Banjo-Kazooie Re-Jiggyed had players throwing their money at a remake
A video for Banjo-Kazooie Re-Jiggyed has shown off what an Unreal Engine 5 remake of Rare's 1998 platformer could look like.
28th Jun 2024 17:15
Images via Rare | Alex Lessard
Banjo-Kazooie Re-Jiggyed had players throwing their money at a remake
A video for Banjo-Kazooie Re-Jiggyed has shown off what an Unreal Engine 5 remake of Rare's 1998 platformer could look like.
28th Jun 2024 17:15
Images via Rare | Alex Lessard
There are many retro gaming heroes we miss. Spyro, Sly Cooper, and Duke Nukem are just a few, but when it comes to dynamic duos that more than deserve a return, Banjo and Kazooie are head and shoulders above the rest. It's been 16 years since Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts was released, and even then, it's easily the weakest in the series.
Back when the Nintendo 64 was largely unrivalled in the console space, Rare was its golden ticket. Churning out everything from GoldenEye 007 to Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo-Kazooie was a more colourful cousin to Mario 64 when it arrived on the scene in 1998. Sadly, the series has faded into obscurity.
Banjo-Kazooie Re-Jiggyed looks too good to be true
While it's true that we had Banjo-Tooie in 2000, a series of handheld games, re-releases, and a spiritual successor in the form of Yooka-Laylee, we're long overdue a 'true' remake of the OG. There's no shortage of fan projects out there, but now, Banjo-Kazooie Re-Jiggyed has us thinking about the future.
As reported by AltChar, Banjo-Kazooie Re-Jiggyed is the brainchild of Alex Lessard and rebuilds part of the 1998 classic in Unreal Engine 5. Lessard takes us back to the starting area of Spiral Mountain, showing the entrance to Gruntilda's lair and feeling like a whole new game while keeping that B-K charm.
Lessard asks, "What if Banjo-Kazooie was remade from the ground up today?" while saying that the project is based on Toys for Bob's Spyro Reignited Trilogy and Crash 4: It's About Time. The Spiral Mountain area was rebuilt in UE5 and reportedly took three months, but imagine what could be done with a whole team working on it.
Better yet, it seems Lessard's work has the blessing of original Banjo-Kazooie composer Grant Kirkhope, who gave him permission to use his music for the remake. Fans loved the video, with one cheering, "My god this brings back memories. My body and my wallet is ready."
Another added, "Great, now I have to go replay the game again and it's only been a few months... amazing job, I would lose my mind if the whole game was playable with this music and artstyle" and a third joked, "What the hell is this leak? @microsoft and @OfficialToysforBob when does it come out? Christmas time would be great!"
We need a Banjo-Kazooie remake
Sadly, there's no official word on whether we're getting a Banjo-Kazooie remake. Even though Rare and Toys for Bob both sit under the Microsoft umbrella, neither has really acknowledged the bird and bear. Toys for Bob was recently hit by a shutdown scare, and in its aftermath, fans demanded a Banjo-Kazooie remake.
Alongside leaks about potential revivals and fan trailers for a mythical Banjo-Threeie, the closest we've got is news that Yooka-Laylee is being remastered. Phil Spencer says he knows we want a return for Banjo-Kazooie, and at this point, it just seems cruel to keep us hanging on.
The original team from Rare has since shot down the idea that it could return to the world of this beloved gaming pair, and while it's unfair to pin all our hopes on Toys for Bob, it looks like our best option at this point. If someone does make a new-gen Banjo-Kazooie, they'd better hire Lessard for it.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
