Next Banjo will "expand" N&B concept

via Computer and Video Games


The next Banjo-Kazooie game could expand upon the vehicle-building concept of upcoming sequel Nuts & Bolts - provided the new game goes down well with the public, Rare has told CVG.

"[Nuts & Bolts] is like an introduction to what we could do," senior animator Ellissa Miller told CVG. "If we went on and did some more then we could push it. If it was accepted and people enjoyed it then we could definitely push it in a much bigger direction. This is like an opening to a new type of gaming I guess."

Speaking to CVG this afternoon, Miller and lead technical artist Neill Harrison revealed that the Rare team has a few "crazy ideas" for more Banjo mechanic work, and it'll "probably" expand the building concept for future games.

"[lead designer] Greg did have a few crazy ideas [for the next game]... I'll probably get in trouble if I mention them," added Harrison. "I think if [Nuts & Bolts] was successful we've definitely got a load of ideas for what we could do next with the same sort of concept but expand it out.

"But we're just trying to finish this one. People ask us what we're going to do next... I want to go on holiday!"

Sounds good to us. Stern platforming loyalists were getting all hot and sweaty over the vehicle building direction at first, but after a lengthy play session we're convinced it's a winner. Give us more please, Rare.

In the same interview the Rare two-some revealed that Nuts 'N Bolts, in fact, started as a traditional platformer.

"What we didn't want to do was to just do another Banjo Kazooie which was exactly the same and that's actually we started doing at the beginning," explained Harrison.

"We thought well, we'll just do another platform game as Banjo Kazooie. We did that for a bit and as gamers and as developers, it just felt a little bit stale. It felt like it didn't fit in today's market. With the 360, there's just so much more we can do, we thought we'd try something different."

Look for the full interview shortly.