The World Design of Banjo-Kazooie

Boss Keys returns for a look at Rare’s dynamic duo: Banjo-Kazooie. Their debut game was a standard collect-a-thon platformer with disconnected worlds, but the sequel is more of a Metroidvania with interconnected levels and backtracking. Let’s dig in! GMTK is powered by Patreon - === Sources and Resources === - Sources [1] Rare Revealed: A Rare Look at Dream | Rare Ltd on YouTube [2] Gregg Mayles | Twitter [3] Feature: Banjo-Tooie Turns 20 | Nintendo Life [4] The Making of Banjo-Kazooie | Retro Gamer Archived: Can You Beat Banjo-Tooie Without Backtracking? | CloudConnection Design Your Own Skin Contest Winners! | Archived: :// - Footnotes [1] It’s possible to enter Gobi’s Valley before Freezeezy Peak, but there is a jiggy in Gobi that requires a move from Freezeezy so, either way, you’re going to have to return to an older level to get all the jiggies. [2] Jiggy Tips are accessed via a cheat code in the N64 original, but are easily accessible from the menu on the Xbox Live Arcade remake === Chapters === 00:00 - Intro 01:07 - Banjo-Kazooie 02:47 - Kazooie’s Levels 04:32 - Kazooie Connectivity 05:49 - Click Clock Wood 07:54 - Banjo-Tooie 08:39 - Tooie’s Levels 10:34 - Changing Characters 13:49 - Grunty Industries 15:53 - Tooie Connectivity 17:04 - Backtracking 20:51 - Connections and Changes 24:11 - Interconnectivity Benefits 28:37 - Banjo-Tooie Reviewed 31:04 - Bonus Story === Games Shown === Metroid Prime: Remastered (2023) Hollow Knight (2017) Elden Ring (2022) Banjo-Kazooie (1998) Banjo-Tooie (2000) Dream (Unreleased) Super Mario 64 (1996) Super Mario Odyssey (2017) The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (2000) Donkey Kong 64 (1999) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011) Haiku, the Robot (2022) Return to Monkey Island (2022) Ori and the Will of the Wisps (2020) Axiom Verge (2015) Super Metroid (1994) Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (2011) Blasphemous II (2023) Super Mario Sunshine (2002) Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (2008) Kameo: Elements of Power (2005) === Credits === Music from Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie soundtracks, by Grant Kirkhope === Subtitles === Contribute translated subtitles - TBA