PixlBit

The much-improved sequel to Banjo-Kazooie remains one of the best adventure games around.

This game was a late addition to my collection, I ordered it from eBay a couple of years ago. When I played it, I wondered how I had let this true gem of a platformer elude me for so long. Despite the advancements of modern gaming, I was still impressed by the huge, expansion, and intricate worlds that Rare managed to create on Nintendo 64 hardware.

Coming off of just playing Banjo-Kazooie, there were a few little things that caught my attention. The animation is improved, giving the characters even more personality. Banjo's backpack loosely bounces around as he walks and moves, something I actually didn't really notice before. His shadow is now the shape of his body instead of just a circle, and is cast across the floor and walls based on nearby light sources. The texture work in the original game was already very good, so there isn't much difference in that aspect.

It didn't take long before I stopped thinking about the game in terms of its technical feats and became immersed in its world. I jumped into the first level, the Mayan Temple, and started the search for Jiggies. Running up the hills and steps to the other side of the level, I came across Mumbo's Skull and remembered that he is a playable character this time around. Deciding to start there, I gave him the little creature wandering around his hut, and set off with the little skull-headed freak. I came across the Mumbo Pad, and used his magic to take control of the giant gold statue. There's something about the way that the statue kicks at enemies and breakable objects that I find looks funny. It's these kind of moments which make every world in the game a unique and enjoyable experience.

A half hour doesn't do this game justice. Wanting to complete the level as much as I could, I played for two straight hours and got 8/10 jiggies. I may yet have to continue with this one. I was quickly relieved when I remembered how much better the collecting aspects were in this game. Feathers and eggs are now found in bunches, so having to run around and restock them is never a worry. Notes and Jinjos no longer must be found all in one run. which is made a good thing all the more when you consider that the worlds in Banjo-Tooie are at least twice the size of those in the original. The warp points are a welcome addition as well, making traversing the levels much easier.

This is a sequel which really surprised me. The vast worlds and intricate graphics and effects had me in disbelief of what could be accomplished on the Nintendo 64. Lots of new moves and tweaks were added to Banjo's moveset, which gave variety to every task. Even my complaints about the first game have all been addressed. It almost feels like someone designed this game specifically for me. Aren't I special?