Kotaku: banjo kazooie

Pre-Order Specifics for Claiming Free Banjo Kazooie

Owen Good — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:00:00 MDT

We reported last week that you can grab Banjo Kazooie on XBLA in November for 1,200 points. Or you can snag it free by pre-ordering Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. Rare helpfully, and applicably, put out info on which retailers are specifically offering free download codes with pre-orders. They are:

• United States: Amazon, EBGames, GameStop and GameCrazy
• UK: Amazon, Play.com, Game and Gamestation
• France: Micromania and Game
• Spain: Game
• Italy: GameStop
• Scandinavia: Game and GameStop

Canada, Japan, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Benelux, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand are participating, but retailers there have yet to be confirmed, says Rare.

Nuts & Bolts Retailer Pre-Order Info for Free Banjo [Xbox 360 Fanboy]

Next Banjo Game To Expand On Next Banjo Game

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 01:30:00 MDT

As far as platformers go, Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts is certainly...different. Remains to be seen how effective the vehicle elements are, but hey, it's different. If it doesn't work, it can go on the pile of stuff Rare's done that hasn't worked, and they'll move on. And if it does work? Rare's Ellissa Miller:

[Nuts & Bolts] is like an introduction to what we could do. If we went on and did some more then we could push it. If it was accepted and people enjoyed it then we could definitely push it in a much bigger direction. This is like an opening to a new type of gaming I guess.

Sounds good to me. Hell, even if Nuts & Bolt doesn't work, no harm in pushing the originality envelope a little further.

Next Banjo will "expand" N&B concept [CVG]

Rare - No Viva Piñata DLC, Maybe New Banjo Kazooie?

Stuart Houghton — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:30:00 MDT

Viva Piñata fans hoping to get an extra dose of paper animal wrangling after VP: Trouble In Paradise will be disappointed, according to a recent web chat with the developers.

"We don't have any plans for DLC. As far as the team is concerned we are taking a break from VP for a while to make something new. But things change quickly in the software industry so next week it may be a completely different story"

But what could this new game be? I spoke to Rare's Community Manager George Kelion, who said that the team were keen on a fresh challenge after spending so long cooped up with just sentient Piñatas for company.

"With VP2 out the door and Banjo in its vinegar strokes, we're focusing on getting the Avatars all finished and done for the New Xbox Experience," said Kelion, "After that, it'll most likely be a mix of new projects and hopefully a Banjo sequel.. maybe? Fingers crossed, anyway!"

Chatting in Paradise [Mondo Rare]

Banjo Kazooie Screenshots Leak

ogood — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:00:00 MDT

Lots of sites are posting these, I saw them on British Gaming Blog first. Here's two new screenshots from Banjo Kazooie. This follows rumors that the Xbox's "Newton" Wiimote clone is being built specifically for this title's gameplay.

Looks like some serious Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang action in the first shot. Another after the jump. Click on them for full size.

First Banjo 3 Screenshots [British Gaming Blog]

Rumor: Microsoft May Debut New Xbox 360 Motion Controller Next Week

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:20:00 MDT

Rumors about Microsoft entering the waggle market with a specialized, Wii Remote concept swiping controller have been popping up for the better part of a year. Talk of a partnership with Gyration, speculation that Bungie had quashed a proposal for a motion controller tied to Halo 3 and murmurs that Rare was now tasked with leading the waggle wand brigade have been bubbling up frequently. Microsoft and Gyration have both denied or brushed off the rumors, but we've just heard it pop up again.

According to sources that will go unnamed, Microsoft may be showing its Xbox 360 motion controller as early as next week to press, a controller geared specifically for Banjo Kazooie 3 gameplay. In fact, we've heard that select members of the press have already seen the controller—in use on the next Banjo Kazooie title—in action.

Microsoft plans to show off some of its 2008 and 2009 wares at an event next week, one that hits during the Game Critics Awards at which some of the "Best of E3" awards are judged. Occasionally, NDAs and embargoes ensure that what is shown at the Game Critics Awards doesn't go public until E3 proper, which may keep details on a the rumored new Xbox 360 controller under wraps.

However, Microsoft's event next Tuesday, at which the new Banjo Kazooie is confirmed to be shown to North American press, comes with an embargo that lifts before the event kicks off proper. That means that whatever is on display for press will be revealed next Tuesday morning to everyone.

Keep in mind that an Xbox 360 controller with motion control capabilities is still a rumor for now. We've heard some conflicting information about the controller's visibility to the media and that Microsoft may hold onto any new hardware reveals until E3. We'll know for sure Tuesday morning what's in store.

One Of These Banjo Threeie Plots Is Real

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:40:50 MDT

Credit to Rare for taking advantage of April Fool's Day to reveal the storyline behind the third proper console entry in the Banjo Kazooie series. What will the googly-eyed bear and bird be motivated by in "Threeie"? The answer lies within one of five potential plot lines. Candidates one and four scream bogus, but I might just be willing to end my Banjo strike if I can get my hand's on Grunty's T.I.T.

If I remember correctly, the literary masterpiece that was Banjo Tooie involved someone stealing some candy or jewels or shards of some cosmic thing that required our heroes to walk near some grass. It's been a while, though and my recollection of the complex narrative may be shoddy. Walk on for the list.

1. Banjo and Grunty team up against a new threat, falling in love in the process.
2. Kazooie is abducted by aliens and Banjo heads out to search the cosmos.
3. Banjo and Kazooie travel back through time in pursuit of the witch's giant T.I.T. (err... Time Interfering Truck!)
4. Banjo comes out of retirement to stop his home being redeveloped into tower blocks and malls.
5. War comes to Spiral Mountain, and Banjo becomes a reluctant leader.

Best guesses? Rare says it won't get around to revealing the genuine article for "ages" so there's no rush.

Disinformation Central '08 [Rare]

Banjo Kazooie 3 "Won't Be A Traditional Platformer"

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:20:00 MST

In the latest Scribes section at the official Rare web site, a Banjo Kazooie fan pesters the staff for details on the announced, but as yet unseen, Banjo Threeie hoping for a 3D platforming adventure to carry the torch. Rare may have dashed his hopes, as the word from on high says that "Banjo won't be a shooter [...] but it also won't be a traditional platformer."

They didn't elaborate much on what the next Banjo's "different take on the genre" but it sounds like the team at Rare is trying something new. On the multiplayer front, the Scribes columnist writes "We aren't in the business of crushing little boys' dreams so your multiplayer hopes will be answered. The 'new direction' that Banjo is taking should offer a multiplayer experience unique to anything currently available."

Yeah, yeah, how about showing the thing already? Can we agree that GDC is a good time? I'll take your silence as confirmation, Rare.

Scribes - February 13, 2008 [Rare]

Rare Teases Killer Instinct 3 With Christmas Card

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:20:39 MST

The lads at Rare seem to be taking the piss (am I doing it right?) in their new Christmas card, which not only features Viva Piñata stars Hudson Horstachio and Fergy Fudgehog alongside Banjo and Kazooie, but a teaser stocking that reads "KI3." Clearly, it's in reference to the Rare fighting game series Killer Instinct which hasn't seen a release since Killer Instinct Gold hit the Nintendo 64 over ten years ago.

Are Rare hard at work on a third combo-filled fighting game? Not according to them, at least, as of this summer, when Rare responded via its Scribes letters page "Purely out of contractual obligation, no, we're not working on KI3." Despite that dismissal, I'm pretty sure I can make out Cinder in the fire there. Of course, I'm just teasing (as I'm fairly sure Rare is, too).

New Banjo-Kazooie pic for Christmas [CVG]