Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is an upcoming CMS and platform game in Rare's Banjo-Kazooie series, first announced at the X06 Media Briefing. It is the fifth game in the franchise to be released and takes place eight years after Banjo-Tooie. It is also the first game in the series released for a console unaffiliated with Nintendo. Director Gregg Mayles stated that roughly 80 percent of Nuts & Bolts involves the use of vehicles. Rare has announced several characters for the game, including returning characters from the series. In an ending sequence for Banjo-Tooie, character dialogue led players to believe that the game would be entitled Banjo-Threeie.

Story
Set eight years after Banjo-Tooie, the plot of the game involves Banjo and Gruntilda competing to determine the true owner of Spiral Mountain. Banjo wishes to preserve his home while Gruntilda plans to transform the vegetated area with towers and malls. A new character named Lord of Games (also known as LOG) attempts to settle the conflict between the two by devising a series of worlds and challenges. LOG transports the other characters to Showdown Town, his headquarters, and starts the contest. The winner would be set to own Spiral Mountain; the loser must endure eternal hardship at LOG's video game factory. While Banjo and Kazooie seek to win by completing the challenges, Grunty uses her powers and abilities to try and stop the duo. An army of mechanical Gruntbots also assist the witch in her goal.

Gameplay
The game is not a traditional third-person action and platform game like the previous entries in the series, but instead utilizes vehicles to transport Banjo and Kazooie around the levels. According to Mayles about 20 percent of the game retains traditional platforming elements. There are however no conventional "moves" for Banjo and Kazooie to use.

Vehicles
Vehicles play a prominent role in the game. The player can build them from over 1,600 different components available, such as body panels, engines, wheels, wings, propellers, fuel and weapons. It is also specified that vehicle presets from these parts would be available.[4] "Banjoprints" of these machines and their statistics have been revealed. They include the Banjo 4x4, Banjo Boat, Banjo Copter and Banjo Plane. Gruntilda also operates a vehicle called the Grunty Coco-Carrier. The vehicles can be built in many shapes, as demonstrated in a video where one was constructed to resemble an 8-bit Mario sprite that was later blasted apart.

Items
The original teaser trailer showed several gameplay elements from the previous games that will be included in the upcoming game, including music notes, honeycombs, and puzzle pieces ("Jiggys"). The Jiggys are among several golden objects that are collected to progress in the Banjo-Kazooie games and will once again be used in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. In an edition of Scribes, Rare said that "the player will determine the difficulty level by how they approach the Jiggy tasks", hinting at what the game would offer. It was later specified that the challenge level of these tasks depends on how the player builds the vehicles. Other items include honeycomb pieces, which are used to refill Banjo and Kazooie's health gauges in the games. Musical notes can be collected in Banjo-Kazooie to unlock note doors, and in Banjo-Tooie were used to unlock new moves for Banjo and Kazooie. For Nuts & Bolts it has been stated that the notes will be used as a currency to buy parts for the vehicles, with gold, silver, and copper notes worth different amounts. A new item, tentatively called "Mumbo's magic wrench" was also revealed. It plays a significant role, as it is used to both build and move objects via a yellow beam fired from the device. The wrench is also stated to be used by Kazooie as a primary weapon for on-foot gameplay, sending enemies magic and electric bolts, and other not yet revealed features.

Abilities
Various abilities from Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie will not be at Banjo and Kazooie's disposal for Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. This apporach was first mentioned in the December 20 of Rare's Scribes column, which stated, "Banjo and Kazooie haven't got many of the abilities that they used in previous games". The ability introduced in Banjo-Tooie to split up Banjo and Kazooie as separate playable characters will be unavailable in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. A previous Scribes mentioned that they "thought about using two different controllers" to account for the new moves and all the old moves as well, but that a simpler system had been used for the game. It was eventually revealed that the approach involves using vehicles instead of the previous attack moves.

The player can disembark from a vehicle and explore the environment in a manner similar to that of the previous games. In a screenshot, Banjo and Kazooie are seen walking on a tightrope crossing a river.

Multiplayer
The idea of multiplayer options was first discussed at the Rare Witch Project, where Mayles said that there would be multiplayer capability in the game unlike that found in Banjo-Tooie. He also noted that there would not be any first-person shooter sections in the traditional action-adventure game. It was later revealed that multiplayer will be purely vehicle-based where players will be able to take their custom built vehicles to Xbox Live and compete in online races and activities. An announcement stated that the game features a co-operative mode and offline multiplayer options.

Returning Characters

 * Banjo: He is a main protagonist in the Banjo-Kazooie series. Banjo is a lovable, yet somewhat confused bear, who is the hero of this tale. He appeared in Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Banjo-Pilot, Diddy Kong Racing, and Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge, and will return in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts as revealed in the trailer released on September 27, 2006. Banjo is characterised by his trademark yellow shorts and shark tooth necklace. Banjo's appearance is notably different from previous games in the series, as he appears more blocky than his original incarnation. In an addition of Scribes, it has been stated that Banjo and Kazooie's new look will be kept. As said by Scribes: "Banjo's new look will not change. When you see the rest of the game and what it's about, the look will make more sense."


 * Kazooie: She is the secondary protagonist in the Banjo-Kazooie series. Kazooie is an elegant bird with a cunning wit, and a sharp tongue to boot. She is Banjo's partner in action and comic relief. She will return in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts as revealed in the trailer released on September 27, 2006. Kazooie's appearance is visually different from previous games in the Banjo-Kazooie series, as she has a larger plume of feathers and has an overall more feminine look. In Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, she will act as the vehicle parts collector, wielding a series of tools tentatively called "Mumbo's magic wrench," which fires a yellow beam that can lift objects and place them into certain positions. It is pointed out that she will lose her cruel behavior because of the responsibilities of the wrench.


 * Gruntilda Winkybunion: She serves as the main antagonist of the Banjo-Kazooie series. Grunty is a witch that vows revenge on Banjo and Kazooie. She will return in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts as announced in the following quote from Rare; "The beloved 'Banjo-Kazooie' franchise will breathe new, high-definition life on Xbox 360 exclusively from famed developer Rare Ltd.; astonishing next-generation visuals and presentation reunite beloved characters Banjo, Kazooie and Gruntilda - among other fan favourites - with their sharp wit and hilarious sense of humour." At the end of Banjo-Tooie, she stated that she would return for the third game in the series, referred to there as "Banjo-Threeie". Rare released a Christmas picture showing her lower body in a portrait on the wall, which shows here more bony then the last games. An image of her head can also be seen in the fireplace within the same picture; from what can be seen, her hair seems to be frazzled and pointing back, and her nose appears much longer and beak-like, which led to the belief that the image was of some kind of bird. Gregg Mayles has said that she will be rhyming once again. Her new design resembles a mechanical version of her original body, seeing as her original body rotted to the bone while she was trapped under a boulder between the end Banjo-Kazooie and the beginning of Banjo-Tooie. Her skull, which was all that remained of her at the end of Banjo-Tooie, is placed inside of a glass exterior where her head should be.


 * Mumbo Jumbo: He is a shaman who appears in Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge, and as a playable character in Banjo-Tooie and Banjo Pilot. Gregg Mayles stated in his second set of answers that Mumbo Jumbo will return as the main shaman, and that he will also have a new, highly significant role.[15] It was later revealed that the player utilizes a workshop named Mumbo's Motors for building vehicles in the hub world of Showdown Town. It has been announced that he will be playing the roles of a mechanic in Showdown Town, and a farmer in Nutty Acres.


 * Humba Wumba: She first appeared in Banjo-Tooie and later as a playable racer in Banjo Pilot. Humba Wumba will return in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, according to Gregg Mayles, with a "new role". In currently released pictures, she appears to be dressed more as a cowgirl, yet still retains elements of a traditional Native American.


 * Jolly Roger: A character who first appeared in Banjo-Tooie, Jolly Roger has been announced as a character in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. On the Rare website in response to a fan question on whether Jolly Roger would return, they replied "Yes he will, hopefully in an expanded role that doesn't involve camp bartending."


 * Bottles: In the February 13 edition of Scribes, Rare announced that Bottles will return and will be teaching the moves again, but Jamjars will not return for Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. Bottle's family has left him due to the trauma of his death and resurrection, as stated in the May 9 Scribes. He will also act as a tour guide for the hub world of Showdown Town.


 * Jinjos: It has been stated that the Jinjos may return, or will at least be mentioned in the game. On the Rare Witch Project website, Gregg Mayles (under the username "Ghouly Boy") answered a question by stating, "expect some changes to the Notes and Jinjos". Their purpose has yet to be stated, but their presence in the game is implied. Mayles later affirmed that the Jinjos would play a role in the game.


 * Klungo: A recent screenshot shows that he has built a play emporium on a pier on a beach.


 * Loggo: A response was stated to a question in Scribes about the return of Loggo the toilet, who first appeared in Banjo-Kazooie in Mad Monster Mansion's bathroom and then appeared in a cameo in Banjo-Tooie as the faculty restroom toilet in Grunty Industries. Rare answered "Although not guaranteed almost certainly that he will appear..." It was then later revealed that he would indeed be returning in the most recent edition of Scribes, along with the symbol of his homeworld, Mad Monster Mansion..


 * Clanker: Stated in the February 2008 edition of Scribes, "Clanker fans worldwide will be pleased to know that Clanker is making his comeback in the new Banjo game". The role he will have is unspecified.


 * Freezeezy Peak Snowman: Although not a major character in the game, the snowman from Freezeezy Peak (as stated in the February 2008 edition of Scribes) will also be making a return. It is not yet specified what role he will have in the new game. The snowman appeared in a trailer released on May 13.


 * Mr. Patch: Rare implicitely announced his return in February 2008 Scribes, when they answered to a fan named Mr. Patch "EVERYONE will love the new Banjo game because it is great. Well, hopefully. You should be happy anyway as you're in it." On May 13, a trailer revealed Patch as one of the enemies in the game fought in the air.


 * Weldar: May 9, Rare announced that Weldar will return.


 * Gobi: On May 14 Gregg Mayles participated in a chat with several Rare-related forums and revealed that Gobi would return, but in unexpected fashion.


 * Captain Blubber: The Xbox page for Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts lists Captain Blubber as a returning character.


 * Boggy: A wallpaper image released by Rare shows the head of the polar bear along with those of his children, Groggy, Soggy and Moggy.


 * Mr. Fit: The armadillo can be seen in a wallpaper image released by Rare as part of a contest.


 * Tooty, Brentilda Winkybunion, or Vegetables with Googly Eyes: It has been implied that one of them is going to return in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, having escaped the "'Rubbish Characters in Video Games' Police", according to Loveday.

New Characters

 * Trophy Thomas: In a screenshot, one can see a character in the distance standing next to a sign that says "Meet Trophy Thomas" with an arrow pointing towards him. He is described as being an "overly competitive braggart".


 * Pikelet: He is a porcine chief of police, as mentioned on the Rareware website.


 * Lord of Games: Also known as LOG, he claims to have designed every video game ever created. LOG is responsible for devising the levels in which the game's challenges are presented.


 * Piddles the Cat: With Klungo going off to create "ssstupid gamesss" [sic] near the end of Banjo-Tooie, Rare announced in Scribes that they have created a new sidekick for Grunty that was not in any of the previous games nor anyone related to Klungo.

Development
According to Eurogamer magazine, the original team from the earlier Banjo-Kazooie games will be working on the new game. In a video interview, concept artist Ryan Stevenson said, "It's still gonna be the same characters, and it's still gonna be the same thing. It was just so many years ago that Banjo was around and we've got a lot of technology and a lot of new things to pour into that world. It's a game for all the people that appreciated the game years ago, and also for new people coming to the 360."

The game was absent from the E3 2007 show floor. However, Peter Moore, the former Senior Vice President of IEB at Microsoft, stated in an interview that they could have shown games such as Banjo-Kazooie but they decided to focus more on games being released in 2007. Moore stated, however, that it would be included in next year's E3 line-up, implying that the game would be released in the third or fourth quarter of 2008. Phil Spencer wanted to reassure gamers that Banjo's Xbox 360 debut is very much in the right hands. He revealed: "Team sizes are so different now and we have more animators now than the full Banjo 1 team, but the key core team is really the same." Originally Rare hinted at intention for making a third Banjo-Kazooie game, referred to in the ending of Banjo-Tooie as Banjo-Threeie.

Rare announced in an edition of their website's email-answering column, "Scribes", that they will release trailers and game screenshots when they feel the time is right. The August 30 edition of Scribes at the Rareware website announced that Banjo and Kazooie will both speak in the "gibberish" language the original games have been known for. The announcement stated "You'll be pleased to know that we have gone for the 'last-gen' option – no fancy speech for us!" As of October 17, 2007, the game is still in designing stages.

A podcast of 1UP Yours from the website 1UP.com stated that "A big Microsoft first-party title that has been in the works for a very long time, that people are very excited for, sounds like it's being canceled." This led to the belief that Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts was the canceled title. However, Rare later announced that it had not been canceled. As of December 30, 2007, the game "is more than halfway done."

On February 11, 2008 in an interview with MTV.com's MTV Multiplayer blog, head of Microsoft Game Studios Shane Kim said "I’m super-excited about what they’re doing with ‘Banjo’. I think ‘Banjo’ is going to be a big hit for us this holiday". On February 12, 2008 Microsoft UK revealed to ComputerAndVideoGames.com that the game is "still on target" for a 2008 release. The development team consists of many Rare people that have previously worked on the Banjo-Kazooie series, including designers Gregg Mayles and Steve Malpass.[citation needed]

The music will be composed by Grant Kirkhope, and it is suggested that the soundtrack may be orchestrated, following in suit to Viva Piñata and Kameo: Elements of Power. Concerning the music, Kirkhope has said this: "Hmmm....I'd better not say too much about the new Banjo game...hehe! I am trying to keep the same oddball feel about it all......you might hear the odd reference back to some of the old pieces if you listen carefully....hehe! I'm still not sure if I'm gonna do Banjo with full orchestra yet.....you'll have to wait and see!" An edition of Scribes also noted that the "world within a world" music (the music that plays when you go from the main lair to near the entrance of the worlds) will feature.

According to Rare's community manager George Kelion, posting on NeoGaf, "The game is scheduled for a holiday 2008 release - barring the coming of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, you should be playing Banjo 3 before the end of the year (providing you buy the game, that is)." Kelion went on to state that Banjo's creator, Gregg Mayles, is the lead designer on the game, and sought to calm the fear that it's going to be one for the kids. "I can assure you that we haven't been focused on four year-olds when creating the new Banjo game," he wrote. "We hope that you'll be pleasantly surprised with what we've cooked up."

Stop 'N' Swop
On the subject of the notorious Stop 'N' Swop feature from the original game, Gregg Mayles said in a 2007 interview with Retro Gamer, "[…]I'm going to say nothing yet again, although we are considering revealing the truth somewhere in the third game, as some kind of anniversary treat." Similarly, Chris Sutherland commented, "For reasons I can't explain I doubt if all the details could ever be revealed on this, but in the meantime I guess you'll have to wait for the Xbox 360 game to see…"

Web-Related Promotion
The Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts teaser trailer, which was released online in September 2006, introduced Banjo and Kazooie with their new looks, trying to get past a mysterious door. The place they are in may be a non-colored version of Banjo and Kazooie's new house (The original was destroyed in Banjo Tooie). The trailer concludes showing a wall that says "Banjo is back!" The teaser trailer features many gameplay elements that were used in the previous games such as Jigsaw pieces, musical notes, and honeycomb pieces. Although Gruntilda does not appear in the trailer her lair can be seen past a slight fog. Also the moat around Spiral Mountain seems to have disappeared.

Rare released a Christmas card on their website. A lot can be found in this picture, such as Grunty's picture on the wall, Banjo holding a crown or a Christmas ornament of some sort, Kazooie holding a wrapped item (later revealed to be a magic wrench), several Burger King toys for Viva Piñata, and a stocking that says "KI3". The items on the ground next to Banjo are still a mystery, except for the Xbox 360. The stocking being blocked by the head of Viva Piñata character Horstachio is unclear to the viewer. The piñata called Fudgehog wears a wireless headset.

Speculation around the flame in the fireplace has caused a great deal of controversy on the Rare Witch Project and SpiralMountain.co.uk websites. The speculation revolves around the fact that there is either an old bird design (possibly Kazooie's or a chucked bird piñata design) or the head of Gruntilda Winkybunion. After further inspection among many users of the Rare Witch Project, a pinpointed skull of Gruntilda seems to be what is hidden in the fire. The picture of an out-of-frame headless Gruntilda in the top right-hand corner of the image also seems to be pointing directly towards the fire, which also suggests that the likeness of a big-beaked bird is in fact Grunty. Gregg Mayles was asked if this was Grunty's head, his answer was "yes".

In late March 2008, Rare updated Banjo-Kazooie.com to a Silverlight-based page showing a spinning golden Jigsaw piece reflecting both a render of Banjo and the words "Coming Soon!" On March 20, Rare changed the image of Banjo to a silhouette of both Banjo and Kazooie. Rare has stated that the site will be updated with new information "relatively soon". "I really wouldn't base your ultimate judgements of the final Banjo model from what you've glimpsed on the teaser site if I were you," warned Kelion. "All shall be revealed in due course, not that long to wait now." Rare also stated that the Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts teaser site is not a hoax.

On April 1, 2008, Rare updated their main website providing five story possibilities for readers to determine which is real; a love story between Banjo and Grunty, a Super Mario Galaxy-like plot, a time travel adventure (similar to Grunty's Revenge), a race to claim ownership on Spiral Mountain, and a war storyline with real-time strategy elements (a nod to Halo Wars and Conker's Bad Fur Day). Starting on May 10, Rare held a competition for fans to guess which is the correct storyline for a prize. The hidden competition was to be found in the middle of a Scribe's fan letter. The game detail page for Nuts & Bolts at Xbox.com revealed that the story focuses on Spiral Mountain and the ownership thereof. The prize for guessing the correct storyline was a Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts wallpaper.

On May 11, 2008, supposed screenshots of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts were released. The screenshots were later confirmed to be real by Rare and feature gameplay as well as character designs.