Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts

Developer: Rare
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: Nov. 12, 2008
System: Xbox 360
ESRB Rating: E-10+
Official Web site

In a nutshell: Diddy Kong Racing meets LittleBigPlanet

0:00 The original Banjo-Kazooie was one of the Rare (get it?) games that I actually finished 100 percent, even though all that mindless collecting nearly killed me. Despite that, I never played sequel Banjo-Tooie. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts looks significantly different from what came before, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing yet.

0:01 La dee da downloadable update dee doo.

0:02 The Rareware logo drives in atop a crazy vehicle. Gold puzzle pieces are removed to reveal a tranquil clearing with Banjo (the bear) and Kazooie (the bird) driving around. Charming, twangy banjo music in the background.

0:03 Into Banjo's house now, where he does jumping jacks by the door. Hmm, why is there a green-and-white Pong monitor during the loading screen?

0:04 "Once upon a time there lived a brave bear named Banjo, an annoying bird named Kazooie and an evil witch named Gruntilda." A sepia-toned montage recaps the events of Banjo Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie. "So what became of the bear, the bird and the witch?" Well, the bear is eating pizza and the bird is sleeping in his blue backpack, until the radio wakes him up. They're much fatter than before. Kazooie is busy tapping away at a 360 controller. "It's not like we have to fight that old hag anymore." Or do they ... her skull bounces out from the rubble and vows to make trouble.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer