N64 team working on Banjo 360

[wraggster]

Good news for fans of the N64 originals - a top Microsoft exec has told Eurogamer that the original team responsible for Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie is working on the new 360 instalment announced at last week's X06.

Rare's platforming double act took the Nintendo console by storm in the '90s. And while the series' return has been anticipated for some time, Microsoft Game Studios general manager Phil Spencer wanted to reassure gamers that Banjo's 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."

Spencer was also keen to play down suggestions that Banjo-Kazooie 360 is being created for younger gamers, insisting: "Certain people look at the bear and the bird and think it's a kids' game. What we think is that Banjo as an intellectual property has the ability to span audiences.

"For us in the next Banjo game it was about evolving the gameplay while keeping the approachability of the characters, but the depth of the gameplay is very important. This can't turn into some minigame-based paper game. It has to be something that has a ton of substance."

Given the Fort Knox-style levels of secrecy at the Twycross-based developer, specifics are predictably thin on the ground at this stage, but Spencer had a few more vague snippets for us.

"I think where we are with that game right now is something that is extremely innovative," he continued. "We're not talking about the game idea yet, but what you'll see coming from Banjo is a game that has even more depth than Banjo-Kazooie or Banjo-Tooie, more variability, more gameplay - but keeps the face that is Banjo on the game to make it more approachable.

"It'll be familiar to fans of the originals in terms of style, absolutely, and in terms of setting, story and characters. In terms of it being another platformer? I think that genres evolve, and that's what we're doing with this game. So you might call it something else when it comes out - but it's the same team and it's staying true to that team and what it believes in."

It's worth noting that this will also be $375 million Microsoft studio Rare's first 360 game that actually originated on the platform. Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero were first GameCube then Xbox 1 games, while Viva Pinata started out on Xbox 1 and came to 360 via mobile devices.

"Banjo has never seen another platform," Spencer confirmed. "The original gameplay ideas were on this box [Xbox 360] and that's where they'll ship." But it looks like we'll have a bit of a wait on our hands before we learn exactly what these "original gameplay ideas" are, sadly.

Spencer added: "There's some very good gameplay in the game, but we want to show it in a way that creates the excitement that it should. We're probably a little ways away - not too far - but a little ways away from showing it in all its glory. But the gameplay is already solid."

[JD/]

banjo kazooie was awesome why o why did you have to go to microsoft rare if you were still with nintendo we would have an awesome conkers bad furday

[chemical]

I want Banjo Wiizooie

[MasterChafed]

You guys may be dissapointed, but as a 360 owner and lover of Banjo Kazooie (just played it about a week ago in fact) I am thrilled about this.

[pibs]

Atleast they are making a new one, even if it is for the 360

[JKKDARK]

it is strange. why not on the wii?

[Xiro]

it is strange. why not on the wii?

M$ bought rare a few years back...

[JKKDARK]

M$ bought rare a few years back...

damn microsoft I hope that they don't buy Sega

[SSaxdude]

damn microsoft I hope that they don't buy Sega

But then the next Xbox would be made with Sega, so then it would be kinda like Sega's next console.

[Adrenalin]

well, if it turns out as bad as xbox conkers, then it'll suck. otherwise there is the potential to create a brilliant game.