Tag Archives: Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

Nelson‘s just confirmed that Rare’s Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is now available on Live through Games on Demand.

It’s priced at £19.99, and is available everywhere bar Japan. Queue it up here.

Rare just released screens of its upcoming Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts DLC, L.O.G.’s Lost Challenges. Get them after the break.

There’s a movie of it on Live Marketplace now as well.

It’s out on April 7. Get details here.

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Microsoft just confirmed an April 7 release for L.O.G.’s Lost Challenges DLC pack for Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

The pack will feature an extra 250 achievement points, 12 new challenges and 7 new multiplayer games.

Yours for 400 MS Points.

Press release after the break.

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Rare’s confirmed that Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts DLC will be announced next week.

According to Lord of Games (L.O.G.) himself:

“If all goes well, you’ll soon be able to experience a little something that I devised during a spare moment in exile from the Palace lounge as the Lady of Games watched some kind of dreadful house renovation show marathon. I have to say I’m quite pleased with the end result, apart from the section that Klungo insisted on contributing due to what he claimed was ‘popular demand’. Well, that remains to be seen.”

A bit esoteric, but a confirmation of something to come nonetheless.

Hit the link for more.

According to Gamespot, NPD figures show that Rare’s Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts sold just 140,000 copies in the US last year.

Gamespot had enquired about 360 exclusives outside of the all format top ten and NPD revealed that in comparison, Fable II sold 1.2 million units.

The piece goes on to say that 360 and original Xbox games made up 19 percent of US software sales in 2008.

More through the link.

By Mike Bowden

Rare’s put out a promo video of everyone’s favourite bear going to Paris to get a jiggy off the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Obviously, he can only reach it by cursing “traditional platforming” and building a plane.

It’s a statement of fact. After the break.

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This 1UP report contains a quote from Microsoft admitting that not all those who pre-ordered Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts received their code to get the original Banjo from XBLA, as well as a note saying the game’s release has now been delayed until December 3.

“We are aware that some consumers who preordered Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts have not received their redeem code for Banjo-Kazooie on Xbox Live Arcade,” said the firm in a statement.

“We are currently investigating the scope of this situation, but we believe it represents a small fraction of the total number of preorder customers. We encourage anyone who preordered Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts and did not receive a redeem code to follow up directly with your retailer’s customer service team for resolution.”

Despite the delay, pre-orderers will still get the XBLA game a week earlier than everyone else, Microsoft’s assured.

Rare’s included mention of new Killer Instinct, Jet Force Gemini, Battletoads and Grabbed by the Ghoulies games in Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, as you can see on CrankyGamersUK, leading people on the internet to assume they’re actually being made.

Just a hunch: we suspect it may be a leg-pulling exercise. Still, we can but dream.

Rare’s announced that Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts has launched in the US.

By way of celebration, the UK developer’s offering the chance to play against members of the team on November 23. From the press release:

As a special treat, on November 23, players will get the opportunity to go head-to-head against the developers of “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” at Rare. A dozen artists and designers will join in the multiplayer competitions from 3-5 p.m. EST on Xbox LIVE, including Gregg Mayles, Rare’s head of design, and Salvatore Fileccia, Rare’s lead software engineer. All members of the “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” development team will be distinguishable by their unique Banjo characters, which will be sporting a stylish pair of sunglasses, and those who get the chance to battle against Rare team members will unlock a special Achievement.

More information on “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” is available at http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/splash/b/bknutsandbolts.

Full thing after the link.

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Rare’s issued an apology over last week’s favourite storm dans le teacup, the issue of whether or not players with SD TVs would be able to read text in Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

Text in the retail version is too small to be read properly, apparently.

“Apologies for any crossed wires and confusion since the issue was raised. Hopefully now everyone will feel confident in their ability to play the game as it was intended,” said the firm in a statement.

“If you’re unsure whether the text size will be a problem for you prior to the release of the update, it may be worth downloading the Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts demo over Xbox Live or seeing it on a friend’s console to judge for yourself.”

Rare’s George Kelion already confirmed over the weekend that a fix would be made to ensure those playing on SD TVs would see readable text.

According to this Mundorare article, Rare’s volte-faced on the Banjo SD text issue, and has now said it will be fixed.

“It has come to our attention that people are experiencing subtitle readability issues with Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts on Standard Definition TVs,” said Rare community boss George Kelion.

“We would like to assure you that contrary to earlier reports, we are aware of the issue and currently working on a title update to be released within the next 30 days that will fix it for those with Standard Definition TVs.

“We’re committed to ensuring all fans of the franchise are able to have the best experience possible with Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.”

So calm down, all you SD TV-owning Banjo-buyers. You shall go to the ball.

Thanks, PT.

Come on, little bear. A few more Banjo reviews have gone live, and it’s all looking rosy. Here’s everything so far:

• Eurogamer – 7
• 1UP – A-
• Videogamer – 9
• IGN – 8.3
• IGN UK – 6.5
• Team Xbox – 7.4
• Meristation – 8.5

Eurogamer’s put a 7/10 on Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. Worth noting IGN’s score of 8.3 if you missed it this morning.

Snip from the EG review:

Whereas a traditional platform game could survive a sequence of poor levels, or even succeed in spite of a majority with a world as lovely as this, with characters so delightful and secrets so pleasing to uncover, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is not a platform game. The game it has become instead demands thoughtful, exciting challenges that inspire the player to pitch in and help get the most out of each level, but it fails to provide them, and even though it’s worth persevering with for the occasional hurdles race, egg-and-spoon and a game-world in aptly Rare form, ultimately it’s a brilliant shell with a mostly hollow centre.

So there we are. Full thing through the link.

IGN’s published the first review of Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, giving the bird-bear reboot 8.3/10.

Summing up:

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is a game that never stopped being fun for me. It’s an odd duck that doesn’t fit into any conventional game genres and probably isn’t right for everybody. Despite its friendly appearance, Nuts & Bolts isn’t exactly easy to pick up and play and might be over the head of some small children. There’s a lot of depth here and the vehicle creation tools allow you to flex your mind and your fingers at the same time. This is a great change of pace from the usual Xbox 360 fare and a game that will offer a lot of fun to those willing to invest some time in it.

The video review’s after the break. Game’s out later this month.

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The Major’s just confirmed that the Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts demo is now up on Live. Blurb:

[ESRB: E10+ (Everyone 10+) CARTOON VIOLENCE,COMIC MISCHIEF] Build awe-inspiring vehicles and tackle the Jiggy challenges in any way you see fit! Show your creations off over Xbox LIVE.

It’s 1.07Gb, all regions. Go go go.

Microsoft has announced that Rare bear, Banjo Kazooie’s third outing entitled, Nuts & Bolts, will be released on November 14.

Rare recently confirmed that a demo was “completed or in certification”, so if you’re still not convinced, you’ll hopefully be able to try before you buy.

Check out all of our Banjo coverage here. Press release after the break.

Thanks, SI.

By Mike Bowden

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Rare’s Mike Wilson has posted on the official Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts forums to say a demo for the game is completed and should ship before release.

“As far as I am aware, the demo is completed or is in certification,” he said.

“A ‘demo coming soon’ image on Xbox Live is fair enough. I doubt it will be here before the end of October. The team are hoping to get it out before release but there are no promises.”

Wilson added that the demo won’t spoil the final experience.

“It’s awesome, I am sure you guys will love it,” he said.

“I don’t think playing the demo will spoil much and it will give everyone a little taste of what is to come.”

The game’s out next month. Thanks, MundoRare.

Eurogamer has revealed that Gears of War 2 and Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts will feature at the first Eurogamer Expo, taking place at the Old Truman Brewery in London on October 28 and 29.

Videogaming247 recently signed a media sponsorship deal with the Expo and we can’t wait to break “all the news as it happens, live from the event.”

See you there.

By Mike Bowden

Rare’s released its set of new Banjo images from TGS, as seen after the break. We’re very much looking forward to finally getting our hands on this. It’s out on November 14 in Europe.

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Here and here. The two movies show vehicle-building, the jiggy progression system and lots, lots more. Whatever your feelings on the whole vehicle “thing,” there’s no doubting the quality here. Watch.

Thanks, Blerk.