Nintendo removed from Banjo-Kazooie XBLA

via Computer and Video Games


A video has emerged on the internet showing the intro from Banjo-Kazooie Xbox Live Arcade. And what do you know? All those references to Nintendo have been removed.

As well as getting us all excited, the footage - which leaked onto YouTube this morning - reveals that all references to Nintendo (who published the original) and N64 have been removed from the game.

As we revealed previously, early versions of Banjo XBLA which we saw back in July had all Nintendo and N64 logos intact. The new version, as you can see in the video below, features the updated Rare logo and complete removal of the N64 logo in the intro video.

We can also reveal that the big Nintendo logo on Mumbo's xylophone has been replaced with 'Microsoft Game Studios'. All of the Nintendo contributors in Banjo's credits can't be happy.

As revealed yesterday, the XBLA game is out on November 26, followed by Banjo-Tooie early next year.

It'll be interesting to see how port house 4J Studios replaces TipTup in the two games, who is now a totally Nintendo-owned character...

Watch the leaked footage below.

Banjo is still playing a gameboy in the menu though. :S I do hope that Donkey Kong 64 comes to the Wii Virtual console, as that was built on the same engine as Banjo-Kazooie by Rare. Since Donkey Kong is 100% Nintendo owned its a possibility though.

Well, the Donkey Kong Country games have been on Virtual Console, and they were made by Rareware.

I think that DK64 will be on the VC in time.. after all, it was one of the more complex games (it needed the expansion pack like Majora's Mask) and probably is harder to emulate.

They had to otherwise they would have to pay Nintendo for use of Nintendo trademarks.