Banjo-Kazooie composer teases that “things are afoot” before quickly clarifying that no, it’s not “Banjo related”
No Banjo-Threeie yet
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Famed games composer Grant Kirkhope seems to have accidentally stirred up excitement in Banjo-Threeie hopefuls before clarifying that whatever he’s teasing has nothing to do with one of thebest platformersfrom the era.
If you’ve played any of developer Rare’s classic games, then there’s a good chance you’ve heard Grant Kirkhope’s tunes in Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, Viva Piñata, or more recently inUbisoft’s Mario and Rabbids duo. Well, given his background, some of his recent social media activity had fans convinced that something related to the dormant platforming icons was in the pipeline.
Kirkhope first posted a picture of the Banjo-Kazooie action figure below earlier this week, beforeteasingthat “Things are afoot…” a few days later. That must have sent fans into an excited spiral because the very next day, Kirkhopeclarifiedthat “Just to confirm… nothing that is ‘afoot’ is Banjo related… soz.” In response to one fan who nihilistically said they shouldn’t expect anything from Banjo at this point, Kirkhope just joined the dejected chorus: “Correct.”
Guh-huh! pic.twitter.com/bIC1GzpOzHAugust 12, 2024
The once-famous bird and bear aren’t getting much love these days, despite still having a vocal cult following. The duo first hit the scene in 1998’s N64 platformer that essentially outshined Super Mario 64 with brain-twisting levels, even more expressive movement, and some dry, classic British humor. One sequel, one vehicle-building sandbox spin-off, and one Super Smash Bros Ultimate DLC later, the pair’s future is now in limbo.
Late last year,MicrosoftGaming PresidentPhil Spencersaid that Game Pass made smaller games and retro revivals more viable, pointing specifically to Rare’s googley-eyed couple:“Banjo fans, I hear you.“But after momentum was at an all-time high with the Smash Bros collaboration, all we’ve seen from Banjo-Kazooie has been more merch and a cosmetic set in the studio’s piratventure Sea of Thieves.
The possibility of a Banjo-Threeie might be rotting somewhere in an IP graveyard, but don’t let that get you down too much. Modders have been breathing new life into the game bytaking Banjo-Kazooie to Wind Waker’s blue shoresor theN64 Multiverse, among other iconic locations.
Don’t dwell too much in the past - check out thenew games of 2024 and beyondthat you should be keeping an eye on.
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Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that’s vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he’ll soon forget.
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