VC and i really do hope so, which could also mean that Golden Eye and Hey why not Killer Instinct Blast Corps and the like. Its a long shot. Here hoping.

GHANDISREVENGE

patjuan32 on 15.07.2008 at 15:13#16

GhandisRevenge,

There is no agreement with Nintendo. Rare was already creating games for the GBA. Microsoft decided to let them continue to create games for Nintendo portable consoles because they do not see them as direct competition with the Xbox. And Microsoft themselves do not have a portable console. This has been stated in a couple of interviews.

Guys, did you know that Rare created Microsoft's Mii60's, the avatars shown at their conference, as IGN calls them. These guys have not stopped taking Nintendo's Ideas.

Birdo Is A Tranny on 15.07.2008 at 15:33#17

So we can take it that nintendo and microsoft have struck some sort of deal...

Goldeneye on VC anyone? Smilie Smilie Smilie

ohm on 15.07.2008 at 17:36#18

What does it matter? I care about this as much as I cared about old games coming to VC, so nothing.

WonkeyKong on 20.07.2008 at 00:53#19

Quaallitttyyy!!!

I played Banjo-Tooie and thought it had flashes of brilliance in it, but have never played the original. Looks like now I'll have the ideal chance to!