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Bear and Bird again combine their efforts to thwart the dastardly plans of evil witch Gruntilda, as well as her two hag sisters and their various minions, in this classic platformer for the Nintendo 64.

Overview

Banjo-Tooie is a 3D platforming adventure game - developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64. It is the sequel to the 1998 game Banjo-Kazooie. The game stars the famous bear and bird duo, Banjo
Title Screen
Title Screen
and Kazooie, and is set two years after the events of Banjo-Kazooie. The game started development before the release of Banjo-Kazooie, and was released on November 1, 2000.
Banjo-Tooie was nominated for many prestigious awards - including a nomination for the "Moving Images Award" at the 2000 BAFTA award ceremony, and was also nominated for "Console Action/Adventure Game of the Year", "Console Game of the Year", and "Game of the Year" at the 2001 Academy Of Interactive Arts & Sciences awards.

The game is also groundbreaking in several areas, the biggest of these being level design and connection. Platformers before it typically had their levels linked only by a single hub world or overworld. In Banjo-Tooie however, most of the levels are interconnected in various ways. Players are able to and most of the time required to cross between the various levels, such as between Glitter Gulch Mine and Jolly Roger's Lagoon via water pipes, or between Terrydactyland and Witchyworld to grab some hamburgers. The biggest implementation of this is the train stations. There are train stations in most of the levels, which allow the player to hop on the train in one level, and choose which level to get off at (providing you've found the station in that level first).

Story


Two years after the events of Banjo-Kazooie, Grunty was still stuck under the rock with Klungo still pushing it. One stormy night, while Banjo, Kazooie, Bottles, and Mumbo are playing cards in Banjo's House, a giant drill machine known as the Hag 1 drills out of a wall into Spiral Mountain. The rumbling of the machines caused Banjo and company to become worried. Unbeknownst to them, two witch sisters arrive and easily move the boulder that Gruntilda was trapped under in the last game. They send Mumbo out into the stormy night. He walks over to a nearby bush and sees Gruntilda She is no longer just an ugly witch, but a bony and uglier witch. After casting a bony eye on Spiral Mountain, she spies Mumbo and runs after him, magic blazing. He warns the others, who escape, but Bottles decides it's a trick, and gets caught in a blast. Banjo's house is destroyed, Bottles is dead, and the world is at risk. Grunty and her sisters then retreat to the Cauldron Keep in the Hag 1 drilling machine, scattering all of the jinjo families in the process.

Banjo and Kazooie survey the wreckage, then decide it's time for another adventure. Along the way, they encounter many challenges, fearsome enemies, and a witch that is out for revenge. Nothing that a bear and a bird can't handle.

Gameplay



Banjo on Jolly Roger's Lagoon
Banjo on Jolly Roger's Lagoon
Banjo-Tooie's gameplay is similar in concept to its predecessor, Banjo-Kazooie. The player must explore the hub world ( Isle O' Hags) and enter 9 large non-linear levels, each containing Jiggies which allow further access to the Isle. The core goal of the game is the same as the first, to collect as many jiggies as possible. There are a wide variety of puzzles, games, platforming and adventures that will net you jiggies. Collecting them will afford you access to new levels. All in all there are 90, with the player often needing to revisit levels with new moves in order to collect them. There are also other collectables, such as musical notes and jinjos. The levels available run the gamut, from an ancient civilization to an underwear factory.

Once again unlocking levels requires completing puzzles; however, this time the pictures are all based in one fixed point, Jiggywiggy's Temple. Also returning from the previous game is the ability to transform, allowing access to different areas, as well as the ability to learn new moves. Banjo and Kazooie start out with all the abilities they learned in the previous game. This is in contrast to the common "lose your moves" scenario that some sequels take. They are able to jump, flip, swim, attack, and even fly (with the help of flying pads). They can also learn new moves from Bottles' brother Jamjars. However, this process has been altered from the previous installment. Whereas in Banjo-Kazooie, new moves had been free to learn whenever the player had located Bottles' Molehill, the new instructor Jamjars requires Musical Notes to learn new abilities. One of these new moves is the Split Up, which allows Banjo and Kazooie to, as the name suggests, go their separate ways and explore on their own. When doing so, the characters have different characteristics and new abilities. Kazooie is fast, can fly and hatch eggs but has one honeycomb health less than Banjo, whereas Banjo is slower, but has more health and can perform different abilities with his backpack. Another new staple is the addition of Mumbo Jumbo as a playable character. Mumbo can perform spells which can lead to a Jiggy or aid gameplay.

Multiplayer and Extras

There are a variety of things outside the single player adventure that are unlocked as you go.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer consists of all the various mini-games that are played throughout the game, such as the Mayahem Kickball Tournament. Games such as the Ordnance Shootout and Chomper's Belly put the player in First-Person, with Kazooie acting as a gun (and firing eggs) to either kill players or hit targets. Other games play as they would normally, with human players in for computers.

Replays

The game records all of the mini-games, boss battles, and cutscenes that you've gone through. You can then replay any of these standalone items at any time.

Characters

Banjo
Banjo
Banjo

Back for another adventure, Banjo is one of the main characters of the game. He is a brown bear with a penchant for helping people out. He wears his trademark yellow shorts, shark tooth necklace, and blue backpack. He was a bit oafish and slow to pick up on things in the first game, but nowadays he's shown flashes of a newfound wit...
 
 
 
 

Kazooie
Kazooie
Kazooie

The other central character of the series, Kazooie is a foul-mouthed breegull. Quick to judge, she is seen at the beginning robbing the poker players blind. She resides in Banjo's backpack, often coming out just to peck, drill, or demean. In this game though, she may have found a bit of compassion, as well as a way out of the backpack...
 
 
 


Gruntilda
Gruntilda

Gruntilda

The series' main antagonist is at it again. After being freed from her rock, Grunty is now a very bony witch. She is heavyset, and has a hatred for the bear and bird. Your quest will be to stop her destruction of the world.
 
 




Mumbo Jumbo
Mumbo Jumbo
Mumbo Jumbo

Returning from the last adventure, Mumbo has been stripped of his transformation powers by an unknown force. Now though, he gets the chance to come out of the skull. He is a shaman, complete with a bony head, and skull staff (and house). Players can control him by bringing him a glowbo. He has a staff attack, as well as the ability to perform magic at Mumbo Pads, pads with his face on it.
 
 
 

Humba Wumba
Humba Wumba

Humba Wumba

Making her debut in the series is Humba Wumba, a Native American shaman and rival to Mumbo Jumbo. She takes on his old role, transforming Banjo and Kazooie into various objects and animals. She needs to be given a Glowbo for her magic to work, but it is only needed once. Her transformations are valuable to solving the worlds many puzzles.
 
 

Jamjars
Jamjars
Jamjars

A military mole who teaches you the most important moves of the game, Jamjars is the brother of Bottles the mole. He is strict, making you bring him musical notes in exchange for moves. He shows little emotion, even when hitting his head on his silo. Still, his moves are the best.
 
 
 


Bottles
Bottles
Bottles

The teacher of moves from the first game, Bottles is back, albeit in another form. Killed in the beginning by Gruntilda's magic, he is only seen as a ghost in Spiral Mountain. He may have hope yet.....
 
 


Klungo
Klungo
Klungo

Grunty's faithful sidekick, Klungo has been trying to move that rock for years. He will fight for her numerous times, though he may not like it...

 
 


Mingella
Mingella
Mingella and Blobbelda

Two of Grunty's sisters, they rescue her from her prison, then go back to the Cauldron Keep. They have made the Big-O-Blaster (B.O.B.) and want to use it against the world.

 



Jinjo
Jinjo
Jinjos

Peaceful inhabitants of the Jinjo Village, they have been scattered by the digging machine. Find them, and they may reward you.







King Jingaling
King Jingaling
King Jingaling

Your first real help in the game comes from the great King. Unfortunately, he is a target soon after.





Jiggywiggy
Jiggywiggy

Jiggywiggy

A man with a puzzle piece for a head, he helps you open doors to new worlds. It is not known how he eats, or breathes.










Worlds and Levels


Spiral Mountain and Bottles' ghost
Spiral Mountain and Bottles' ghost

Spiral Mountain

The same exact place where the first game starts. This time around it has been destroyed by Gruntilda’s evil sisters as they came to rescue the witch. From here you can also visit Gruntilda’s lair – the overworld of the first game – but you won’t be able to explore it since its interior hallways are completely blocked by stones. 
 
 
 

The Wasteland is an area of the Isle o' Hags
The Wasteland is an area of the Isle o' Hags

Isle o’ Hags

The game’s overworld is very vast and has many different scenarios to be explored.







Mayahem Temple
Mayahem Temple

Mayahem Temple

A temple that is the lair of an evil god sitting at the top of a big mountain surrounded by caves, and other smaller temples. You will even find a stadium where rock beings play a strange version of soccer.


 
 

Glitter Gulch Mine
Glitter Gulch Mine

Glitter Gulch Mine

An old diamond mine where big piles of precious stone can be found close to a river that crosses the entire world. This world also features a railroad, a prospector who lost his beloved puppy, caves ridden with poisonous gas and the train which you will use to travel more quickly to other the worlds of the game. 
 
 


The Space themed area of Witchyworld
The Space themed area of Witchyworld

Witchyworld

Gruntilda’s amusement park has lots of rather strange and dangerous rides. This world has lots of different mini-games and some nice classic platforming challenges. In the middle of this freaky park lies a big circus tent home to a giant talking dinosaur balloon. You can also find stands to buy hamburgers and French fries that will eventually be used to solve hunger problems from other worlds.
 



Jolly Roger’s Lagoon
Jolly Roger’s Lagoon

Jolly Roger’s Lagoon

Most of this level takes place underwater but the characters don’t need to worry about drowning since Mumbo will allow them to breathe underwater. You will find a mysterious sunken city, a scary violent fish and beautiful underwater scenarios. Close to the lagoon there are many shops and a bar owned by a quirky frog that is worried about his odd girlfriend where an old drunk pirate hides one of the game’s most famous secrets.



Terrydactyland
Terrydactyland

Terrydactyland

A world with lots of dinosaurs, many of which want to eat you while some need your aid to solve their problems. There is also an ancient tribe with a major nourishment problem. On the center of the world there is a enormous mountain where you will come across a female pterodactyl that has problems hatching their eggs.


 

Inside the Industries
Inside the Industries

Grunty Industries

A big industry with six different floors that looks like an impressive fortress. The place has lots of machines and piles of boxes, it is the biggest level of the entire game. Finding your way in may be as confusing as navigating through all those floors using service elevators. Here you will need to help the employees watch their clothes and you will even visit a famous talking toilet that appeared on the previous game.
 

The fire region of the Peaks
The fire region of the Peaks

Hailfire Peaks

A big mountain divided between an ice land and a hot inferno. The place is ruled by two twin dragons that will attack you with fire or ice balls as you enter their domains. On the fire side of the mountain you will need to defend the soccer title that you got when visiting , while on the ice mountain you will visit a beautiful ice cave and deal with lots of yetis.


 
 

Inside the main cave of Cloud Cuckooland
Inside the main cave of Cloud Cuckooland

Cloud Cuckooland

A sky world with a very big group of floating isles to be explored. At the center of the world there is a large honey hive. Below it there is a big cave which is the main hub connecting all floating pieces of land surrounding the big mountain.






Cauldron Keep
Cauldron Keep

Cauldron Keep

The last world of the game and the place where the final showdown takes place. This is the witches’ hideout, the place where the life-sucking machine is placed and where you will have to compete on a quiz show against the three witches in order to proceed with your adventure.






Techniques


Here are all moves that the duo will learn with Jamjars, which is Bottles brother, during the course of the game and the place where they are located :


Isle o’ Hags

  • Fire Eggs – Twice as powerful as the regular blue eggs.
  • Grenade Eggs – The most powerful type of egg. It explodes when hits its target.
  • Ice Eggs – Freezes the enemy. 
Grip Grab
Grip Grab
  • Clockwork Kazooie Eggs – When thrown this egg will release a small clockwork version of Kazooie. You can control it and explode it whenever you feel like.
  • Breegull Bash - Banjo will pull Kazooie out of his backpack and will use her as a weapon to hit nearby enemies.


Mayahem Temple

  • Egg Aiming – It gives you more accuracy when using the eggs.
  • Breegull Blaster – Allows you to enter a first person perspective using Kazooie as a gun when you enter certain areas. Grip Grab – Allows Banjo to hang onto edges.


Glitter Gulch Mine

  • Bill Drill – Banjo Jumps and uses Kazooie as a powerful drill to break rocks and do other useful things.
  • Beak Bayonet - When on first person perspective you can use Kazooie to beak enemies.

Kazooie performing the Talon Torpedo
Kazooie performing the Talon Torpedo

Witchyworld

  • Split Up – With this move you can control Banjo and Kazooie individually.           
  • Pack Whack – When Banjo is by himself he will use his backpack to attack enemies.
  • Airborne Aiming – Allows you to aim when flying.


Jolly Roger’s Lagoon

  • Wing Whack – Kazooie uses her wings to attack when she is by herself.
  • Sub-Aqua Egg Aiming – Allows you to aim while swimming.
  • Talon Torpedo – Kazooie leaves Banjo’s backpack when underwater and acts as a torpedo.


Terrydactyland

Claw Clamber
Claw Clamber
  • Springy Step – Use springy boots to perform high jumps.
  • Taxi Pack – Banjo can carry other characters on his back pack.
  • Hatch – Kazooie gains the ability to hatch eggs.


Grunty Industries

  • Claw Clamber – Kazooie can climb walls vertically with these boots that stick to surfaces.
  • Leg Spring – Kazooie uses her legs to perform very high jumps without Banjo.
  • Snooze Pack – Banjo hibernates inside his backpack to recover health.


Hailfire Peaks

Sack Pack
Sack Pack
  • Shack Pack – Banjo enters his backpack allowing him to pass through tiny holes and small cracks.
  • Glide – Kazooie can glide when she is without Banjo.
 

Cloud Cuckooland

  • Sack Pack – Banjo uses his backpack as a sack and hops around. This move protects him from harmful surfaces.


Items


  • Jiggy – The main collectable item of the game. You can use it to unlock new worlds.
  • Note Nest – Can contain up to twenty musical notes.
  • Egg Nest – Contains a certain amount of eggs.
  • Honeycomb – Recovers your health.
  • Oxygen Bubble – Recovers the oxygen meter when the duo is underwater.
  • Empty Honeycomb – By collecting and giving them to a honey bee located on Isle o` Hags your health meter will increase.
Empty Honeycomb
Empty Honeycomb
  • Red Feather - Allows Banjo and Kazooie to stay on the air when flying.
  • Gold Feather – Makes the duo invincible.
  • Wading Boots – Protects Kazooie`s feet when walking on dangerous surfaces.
  • Turbo Trainers – Increases their speed for a while.
  • Springy Step Shoes – Allows them to jump higher.
  • Claw Clamber Boots – The characters will be able to climb walls vertically.
  • Cheato Page – By gathering those and handing them to the book that’s on Grunty’s Lair you will get access to cheats that can be used in the game.
  • Doubloons – The currency used to purchase items on the village surrounding Jolly Roger’s Lagoon.
  • Glowbo - A magical creature that must be collected in order for Mumbo and Humba to offer you their services.
  • Mumbo Pad - Pad with Mumbo's head on it. When controlling Mumbo, these pads allow you to perform his main spells such as 'Levitate', and 'Power'.

Transformations


In this game Banjo and Kazooie can transform into different creatures or objects by visiting Humba Wumba. While in Banjo-Kazooie only a few stages featured transformations on Banjo-Tooie all of the worlds have their own specific transformations. Below you will find all of them listed, the location where it happens and a brief description.

Dragon
Dragon
Dragon

Location: Isle o` Hags
Description: Kazooie becomes a green dragon that can set enemies on fire as well as scare them away.





Stony
Stony

Stony

Location: Mayahem Temple
Description: A small stone made version of Banjo. Can talk to other stonies, and play kickball.





 Detonator

Detonator

Location: Glitter Gulch Mine
Description: Hop around and explode whenever you want to open new paths in the mine.




 

 Van

Van

Location: Witchyworld
Description: A heavy armored vehicle that is pretty fast and will allow you to open new rides.





 Submarine

Submarine

Location: Jolly Roger’s Lagoon
Description: A submarine equipped with a sonar and powerful torpedoes. Can go deeper than Banjo and Kazooie...




 Big T-Rex

T-Rex

Location: Terrydactyland  
Description: This transformation has two different sizes that can be used for different goals. Baby T-Rex can fit into tight spaces, but Daddy T-Rex packs a bigger punch.




 

Washing Machine
Washing Machine

Washing Machine

Location: Grunty Industries  
Description: With this transformation you can use the service elevators of the big factory. Shooting underwear at your enemies is fun too.

 



 Snowball

Snowball

Location: Hailfire Peaks
Description : Roll around the ice region of the world and increase the snowball’s size. Useful for pressing switches.





 Bee

Bee

Location: Cloud Cuckooland
Description: A small bee with a backpack that flies quickly and can sting the enemies.







Bosses


 Klungo

Klungo

Location: Isle o` Hags
Description: Gruntilda`s most loyal servant attacks you with a bunch of potions that can cause the most varied effects.





 Targitzan

Targitzan

Location: Mayahem Temple
Description: The Mayhem entity of this world. He is a rock monster.





 Old King Coal

Old King Coal

Location: Glitter Gulch Mine
Description: A big creature of coal that lives inside the boiler of the train located in the mine.


 
 

Mr. Patch
Mr. Patch

Mr. Patch

Location: Witchyworld
Description: A huge balloon dinosaur.






 

 Lord Woo Fak Fak

Lord Woo Fak Fak

Location: Jolly Roger’s Lagoon
Description: A giant anglerfish.







 Terry


Terry

Location: Terrydactyland  
Description: A not so frightening flying dinosaur.







 Weldar


Weldar

Location: Grunty Industries  
Description: A welding torch.





Chilly Willy
Chilly Willy
Chilli Billy
Chilli Billy

Chilly Willy and Chilli Billy

Location: Hailfire Peaks
Description: Two twin dragons. One resides in the icy part of the mountain while the other lives in the volcano.





Mingy Jongo
Mingy Jongo

Mingy Jongo Location: Cloud Cuckooland 
Description: Mumbo’s rival. He is pretty much a robotic version of the shaman.








 HAG 1Hag 1 Location: Cauldron Keep
Description: The massive drilling machine controlled by Gruntilda.




Stop & Swap


Unlike, the previous game, the once fabled Stop and Swop items are now just plain old items that unlock secret moves and abilites. Two of the "secret" Stop N Swop eggs can be found in Spiral Mountain hidden inside Banjo Kazooie game packs. Striking them will spit out the egg. Taking these eggs to the Egg Shed in Wooded Hollow will unlock secrets in the game. The yellow egg is already in the shed, but must be hatched by Kazooie.

Pink Egg

Above the stump that contains the boots in Spiral Mountain is a metal grate. Fly up there and shoot a grenade egg to bust open the grate. Fly in there and smash the pack to get the egg. This egg unlocks the ability to swing Kazooie as a club.

Blue Egg

Fly to the top of the waterfall in Spiral Mountain and enter the top. Using the grenade eggs, smash the metal grate and do the same thing to get the Blue Egg. This will unlock the ability to have your eggs home at enemies.

Yellow Egg

Once you have learnt the Hatch ability from Terrydactyland, go to Heggy's Egg Shed in Wooded Hollow and drill the rubble covering the split up pads. Split up and take Kazooie up to the top floor, where the yellow egg is waiting in a nest. Hatch it, and you will get the ability to select Jinjo in multiplayer games.

Ice Key

In the "sandy" part of Jinjo Village, there should be a part where you can shimmy on the side of the ledge. Climb that to enter a cave which has another pack in it. Smash it to get the Ice Key. After gaining the Talon Torpedo ability, go to Glitter Gulch Mine, through the Water Storage area to the Waterfall Cavern, and use the Talon Torpedo to get to the ice side of Hailfire Peaks. Use the Ice Key to unlock the Ice Safe and to obtain the Mega-Glowbo. Give that to Humba Wumba in Pine Grove to transform into Dragon Kazooie.

Style and Cultural References


In contrast to Banjo-Kazooie, Tooie is much darker in tone and material. Whereas Kazooie featured light-hearted music, bright and colorful levels, and an overall sense of cheeriness, Tooie is much darker in all aspects. This is apparent right off the bat, when Bottles is killed off.  The levels are on the whole darker and dingier than the ones in Kazooie. The music also follows suit, feeling dark and foreboding in most of the games levels. It slows down to a creeping dirge in the darkest recesses of the world. The humor of the game often takes a sarcastic tone, with Kazooie cracking jokes about other characters incessantly

Banjo-Tooie features many return appearances from characters and things first found in Banjo-Kazooie. This includes major characters such as Mumbo Jumbo, and minor ones such as Conga and Gobi. Levels from the first game are also alluded to in various ways. Rare also references games from their stable. Instances of this include Jet Force Gemini posters in Bottles' kids rooms, and an appearance by Sabreman, from the game Sabre Wulf. There are even references to other works. In the Grunty Industries level, Kazooie refers to Nintendo's Mario (and his plumber roots) by suggesting to Loggo that "maybe Mario could unclog him", to which Loggo replies that he "doesn't think Mario does that kind of work anymore". There is also a reference to E.T., as Kazooie once asks the aliens in Hailfire Peak if "they need to phone home". Lastly, both Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie are referred to in later Rare games, most notably Viva Pinata.

Reception


Banjo-Tooie was widely praised by reviewers and is considered by many to be one of the best platforming games to be released. It is a gem of the Nintendo 64 era. The game has gorgeous visuals and it may be regarded as the best looking game on the system even though it didn’t make use of the expansion pack.

Xbox Live Arcade Version


Banjo-Tooie was released on Xbox Live Arcade on April 29th, 2009 for 1200 Microsoft Points. The port, developed by 4J studios, resurrects the Stop n Swop features for use between Banjo-Kazooie on XBLA and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts.

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Original US Release Nov. 19, 2000
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