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Cover art of Banjo-Tooie

4.2 / 5

167 votes

Platform
Nintendo 64
Genres
Platformer · Quiz · Adventure
Player Perspective
Third person
Developers
Rare
Publishers
Nintendo · Gradiente
Release date
November 20, 2000

Summary

Banjo-Tooie expands the whimsical world of its predecessor with eight sprawling, interconnected realms that feel more like a single, massive playground than a collection of isolated levels. The game re‑introduces Grunty as the main antagonist, forcing Banjo and Kazooie to master every move from the first title while picking up fresh abilities such as first‑person aiming, new egg types, and the option to split the duo and control each character separately. Puzzle‑solving takes center stage; many challenges require hopping between worlds, using the train Chuffy or hidden portals to backtrack and trigger events that unlock new areas.

Collectibles remain crucial, but the system is streamlined: a single Jiggy board in Master Jiggywiggy’s temple tracks progress, and each new batch of Jiggies opens the next world. Musical notes now teach moves from Jamjars, Bottles’ drill‑sergeant brother, while Mumbo Jumbo and his rival Humba Wumba provide magical transformations in exchange for Glowbos. The multiplayer mode repurposes single‑player challenges into four‑player minigames like first‑person shooting, kickball, and bumper cars, adding a competitive twist to the adventure.

Critics praised Banjo-Tooie’s rich textures, long draw distances, and dynamic music that shifts with the player’s location, though occasional frame‑rate dips were noted. Reviewers highlighted the sheer scale of the worlds, the clever puzzles, and the game’s humor, calling the characters “impossible to dislike.” The title earned several awards, including Best Platform Game of 2000, and sold over a million copies worldwide, cementing its place as a beloved sequel in the platforming canon.

Storyline

Banjo-Tooie picks up two years after the original game, when Banjo and Kazooie are enjoying a poker game with Mumbo Jumbo and Bottles. Their peace is shattered as Gruntilda’s sisters, Mingella and Blobbelda, drive a massive HAG 1 digger into Spiral Mountain, freeing Gruntilda’s skeletal form and destroying Banjo’s house. After Bottles is killed by the blast, his ghost urges the duo to find a way to bring him back.

The heroes travel to Jinjo Village, where King Jingaling rewards them with their first Jiggy for rescuing scattered Jinjos. Gruntilda’s sisters introduce her to the Big‑O‑Blaster (B.O.B.), a device that siphons life force; they test it on the king, turning him into a zombie, and plan to use it to vaporise the entire island. Along the way Banjo and Kazooie gain new moves from Jamjars, Bottles’ drill‑sergeant brother, and magical transformations from the shaman Humba Wumba.

In the final showdown at Cauldron Keep, Banjo and Kazooie defeat the sisters in a trivia‑show tower, reverse B.O.B.’s effects, and resurrect both King Jingaling and Bottles. Gruntilda’s attempt to crush them with the HAG 1 backfires when her own spell detonates the machine, reducing her to a skull. The friends celebrate with a hacky‑sack game, while Gruntilda’s head vows revenge.

Edited by Maya Carter

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Game Screenshots

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Game Artworks

  • Artwork 1 of Banjo-Tooie

Multiplayer

Multiplayer setup
Split Screen

Alternative Titles

  • Banjo Kazooie 2 Alternative