Tag: Banjo-Kazooie

Geekscape Editorial: ‘Yooka Laylee’ & Setting Expectations

by The_acz

The highly anticipated Yooka-Laylee finally released a week ago, and reactions have been. . . . . . mixed. Many argue the game doesn’t live up the hype (little games do due to most of them being overly anticipated). This has people split arguing for or against the game. I went in with what was probably a mindset most people didn’t think of, and after a couple of days of playing, I’ve come to a conclusion. Before reaching that conclusion however, I thought I’d share my expectations that I set, so that when or if you play the game, you can get a good understanding of the expectations you should have before playing this. Let’s get to it then!

One of the first things to take into account when setting expectations for Yooka-Laylee is to take a look at the budget of the game. If you’re going into the game expecting it to be as big and sprawling as Banjo-Kazooie or Tooie, then you might want to re-adjust those expectations because the game is relatively small. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing since the game is still plenty of fun with some pretty big worlds and clever secrets.

Yooka’s budget is relatively small. Even with the Kickstarter funds and support from Publisher Team 17 to help out with stuff like a physical release and advertising, it still doesn’t compare to Banjo. Banjo’s budget is immeasurably higher having to take inflation, the number of times the game changed, and Nintendo’s funding of the game into account. There’s also the fact that Yooka was made in Unity, which is a fairly simple 3D engine, so it’s not going to have the exact look or feel as its predecessor. As a result, it’d be expected that the game wouldn’t have nearly as many worlds and even as many collectibles as Banjo would.

The next expectation to set might cause a bit of a stir at first, but just follow me on this, This is not Banjo Threeie.  Yes, Yooka-Laylee was pitched on the premise of being a Banjo Successor, but not the fabled Banjo Threeie that people love to fantasize about. I can guarantee you that nothing that is present in Yooka was planned at all for another Banjo game. Why am I so sure? Well, whether or not people want to accept it, Banjo Threeie already exists. It’s called Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, and the history of the title is pretty clear.  Rare even made a nice little video a year or 2 ago finally shedding some light on the title. Playtonic spent 2 years developing this title creating a brand new world, characters, and gameplay and I’m sure the last thing they want people to think is that all of that could easily be switched out for a more known I.P.

The last expectation I want to set is that this isn’t the exact same team as the original Banjo crew. Don’t take this as a negative, the people associated with Playtonic have done some fantastic work and have anywhere from 1 to 3 decades worth of making games for the company, but not all of them come from Banjo or Conker. One of the biggest missing pieces for Playtonic is Gregg Mayles, The creator and main level designer for the Banjo series. Yes you have your Chris Sutherlands and Steve Mayles who are very well known for being on the Banjo team, but then you also have very talented people like Justin Cook and Dean Wilson.

These guys are very talented artists who have worked on some of the most interesting Rare titles like Kameo: Elements of Power and Viva Pinata, but often get overlooked due to the internet’s over reaction of the Microsoft buyout and labeling it as “The bad era.” So while this isn’t 100% person by person the original team that crafted Banjo, that’s again not to be taken as a bad thing since the people still there are extremely talented, some even coming from other companies like Rocksteady (Batman Arkham Series) and Supermassive Games (Until Dawn and the LittleBig Planet Series). Below is a beautiful piece of Yooka artwork by Dean Wilson who designed one of the 5 worlds in the game, Glitterglaze Glacier. 

At the end of the day, I’m writing this not to discourage or encourage you to play or not play Yooka-Laylee, but what kind of expectations you should have set going into the game. You can read as many good or bad reviews of the game as you like, but knowing what mindset you have entering the game can make a huge difference. I hope this article has been helpful for you,and most of all, like the games you’re going to like. 

Rare Reveals First Footage Of ‘Project Dream’ And ‘Banjo 2.5D’!

by The_acz

Is it Christmas yet? No? Well it sure feels like it.

Rare has just shocked the entire online world by releasing a video talking about how the mysteriously named Project Dream became Banjo Kazooie. This is incredibly important because this is the first time in 20 years that we’ve gotten more info on this game. Not only that, but the mysterious beginnings of Banjo Kazooie with a somewhat 2D look and a very odd looking giant’s lair have also been shown and explained. Check out the video below and fall in love with what could have been.

Geekscape’s ‘Super Mario Maker’ Course Of The Week: Clanker’s Cavern

by The_acz

Another Week, another featured course.

This week, we’re taking a trip into Gruntilda’s Lair to visit a world that seems a little FISHY (I’m sorry no more puns for the rest of the article). That’s right, today’s featured level is a re-creation of Clanker’s Cavern from Banjo Kazooie by user B-Bech.Clanker 1

Using the original Super Mario Bros style, you take control of Banjo and Kazooie (represented by Duck Hunt in game) as you enter through the rusty pipes of Grunty’s lair to find Clanker’s Cavern. Careful where you swim, because at any moment you could get attacked by a Grille Chompa (represented by giant Piranha Plants) hiding in what seems to be an abandoned Pipe. Can you safely make it through the pipes and plants to reach Clanker?

Clanker 2Once you come face to face with Clanker, it’s your job to carefully navigate your way through him. You’ll be trying to find your way out from the top of his blowhole to the inside of his stomach. Will you survive the dangers of Clanker and emerge victorious? To find out, check out the level at: 2167-0000-0098-9A71. Until next time, keep playing and creating awesome levels!Clanker 3

Take A Look At This Unreleased ‘Banjo Kazooie’ Game For Gameboy Color

by The_acz

Yesterday, A YouTube user going by the name Tamaki, uploaded a video on what was recently found documents of a long lost Banjo Kazooie Game for the Gameboy Color.

Developed by Rare, the game was originally very different from the GBA handheld title that we got. This story didn’t involve time travel, but instead revolved around Grunty coming back from the Dead to curse Kazooie into a monster. This is the only known picture of the game so far as it’s said that the game probably never made it past initial planning stages.
Grunty's CurseIf you’re interested in learning more about this abandoned GBC check out the video below.

Rare To Release Behind-The-Scenes Videos For Unreleased ‘Banjo Tooie’ mode and ‘Banjo Kazooie’ Prototype

by The_acz

Exciting times for fans of Banjo Kazooie and Rare alike! Not only has the release of Rare Replay and development of Sea of Thieves signaled a return for the legendary company, but to top it off, they’ve been revealing Behind the Scenes secrets on some their most beloved properties. Yesterday, the company revealed that they are hard at work on more Behind the Scenes documentaries.One is on an unreleased co-op mode for Banjo Tooie entitled Bottles Revenge. Bottles Revenge was a co-op mode that would have one person playing as a devil version of Bottles the Mole; as he possessed enemies in order to stop Banjo and Kazooie from defeating Gruntilda. It was even going to allow the player to take control of bosses,but the mode was sadly abandoned. Oddly Enough the mode is still accessible using a Game Shark, but bosses can’t be controlled(video link of Bottles Revenge being played at the end of article.). The other video is a bit more interesting, as that one will focus on an unreleased 2.5D prototype of the original game. There are even hints that we could possibly get our first glance at gameplay of Dream, which was the first conceptual prototype of what would become Banjo Kazooie. Are  you excited for these videos?

Here’s How Those 10,000 Gamerscore Will Work In ‘Rare Replay’!

by Josh Jackson

When it came to Microsoft’s E3 showing, the only thing that came close to topping their backwards compatibility announcement was complimenting that reveal with Rare Replay, a compilation of 30 games from the longtime developer ranging from the NES to the Xbox 360. What caught Achievement hunter’s ear however, was that the game would have a total of 10,000 Gamerscore to uncover, keeping our OCD friends out there busy for a long time. However, once we spoke to the developers on the show floor, we learned that Achievements play a much bigger role than improving your online reputation.

First off, let’s get the unfortunate news out of the way. Seeing as some of these games are Xbox 360 titles, if you’ve played these in the past, you won’t be able to double up on points. In other words, since these are considered backwards compatible, the same Achievements unlocked in the past will carry over to Rare Replay. Despite this, I feel the trade off is worth losing the chance to get the same rewards a second time.

As a thank you to the fans, unlocking these rewards will provide special bonuses for those who play their games the most thoroughly. As you play, Achievements will unlock special content for each game, including developer interviews, artwork galleries, and a variety of other bonuses that make pushing through the games so much more rewarding. If you already unlocked the 360 ones as mentioned before, the rewards for these games will be available instantly! Which means my Viva Pinata, Banjo Kazooie and Kameo plays will finally pay off!

If 30 games for thirty dollars wasn’t enough for you, it’s clear that Rare Replay will offer plenty of replayability to keep you coming back for more. Still on the fence? Check out our Comic Con preview, and keep an eye out for our full review in the coming days.

Rare Replay will release exclusively on Xbox One on August 4th.

Xbox One’s E3 Lineup Possibly Leaks!

by Josh Jackson

Since the Xbox One was announced, there has been plenty of speculation as to what the promised 15 exclusive games would be, including our own two cents on the subject. If anyone is taking bets out there, anyone who was counting on not one, but TWO Halo games is going to be that much richer if this new image is to be believed.

From the image, we can see the previously announced Forza 5 and Quantum Break, on top of a new Banjo-Kazooie title called Grunty Land, Dead Rising 3, (which started as a 360 exclusive before getting ported to the Wii,) the return of Lionhead Studios with Fable IV and two Halo games, Halo 5 and what looks like Spartan Assault.

Keep in mind that nothing is confirmed, and for all we know, this image could be nothing more than nerd bait. But for the sake of argument, I’m pretty happy to see at least one of my choices for a returning IP in Banjo coming back. More Fable is always a good thing, and Halo fans will have a lot to look forward to with two games AND a TV show.

What do you think? Think this is worth getting excited over? Or is it too early to tell? Sound off below and let the speculation begin!

Source: Gamingbolt.com

Geekscape Games Presents: Ten Returning IPs the Xbox One Needs

by Josh Jackson

Since last week’s Xbox One reveal, the internet has been on fire with speculation, rumors and an endless stream of unanswered questions. Many have tried to make sense of it all, including us here at Geekscape, but one of the solid facts that came out of the conference was that 15 exclusive games, including seven returning IPs, would release within the console’s first year on shelves.

If you’re like me, you’ve been starving for Xbox exclusives. While I think it’s still the console of choice for multiplatform and online gaming, save for the occasional Halo, Gears, Forza or Dance Central release, Microsoft has been pretty thin in the exclusives department.

The Xbox One is going to want to launch strong, and contrary to popular belief, the green machine had plenty of great exclusives during the Xbox and early 360 days. Even without Halo, Gears and Forza, the company has plenty of titles in the vault to draw from. With seven slots for returning franchises, let’s look at 10 games that can help the next Xbox be “The One” for gamers.

10: Dance Central

Starting off with this game probably lost me a ton of readers. Still with me? Good.

While many gamers who identify themselves as hardcore have mostly shunned anything that has to do with motion controls, Dance Central is the definitive motion gaming experience available and shouldn’t be missed. Right out of the gate, the game tracked movements in ways that new games struggle to achieve years later. Each sequel only got better, culminating with Usher bringing in his choreography to create some incredible routines in the latest entry. Imagine the possibilities with heart beat tracking and expanded joint detection? And throw in the fact that every Xbox One will be bundled with Kinect? The potential sales would be sure to grow given that everyone will have the device. It makes too much sense.

9: Viva Pinata

What started out as being Microsoft’s “Pokemon killer,” it turned out Viva Pinata was anything but. It didn’t help that the game was nothing like the series that it was trying to compete with, but what Rare created instead was an enjoyable farm simulator that sucked hours upon hours out of gamers. The game had tons of charm, addicting mechanics and even a TV show to suck in the kids, but disappeared suddenly after a quick sequel.

Not only did it deserve more of a chance, but it would be the perfect game to display Xbox’s family friendly side. After all, every game can’t be a futuristic shooter. Speaking of, that brings me to…

8:Perfect Dark

There was a time where it felt like Joanna Dark was the most in demand woman in gaming. Building off of the success of Goldeneye, Rare produced an FPS masterpiece at the time for the Nintendo 64, leaving its announced prequel anxiously anticipated.

But almost a decade of patience brought us Perfect Dark Zero, a game that removed most of what made the original so innovative. Instead it left us with a cookie cutter title that was soon overshadowed by big guns like Halo and Gears of War.

The Xbox One would be the perfect chance to redeem the series. Bring back the cheesiness. Bring back the quirkiness. But most of all, please bring back limb damage and hostage taking! Zero felt like such a step back, but I’m sure I’m not the only gamer who would welcome the proper Joanna Dark back with open arms.

7:Alan Wake

Alan Wake was one of the most hyped exclusives for the 360 when it was released. From the talented crew at Remedy, (who developed Max Payne 1 and 2,) this surreal horror game took a page out of Stephen King’s book, (no pun intended, I swear!) Gamers took control of Alan, an author who is trapped in a town where his suspense novels were seemingly coming to life.

Using a unique combat mechanic that felt like a survival horror shooter had a love child with Luigi’s Mansion, Wake was praised for its game play as much as it was for its top notch story. The ending and its DLC practically confirmed a sequel, but it never came aside from a somewhat unrelated Xbox Live Arcade release. While Remedy is hard at work on the new IP, Quantum Break, wishful thinking keeps me hoping for a new Alan Wake game to come to the console. I’m going to wish as hard as I can.

6:Kameo

Much like Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo was also in limbo for far too long. Starting development as an N64 game before being moved to the Gamecube launch, she wouldn’t make her debut for years. Not until the Xbox 360 launched did Kameo finally see the light of day, and while it was completely overshadowed by more anticipated titles like Perfect Dark and Call of Duty 2, it was still more than worthy of gamers’ attention.

Putting players in control of the titular elf, she gained the ability to take the forms of various creatures. Each one gave Kameo different abilities that helped her traverse her world and combat trolls outside of internet message boards. While it was a great first effort, the game had points where it didn’t live up to its full potential. An Xbox One revival can change that and expand on this limitless idea of shape shifting, bringing this mostly untapped series to a new generation.

5:Shadow Complex

Xbox Live Arcade was a popular service when it launched. Bringing arcade classics into our homes with the occasional indy game at a cheap price was a strong perk that gamers ate up. This was all we ever wanted, reserving the big, AAA titles for our retail purchases.

That was, until Shadow Complex came along.

Epic Games blew the lid off of what we expected from a downloadable console game. This Metroid style sidescrolling shooter had a strong story, top of the line game play and graphics that rivaled the 360’s top releases. Setting the stage for digital releases, it’s now expected for titles of this caliber to hit the PSN, eShop and Live Arcade. Why a sequel hasn’t been released is anyone’s guess, but what better way to introduce the new Xbox One and its downloadable service than to tout what I feel is the most influential downloadable game of this generation?

4:Banjo-Kazooie

Another lost Rare franchise, gamers begged for an Xbox version of Banjo-Kazooie, one of the most popular platformers on the N64. After teasing us with a Game Boy Advance release of all things, 2008 finally saw the return of the bear and bird.

It just wasn’t in the way we expected.

But change isn’t always bad, and in the case of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, I feel it benefited from it. Less of a platform game and more of a create your own solution puzzle/racing hybrid, Nuts and Bolts let players build their own cars, boats, planes and anything in between to conquer different challenges.

A truly unique and well executed idea with plenty of self referential humor helped put it over the top. The game is still met with hostility since it strays so far from its roots, but if a new game were to expand on the already great ideas of the first Nuts and Bolts, I’d say that’s one way for the Xbox to build towards a better future.

3:Mech Assault

When the Xbox Live service launched back in 2002, Microsoft came out with guns blazing. They knew they had to offer something gamers couldn’t say no to when it came to selling them on a paid subscription service, and their answer was Mech Assault.

A console spinoff to the popular PC series Mech Warrior, this game put players in the cockpit of a variety of robots, each with different weapons, strengths and weaknesses. While the single player mode was there to essentially provide pilot training, the main draw of the game was its multiplayer, and to this day I feel it’s one of the best examples of online gaming done right on consoles.

Oddly enough, the last time it was seen was not on the Xbox, but as a DS title that flew under the radar. I think it’s time for the king to come home. Mech Assault sold gamers on live over ten years ago, I don’t see why it can’t sell them on the “One” now.

2:Crimson Skies

Now if Mech Assault was the game that successfully launched Live into the public eye, Crimson Skies launched it into the stratosphere. An arcade style dogfighting simulator, players took control of World War II style planes in an alternate timeline where steampunk-like technology was intertwined with the weapons of the 1940’s.

Unlike Mech Assault however, Crimson Skies had a strong single player campaign, with an entertaining story, a variety of challenges and a colorful cast. Taking its fast paced action to the internet was still its main draw though, and it was easy to sink hours into shooting down people from all over the world, the simplicity and fun of it all was my favorite reason to own an Xbox.

Since then, the franchise hasn’t even been mentioned outside of an Xbox Original release on the 360. No sequel must mean Microsoft doesn’t want my money! That can change though, because Xbox One will be a lot more attractive if it will take me to the skies again. I’m just waiting for it to sweep me away all over again.

1:Killer Instinct

It’s ironic that the number one game on my list is the only one to never appear on an Xbox console. Acting as Nintendo’s answer to Mortal Kombat back in the day, Killer Instinct and its sequel took violent, over the top fighting and added the depth of a traditional fighter. Last seen in 1996, generations of N64, Gamecube, Xbox and 360 owners have begged and begged Rare to bring back the popular brawler. Rare listened, and we got…

Grabbed by the Ghoulies!

But seriously, Rare has heard our cries. We did get a Sabrewulf spinoff after all, and they don’t hide their love of trolling fans. These are the same guys who hid comments about the game in Banjo-Kazooie, going as far as hiding mock box art for the non-existent game inside of an in game briefcase.

Killer Instinct 3 BanjoTrololol!

But there can only be one reason… One good reason that Rare has waited for so long. They want it to have the biggest impact as possible when it’s finally released. What better way than to launch with a brand new console? I can imagine the roof blowing off of E3 as a 17 year old franchise is revived with new graphics, updated presentation and the same fighting that we’ve been anxiously awaiting for years. I can’t think of any better time to launch it than now.

Are there any games I missed? Are you really looking for Sudeki 2 or Otogi 3? Or did I give too much credit to certain games that don’t deserve it? Sound off below and let us know!