Banjo-Kazooie Arrives on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Later This Week

2 years 3 months ago
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IGN

Nintendo has revealed that the N64 classic Banjo-Kazooie will be available to all Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members on January 20, 2022.

Nintendo shared the news in a tweet that features gameplay from the beloved platformer that was released in 1998 and stars a bear and a bird that are trying to stop an evil witch named Gruntilda.

While Rare worked closely with Nintendo for years, Microsoft acquired the company in 2002 and still owns the rights to Banjo-Kazooie to this day. Rare Studio head Craig Duncan expressed his excitement over the collaboration between the two companies, saying in a Tweet that it's "always a pleasure to work with our good friends at Nintendo, I’m a big fan of #NintendoSwitchOnline and it’s really important to preserve classic games for future generations to play."

This isn't the first time Banjo-Kazooie have appeared on Switch as the pair joined Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2019. In our review of the duo character, we said, "Banjo and Kazooie feel right at home in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, though their moveset isn't quite up to the level of their look and sound."

Banjo-Kazooie made it all the way to the fourth spot on our list of the best N64 games of all time with the help of Mumbjo Jumbo, the iconic golden puzzle pieces called Jiggies, hidden Jinjos, and so much more.

In our original review of Banjo-Kazooie, IGN's Peer Schneider said "This is the best 3D platformer I have ever played, and a more than worthy successor to Super Mario 64. From the beginning to the surprise
ending, everything about this game screams quality."

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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

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Adam Bankhurst

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