Banjo 1 and 2 XBLA dated and priced. True 16:9

[AdmiralViscen]

Improved frame rate and draw distance, but 1200 spacebucks.

The Xbox Live Arcade re-release of N64 classic Banjo-Kazooie will be up for download from November 26, Microsoft has confirmed.

The original N64 game arrives on XBLA two weeks after 360 entry Nuts & Bolts hits the shops, sharing links to the old game through the revamped "Stop 'n' Swop mode", which unlocks new goodies in Nuts & Bolts.

It's also been revealed that -as rumoured - the massively overlooked sequel Banjo-Tooie will also be hitting Xbox Live early next year, so there's a chance for those of you who missed it to have a go.

Both games will be yours for 1200 Microsoft points (about £9). And if you don't want to pay that, the pre-order campaign - which gives you a code to download Banjo for free before Nuts & Bolts' release - is still open for business.

http://au.xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14265992/banjo-kazooie/videos/banjo_xblaprev_092508.html

Second vid is a comparison, it's not just stretched to 16:9. Draw distance and frame rate are teh bonar, maybe BT will be playable now.

[MCD]

free is good.

and MS is getting really annoying with this 1200 points crap.

[patrickula]

Looks like a great port.  Virtual Console is a joke in comparison.

[demi]

Ooop, need to pre-order this on the real

[GilloD]

Rmember all the hidden shit in BK1? Ugh. It drove everyone CRAZY

[patrickula]

Looks like Nov. 11.
I actually might preorder.  It's only 40 bucks (37 on Amazon at the moment).

[demi]

When you pre-order you are supposed to get BK XBLA a week earlier than release (not sure if it means earlier than Nuts and Bolts, or the XBLA game)

[Sho Nuff]

Looks SUPERB, I can't believe:

-- Rare got to keep the rights to both games
-- The port looks so good

I wonder if they're running the original code recompiled for PPC or just putting it through a super emulator.

[AdmiralViscen]

Looks like Nov. 11.
I actually might preorder.  It's only 40 bucks (37 on Amazon at the moment).

So this come out quite a bit after. That's good to know. If it came out the same week, it'd just sit on my HDD.

I'm going to have so many fucking games to play this winter.

And yeah, at 39.99, with a free 1200 pt game.... that's a fucking good deal.

I'm pretty sure those who preorder get the game early, FYI

[MCD]

http://www.gamersyde.com/news_7128_en.html

[Crushed]

         Bear and bird will save the day
         Best games on XBLA
           /

[cool breeze]

Picking it up for free because I already pre-ordered.

[The Sceneman]

         Bear and bird will save the day
         Best games on XBLA
           /
(Image removed from quote.)

 

actually, I did freaking love BK back in the day, still got my cartridge lying around. Will buy on xbla

[Great Rumbler]

Banjo still has his Gameboy. 

[Oblivion]

Looks SUPERB, I can't believe:

-- Rare got to keep the rights to both games

Eh? Why? Banjo was self published by Rare.

[TVC15]

Looks SUPERB, I can't believe:

-- Rare got to keep the rights to both games
-- The port looks so good

I wonder if they're running the original code recompiled for PPC or just putting it through a super emulator.

Considering that they've added shit to the game, I'd think they recompiled it, especially since there are lots of little technical tweaks to the game.

[Bildi]

Looks SUPERB, I can't believe:

-- Rare got to keep the rights to both games

Eh? Why? Banjo was self published by Rare.

I believe Nintendo published both.  Jet Force Gemini was Rare-published though.

[T-Short]

BK1 has aged poorly

[laesperanzapaz]

i am not a realy fan of Rare, but i cant hate on bk/bt.  such a charming game, it's a mario64 clone done 'better' in style and graphics, with its own little gimmicks

[demi]

BK1 has aged poorly

I'm gonna go with no on that one. It's still enjoyable and playable.

[Rman]

I'm curious about the achievements.  I enjoyed it when I was younger.

[demi]

Probably easy stuff like "beat the game" "collect all jinjos / puzzle pieces" - then add in the missing content like "get the ice key, etc"

[Oblivion]

The lack of vitriolic hatred and disgust for a Rare game on EB is 

[Rman]

It would be nice if they upped the frame rate to a smooth as buttah 60FPS, but that would probably affect the gameplay beyond a traditional port job.

[MCD]

It would be nice if they upped the frame rate to a smooth as buttah 60FPS, but that would probably affect the gameplay beyond a traditional port job.

gaffers were saying it's 60fps.

[MCD]

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/41027.html

[TVC15]

The lack of vitriolic hatred and disgust for a Rare game on EB is 

The only Rare games I truly hate are PDZ, Grabbed by the Ghoulies, and the worst, the N64 3d Donkey Kong.  I think a significant portion of their Nintendo outfit is VERY overrated (the Nfag effect--see also Factor 5's bad games getting praised), but I like that Rare games have a consistent art style (even if it is predictable) and they seem to like to try slightly different things, even if it doesn't always work out perfectly (Blast Corps, Viva Pinata, and Jet Force Gemini).

I wouldn't rank them on my favorite developers list, but they are on my watch list.

[TVC15]

Wouldn't it be amazing marketing to release these games for free on XBL? I mean Rare could use a hit.

Possibly, but it might be just-as-amazing marketing to do what they are doing, and using them as a free preorder bonus.  It might be six of one and half a dozen of another, but doing it this way strikes me as a nice balance of using the game as a freebie and potentially making cash money off of it.  Don't forget that as XBLA games, these will still have free demos, too.