A lot ofcharacters get invited toSuper Smash Bros.because they’re relevant in the current state of the game industry in one way or another. For instance,Byleth joinedSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateafter the overwhelming success ofFire Emblem: Three Houses,while Sephiroth’s inclusion points toward the impact of theFinal Fantasy 7remakes. Other characters make their way intoSmashfor the opposite reason, however; they may no longer be commonplace in the game industry, but they’re important parts of video game history. That’s why Mr. Game and Watch is aSmashmainstay, and that’s why the titular protagonists ofBanjo-Kazooieshowed up, too.
A lot ofSmashveterans spent years holding on to hope that Banjo and Kazooie would get an invitation someday, in spite of their franchise’s complicated relationship with Nintendo in the wake of Microsoft’s acquisition of Rare. Nevertheless, Banjo and Kazooie made the cut as DLC characters forSmash Ultimate.However, while some fans have held out forBanjo-Kazooiefor years, a lot of youngerSmashfans may never have had the chance to experience the platformer for themselves. Now thatBanjo-Kazooieis coming to Nintendo Switch Online,Smashfans have the perfect opportunity to play an important piece of platforming history.
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Why Banjo-Kazooie Matters
Banjo-Kazooiemay be more than 20 years old, but it’s still extremely relevant as a piece of video game history. Rare developedBanjo-Kazooieduring a time when platformers were going through major changes thanks to experimentation with the N64’s 3D capabilities. When it released,Banjo-Kazooiewas frequently compared tothe acclaimedSuper Mario 64,and some critics even said it improved onSuper Mario 64in some departments, like with its use of textures and its deep action-adventure aspects. Rare had already produced solid games such asGoldenEye 007by the timeBanjo-Kazooiereleased, but the platformer really exemplified Rare’s potential.
Smashfans should also consider playingBanjo-Kazooiebecause it represents one of Nintendo’s most lucrative creative partnerships. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Nintendo and Rare were a powerhouse team, producinghuge games likeDonkey Kong CountryandPerfect DarkalongsideBanjo-Kazooie.Unfortunately, that flourishing era came to an end when Microsoft bought Rare in 2002, and since then, many of Nintendo and Rare’s joint ventures have gone dormant. Banjo and Kazooie joiningSmash Ultimaterepresented Rare finally reconnecting with Nintendo after nearly twenty years, butBanjo-Kazooie’s NSO debut is an even more concrete reunion of a former dynamic duo.
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Banjo-Kazooie’s Return
Not every game on Nintendo Switch Online’s N64 expansion ported to the Switch gracefully, and Nintendo received some criticism for graphical rendering problems, input lag, and other issues, so word ofBanjo-Kazooie’s port would naturally make some longtime fans nervous. However, it looks likeBanjo-Kazooiehasn’t run into any issues on its way to the Switch, instead delivering the N64 experience that fans remember. While that’s great news forBanjo-Kazooieloyalists, it’s also good for youngSmashfans who first confronted the property throughthe Banjo and Kazooie DLC. These potential fans now have a convenient way to experience a faithful rendition ofBanjo-Kazooieon a modern Nintendo console.
It’s a major relief that Banjo and Kazooie made it intoSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatein the wake of news suggesting thatSmash’s future is uncertain.Banjo-Kazooieremains a hallmark game in Nintendo’s archive and deserved recognition in Nintendo’s multi-franchise fighting game, even if theBanjo-KazooieIP lives under Microsoft’s roof now. Bringing Banjo and Kazooie intoSmashonly offers a glimpse of the franchise’s history, though; playingBanjo-Kazooieis the best way to understand Nintendo and Rare’s former relationship and the influence that Rare’s work had on platforming. NSO’s N64 expansion has lots of solid games, butBanjo-Kazooieis a particularly important inclusion.
Banjo-Kazooieis available now for Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack owners.
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