X06: Banjo-Kazooie 3 Eyes-On Impressions

Microsoft opened their X06 press conference with a bang. The first video they showed was for Rare’s popular platform series that hasn’t made an appearance since the Nintendo 64. Yes, you’re right, its the bear and bird duo, Banjo Kazooie! That’s right Rare and Microsoft showcased the first trailer for the upcoming Banjo Kazooie title, unfortunately there wasn’t any information if the game will be a sequel or a remake of the original title (considering the possibility because Rare did do a remake of Conker). With the popularity of the title, most fans of the company excepted a Killer Instinct announcement rather than this, but there was lots of joy to see everyone’s favorite heroes on the screen once again.

At the beginning of the X06 trailer a blue pencil enters the screen to draw the Rare company logo. The pencil then strokes straight under the logo and begins to draw a detailed environment with a grand clock, picture frames, a chair, flowers and a rug. A rugged three dimensional bear then enters from the left with a blue backpack and an orange bird pops out. Moving in a confused pattern, the camera focuses on the bears face as the pencil draws a door with an eye hole, doorknob and keyhole. With a smile on Banjo’s face he knocks on the door and both characters presses their ears up against it. Turning the knob, he finds out the door is locked! What will he ever do? The pencil comes back to write on the door “Secret! Keep Out”. The camera puts itself in the eye hole of the door as Banjo the Bear puts his eye up to it looking out the other side. The screen begins to clear up but before we can see what’s on the other side, the pencil comes down once again and pulls a screen with the writing “We really mean it!” on it, in front of your view.

Banjo then goes into thinking mode and quickly comes up with an idea to get through the door. The bear grabs Kazooie by the neck and reforms him into some sort of crank. Putting Kazooie’s beak in the keyhole, Banjo begins to turn the flexible bird, and tries to pull the door open. Taking three yanks, he pulls the bird’s beak out of the keyhole of the door and drops him in surprise to see that, that damn pencil is holding the door back. The pencil then beings to write a “Go Away!” sign and with that the camera fans back to show it has boarded up the door and put another lock on it. Kazoo then whispers something in the bear’s ear as he raises an eye brow. A blank screen occurs and you then see Banjo yanking on Kazooie’s tail like a chainsaw and when he finally gets the bird going, its head moves like crazy and they begin to chop away around the door. Finishing his whole around the entry, the door doesn’t come down, instead the entire wall of the house falls down to reveal a peaceful valley with music notes, gold coins and puzzle pieces spread across its terrain. With their jaw dropped with excitement they run down the short path and smack right into a wall. The valley is nothing but a giant picture as it tips over to reveal the news, “Banjo is Back!” developed by Rare studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. And that concludes the trailer of Banjo-Kazooie (3?).

This is just a taste of what Rare is going to be bringing to the Xbox 360, hopefully sometime next year. While most people were looking for a new Killer Instinct title, Rare surprised everyone by bringing back the two strangest creatures Banjo and Kazooie. While there is no official word whether what type of game this will be or whether the game will be a sequel, the game should please the fans of the series. And with the graphics better than concept artwork Rare produced back when the first game was released, hopefully the game will be a hit amongst platformers. Check back at Advanced Media Network for more coverage on the third installment of Banjo Kazooie and more on X06.