Banjo-Kazooie
1998 • Rare
8.9/10Nintendo
Platformer
Bear and bird duo's collectathon adventure featuring large open worlds and creative level design.
Gameplay
3D platformer with emphasis on collection, puzzle-solving, and character abilities across themed worlds.
Historical Context
Developed by Rare as their answer to Super Mario 64, focusing on collection-based gameplay and humor.
Fun Facts
- • Features over 900 collectible items
- • Each world has a unique musical theme by Grant Kirkhope
- • Gruntilda's rhyming dialogue became iconic
Cultural Impact
Established the collectathon subgenre and influenced many subsequent 3D platformers with its design philosophy.
Review
Banjo-Kazooie created the perfect collectathon with charming characters, excellent level design, and memorable music.