A former Nintendo exclusive is now onGame Pass, and you owe it to yourself to give it a chance. I can hear your cries of disbelief already: Game Pass is owned by Microsoft, and primarily focuses on distributing games for Windows PCs and Xbox consoles (althoughit has recently embraced cloud streamingon other platforms). Nintendo only makes Nintendo games - they’ve never made anything for a Windows-owned device or operating system - or have they?
Banjo-Kazooie Is Free With Xbox Game Pass
Only On Consoles
Although it was a Nintendo 64 exclusive when it was released in 1998,Banjo-Kazooiewas owned by third-party developer Rare. WhenMicrosoft purchased Rare in 2002, it retained ownership of much of its IP, and that includedBanjo-Kazooie.
Rare’s upcoming gameEverwildwas recently canceledamid layoffs at Microsoft.
Six years later,Microsoft released an Xbox 360 port ofBanjo-Kazooiewith the help of 4J Studios. This faithful port is still available on Xbox platforms today, and is available with your Game Pass subscription.
Originally On N64, Banjo Kazooie Is One Of The Greatest Platformers Ever
A Literal Game-Changer
Banjo-Kazooieis one of the greatest platforming games of all time: with a 92 critic score, 9.0 player score, and a certified Must-Play seal onMetacritic, it’s beloved by audiences everywhere, and it’s easy to see why.
Banjo-Kazooieis generally considered a transformative game of its generation. Released in the wake ofSuper Mario 64’s success,it built on the burgeoning idea of the 3D platformer in almost every conceivable way. With more options for movement and attacking, a wide variety of different levels, and seemingly endless, nonlinear collect-a-thon gameplay, it’s easy to see how it influenced the major,award-winning platformers of today.
ButBanjo-Kazooieis perhaps best known for its cartoonish aesthetic and sense of humor. With a wacky cast of characters, all manner of colorful environments, and ridiculous bosses, it exudes a joy that we don’t often see in triple-A releases nowadays.
Really, there’s a dearth of platformers in the industry today - while the occasional indie platformer makes a showing, if you want to play something innovative and the genre, you have to look backwards. Whether you’re nostalgic forBanjo-Kazooie, or you’ve played one of the infinite platformers it’s influenced since, you owe it to yourself to give this former Nintendo exclusive a shot now that it’s onGame Pass.
