Hard wood must be used in the production of banjo rims to increase strength, sound and prevent it from being broken easily. This ensures a more durable performance and less chance for breakage.
Rare made Nuts & Bolts eight years after releasing Grabbed by the Ghoulies to expand upon and add something fresh to Banjo-Kazooie franchise. Many familiar elements were present but its focus on vehicle customization and missions made it an outstanding update.
Characters
As in previous games, Banjo and Kazooie meet an assortment of characters throughout their adventure in Showdown Town. One such character is Mumbo Jumbo from Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty’s Revenge who now runs Mumbo’s Motors within this hub world. The Shaman appears in several other Game Worlds, such as Nutty Acres and LOGBOX 720. A mole who taught Banjo and Kazooie moves in the original game, now runs the Tourist Information Kiosk in Showdown Town to provide players with Musical Notes. He’s a lazy polar bear who struggles to stay fit, appearing in Nutty Acres and participating in its Jinjo Bingo challenge to earn Musical Notes. After being killed off in Banjo and Kazooie’s original game, Klungo returned as part of Jiggosseum he now runs himself, hosting Hero Klungo Saves the World as his own creation!
Rare showed in its initial teaser trailer for Nuts and Bolts that most of the abilities Banjo and Kazooie gained in previous games were unavailable to them; however, in a Scribes article from Rare explaining that these abilities had been forgotten due to eight years without use, and also revealed that this game will feature a Magic Wrench as an attack tool to allow disembarking from vehicles to explore environments more freely.
Other elements from past games appear in this game, including jigsaw puzzles, honeycomb pieces, Floaty Fruit juice and golden objects known as Jiggies. Furthermore, Rare has provided multiple references to other titles through various vehicle parts – such as Fulgore’s Fist from their Killer Instinct series being an example.
Vehicles
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts allows players to construct vehicles of their own design in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. Once created, these vehicles can be used to explore game worlds that present various challenges based on previous Banjo-Kazooie titles. Featuring Havok physics engine for vehicle customization and high degree of player freedom; in addition to creating vehicles, players can also use these to collect Jiggies!
Banjo and Kazooie serve as the main protagonists in this game, having appeared in previous installments such as Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie and Banjo-Pilot. Together they must defeat Gruntilda to prevent her from turning Spiral Mountain into an unsightly suburb. Game director Gregg Mayles estimates that approximately 20% of this platformer retains traditional platforming elements – however due to memory loss many characters no longer know most of their old moves so are limited to climbing, swimming, jumping or using Magic Wrench for attack.
Mumbo Jumbo, the shaman from previous games in the series, returns as the narrator and can also be seen roaming the hub worlds of Nutty Acres and Showdown Town. Pikelet from LOGBOX 720 video game factory also can be found here.
Rare’s goal in creating this game was to appeal to a broad audience while expanding on the platform genre, and to introduce vehicular gameplay for the first time in their series. Furthermore, this title featured an innovative music system and new cast of voices along with more detailed character characterization – it would also mark Grant Kirkhope’s final work for Rare.
Missions
The game’s worlds are home to an assortment of characters and objects. These include Nutty Acres, run by Mumbo Jumbo; Jiggosseum – an enormous stadium full of various games which can be played; and LOGBOX 720, where Pikelet works alongside her colleagues as employees.
These locations serve as stages for playing various challenges within the game, with winning them awarding players with various items – music notes to honeycomb pieces that replenish Banjo and Kazooie’s health gauges; Jiggies scattered throughout the game for them to collect as rewards – these prizes vary significantly in value depending on which challenge one wins.
Nuts and Bolts differs significantly from previous Banjo-Kazooie games in that most of Banjo and Kazooie’s abilities are at your fingertips in this title, unlike in previous entries of this franchise. Rare first unveiled this approach during a December 20 edition of its Scribes column; Rare stated this approach will allow players “the freedom to challenge themselves any way they wish”.
Players can use vehicles to travel between Game Worlds, although completion is necessary in order to earn their respective rewards. A unique aspect of this game is unlocking and using rare vehicle parts; these can be obtained by completing various tasks like collecting all jiggies or searching out hidden items.
This game boasts several distinctive elements that set it apart from its predecessors, such as an improved control scheme and vehicle creation tool. Furthermore, players can select from an extensive variety of missions and challenges with differing difficulty. One mission involves collecting three fireballs scattered around a map; driving to one may suffice; however, reaching all three must occur sequentially otherwise they won’t appear on screen.
Music
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts’ soundtrack features music from past titles as well as brand new pieces composed for this title, as well as sound effects and voice acting by original cast of characters. Furthermore, this was the first Banjo-Kazooie title not composed by Rare co-founder Gregg Mayles himself.
The game’s music draws from various themes and compositions from its source games, such as those found in Conker’s Bad Fur Day; idle animation from Banjo-Kazooie provides some musical cues; as well as featuring a remixed score from those games.
Nuts & Bolts’ score was composed by Robin Beanland, Dave Clynick, and Grant Kirkhope who had all previously contributed to the original scores of Rare games. Kirkhope’s work on Nuts & Bolts marked his final for Rare; Yooka-Laylee (an unofficial spiritual successor of Nuts & Bolts) was released in 2017, but since Rare has become part of Microsoft, no new original title in this series has been announced yet.
Graphics
Banjo Nuts and Bolts’ graphics take a significant step down from its N64 predecessors, featuring characters and environments with blocky appearances that do not complement or fit with the game itself. This was done as part of an attempt by its developers to make it appear more modern compared with other titles at the time. Critics however have complained about its quality being reduced significantly while critics felt this approach did not suit it at all.
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts follows in the tradition of its predecessor games by providing players with an open nonlinear 3D world, where they explore an non-linear manner to collect jiggies. There are both new levels as well as previously played ones reimagined to take advantage of Xbox 360’s Havok physics engine.
Mumbo Crates provide players with parts needed to construct vehicles for use during gameplay, which they use to complete challenges in the game and form an integral part of gameplay. As vehicles can be upgraded in various ways, such as new engines, wings, propellers wheels fuel and weapons; it becomes part of their arsenal in this unique platformer game!
This game is narrated by British radio drama actor John Baddeley and features an ensemble cast of character voices. For the first time ever, all characters have been voiced by their original actors instead of voice actors who have voiced them for previous games in this franchise.
Yooka-Laylee was one of the most successful games from its franchise and was re-released alongside 27 other rare titles as part of Rare Replay for Xbox One in 2016. Furthermore, it will receive its sequel Yooka-Laylee sometime during 2017.