I rented this game and enjoyed every second of it. In fact, I've been planning to the store and buy it for about a week now.

That game really is incredible, I honestly need to stop forgetting about it. :/ It's just so massive that it's an easy game to put down and come back too, then play it for a small marathon session because I forgot how brilliant it was.

if its not on steam I dont want it

 I loved the first two games back in the N64 days, but I was really disappointed by this game. It isn't even the gameplay that I object to, it's the way they presented it. All the worlds were sterile and lifeless, they just acted as challenge rooms. There were no characters living in them, no collectibles to find,  puzzles to mess with, nothing. If they had meshed the challenges with more interesting worlds to explore I might have cared, but all the worlds are just these bizzare voids. Hell, you'd think the vehicle concept would have encouraged exploration, but there's nothing to explore. 
 
I'll admit creating stuff was a really wonderful concept, and it was cute when it paid off, but the format was so rigid it just took the fun out of it for me.

You have no excuse for not buying this game. Go. Game shop. Now.

" @Rowr: you didnt have to click on the link, read the article, then proceed to comment on the article if you didnt want to read about it. it said "BANJO NUTS AND BOLTS" in the header. Jackass. "

Gah! I just added it to my Gamefly que, Brad. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?!  ARE YOU?!

One of the best games of 2008. It's the game that forced me to play the two original N64 titles that came out on XBL. Those games are amazing, but nothing beats the hours I spent tinkering in the garage!

I asked for and got this for Xmas last year. Mostly based on all the hype it was getting here at GB. To date I've probably only played it for about 5 hours. It just never clicked for me. Maybe I'll give it another spin.

I'm with you Brad, I thoroughly enjoyed N&B.

For some reason, I kind of wish there was a bigger focus on multiplayer, because I think that would be where the strength in the game really lies.
 
I kind of wish they'd port it to the PC, that way I can play on Live without having to pay for any service.
 
Er, anyway. I honestly see this is a successor to Diddy Kong Racing moreso than the next Banjo game. Why? Because of the emphasis of using vehicles in an open world setting, but you get more objectives than just racing. So why is this game being hated on so much? If you dont feel like building vehicles, the game has plenty of preset ones you can utilize that can do the job just fine. I made a vehicle myself that was used for multiple purposes, and that got me through a good chunk of the game. 
 
Seriously, people. If you liked Diddy Kong Racing, this really is THE true sequel. Not Diddy Kong/Banjo Pilot. Not Mario Kart Wii. This is the game that takes the kart racing genre for one player (and adding in the ability to create your own vehicles) and made something different. 
 
Maybe it just feels a bit slower in terms of progression? I dont know. People just need to accept the fact that its not the next Banjo platformer...although if they do make another one, perhaps they can utilize player creativity as a new means of exploration and puzzle solving.

I was just playing this game yesterday! :D very cute game. n.n

I bought it for $20 and liked it enough, but my main problem is that it was Banjo Kazooie, and not some other property. The entire time I could think of nothing but how much I wanted a traditional 3D platforming collect-a-thon. There hasn't been a good, or even decent one, in a long long time. 

" I bought it for $20 and liked it enough, but my main problem is that it was Banjo Kazooie, and not some other property. The entire time I could think of nothing but how much I wanted a traditional 3D platforming collect-a-thon. There hasn't been a good, or even decent one, in a long long time.  "

Only 70 dollars on Australian XBLA games on demand!

I bought this game in early 2009 when it was bundled with a wireless controller and Viva Pinata: TIP.  I encourage everyone I know to buy it but honestly most of them don't like to think, they just like to do.  It doesn't help that the first three hours or so go by excruciatingly slow and don't appropriately give the player a glimpse of how crazy and deep the game gets later on.
 
Nuts and Bolts is one of my favorite games that I have played in 2009 and having played both it and Viva Pinata I will slap anyone who says Rare doesn't know how to make good fun games anymore.

Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts is a Masterpiece, one if not the most important games we got this generation. 
You really must buy it, there is no other option, 
a dirty shame Brad haven't fought hard enough to convince others bombcasters that this is the truly deserving game of 2008. 
Now all the bombcasters - go and play Banjo Kazooie and Banjo Tooie - they're both on XBLA, absolute pinnacle of gaming you'll ever have a chance to play. 

Just bought it after this reminder by Brad.

Loved it when it first came out, just bought it on XBL.

I almost forgot I need to pick this up.  Thanks for the reminder, Brad.  At first I actually didn't like it because I expected it to be a continuation of the series.  Then, it clicked, and I played the demo for hours.  This game is a work of art, and you can just feel that thousands of hours went into creating it.  If all developers put out games of this quality I'd never get any rest.

if this hadnt been a xbox360 exclusive i would have played this :(

Nuts & Bolts is an amazing game. It's absolutely fantastic. It deserves every bit of praise it gets. And more people should buy it and play it.

I just bought the game via Ebay - due to Brads incredible persistence.
 
It was 13€ inclusive shipping. That's a nobrainer, i guess.

terrible game GLAD it sold like shit.

Love this game. I got 1250/1250G in it as well.

Quite an old article, but I just recently started playing this game and I absolutely adore it. I almost glazed right over it like everyone else did, but I started watching the currently ongoing "Let's Play" of the game currently in progress on the SomethingAwful forums, and bought it at the first chance I got. Many thanks to Brad for really trying to get the word out about how fantastic this game is!

Had it since day one, mainly cause I've been a Banjo fan forever. I just put it in yesterday, and every time I do I'm kind of amazed it's as underrated as it is.  
 
While there's no denying how much I love the originals, I love this game on it's own merits. Plus they nailed the style that gave those games a unique presence.