Let’s face it: Following their purchase of Rare, Microsoft hasn’t done a whole lot with many of the franchises which made buying them such an attractive prospect in the first place (though 2013’s Killer Instinct on Xbox One and Windows is kind of the exception that proves the rule). And one might argue that few fandoms know this as well as those clamoring for a new Banjo-Kazooie title.
It’s not for nothing, but outside of high definition re-releases of the original Nintendo 64 games on Xbox 360 (subsequently repackaged with 28 other titles in Rare Replay), the only time the company has really gone to bat for the bird and the bear was in 2008’s Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts on the Xbox 360 (also packaged in Rare Replay). Suffice to say, the drastic change in direction, both in gameplay and art style, did little to placate fans.
As a result, it should be little surprise to hear that after ten years (and a recent appearance in their classic forms as downloadable characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch), some fans are ready to take matters into their own hands.
Enter: “Banjo-Kazooie: Worlds Collide,” a ROM hack by one “Bynine B.” This hack has nine new worlds at the ready for players to explore, each inspired by the duo’s past adventures, combining previous elements to create something new. For instance, Rich Ruin Cove takes the Aztec aesthetic of the Mayahem Temple from Banjo-Tooie and combines it with the sands of the original game’s Treasure Trove Cove. Even the music is mixed!
Despite borrowing elements from both N64 installments, “Banjo-Kazooie: Worlds Collide” is a modification of the first game, meaning that only the moves featured in that game are applicable here. That said, it differs from the source material by being less of a collectathon than the games which inspired it.
For a more in-depth look at the game, N64 Today is a bit more thorough, and if you’d like to try the hack for yourself, you’ll find the file here, and it’s said that it will even run on original Nintendo 64 hardware using an Everdrive.
Finally, if you just want to check out the soundtrack, Bynine B has put together a whole playlist:
Source: Nintendo Enthusiast
