Banjo Kazooie - Nintendo 64

Banjo-Kazooie for the Nintendo 64 is one of the greatest 3D platformers ever made — a game that critics at the time said surpassed Super Mario 64 itself. Developed by Rare at the absolute peak of their creative powers, it follows Banjo, a laid-back honey bear, and Kazooie, a wisecracking breegull who lives in his backpack, as they set out to rescue Banjo's kidnapped sister Tooty from Gruntilda — an ugly, rhyme-obsessed witch who intends to steal Tooty's beauty for herself. Nine worlds are hidden within Gruntilda's enormous lair, each one a self-contained environment packed with puzzles, secrets, and characters with more personality than most games manage across their entire runtime.

The dual-character mechanic is the heart of what makes Banjo-Kazooie special. Banjo provides strength and grounded movement; Kazooie provides flight, speed, and a devastating egg-shooting beak. Together they execute a moveset richer than any 3D platformer before them — running, swimming, climbing, flying, rolling, stacking jumps, and beak-bombing enemies with satisfying weight. Jigsaw pieces called Jiggies unlock new worlds when enough are collected, while musical notes scattered across each level power up Bottles the mole's ability upgrades. Every world rewards thorough exploration and a keen eye for hidden paths.

Grant Kirkhope's soundtrack was a technical landmark — one of the first games to use vertical remixing, where music layers dynamically shift based on the player's location within a world, making the score feel alive rather than looping. The writing is sharp, funny, and irreverent in ways Nintendo's own platformers rarely attempted.

Released June 29, 1998, Banjo-Kazooie sold over three million copies and remains one of the best-selling Nintendo 64 games of all time. It won the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences award for Console Game of the Year and was included in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. It spawned a direct sequel, Banjo-Tooie, in 2000. The original N64 cartridge is the authentic version of one of the defining games of its generation.

Language: English
Rating: E (Everyone)
Platform: Nintendo 64
Genre: 3D Platformer
Players: 1 player
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Year: 1998 (North American release: June 29, 1998)

$120 items are not included in our free shipping campaign