TheBanjo-Kazooieseries is incredibly iconic, despite its limited run. Save for a handful of GBA games, Banjo-Kazooie spans just three games. The original is an undisputed classic — a masterclass in 3D platforming with a varied moveset, dozens of collectibles and secrets, and overflowing with charm. Banjo-Tooie’s Metroidvania-adjacent twist on the first game with its darker tonemade it somewhat controversial. That said, the game manages to integrate its levels and hub world in a holistic fashion, as well as its abundance of classic Banjo-Kazooie gameplay, making it a romp that endures as a fitting continuation.
However, following series developer Rare being bought out by Microsoft, controversy reared its head with the third entry: Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. Without a doubt the black sheep of the franchise; not only has Nuts & Bolts art style drawn great ire, but the game was and continues to be reviled for its departure from the series' platforming formula. Rather than running and jumping your way through a variety of worlds, Nuts & Bolts instead revolves around creating vehicles to complete challenges. Banjo and Kazooie are stripped of nearly all their abilities from the prior two games. I recall first playing the game with a good deal of hesitation, but, I ended up greatly enjoying the game. I may still prefer the prior entries of the franchise, but Nuts & Bolts doesn’t deserve its reputation. It’s a fun romp with some genuinely brilliant aspects worth experiencing.
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Grant Kirkhope’s score isas wonderful as ever, especially with the addition of a live orchestra. I also, for the most part, love the game’s visuals. Everything in Nuts & Bolts carries a delightfully tactile look. Worlds are formed from plush, whilst seams and stitches run rampant across characters and worlds. Most of the game’s character designs are similarly inspired, particularly with Gruntilda’s new flair which merges the new style with her classic look into a fantastic update. Granted, I’m not as in love with with Banjo and Kazooie’s designs. Whilst I like the blocky, N64 look, their eyes are unappealingly droopy, and Kazooie looks a bit too much like a piñata for my liking. On the other hand, it’s nothing I can’t get past; the duo generally look fineeven if I vastly prefer their SSBU style.
Though some have said the game’s writing veers too cynical compared to even Tooie, I found that the series' charming wit barely missed a beat. The self-deprecative humor, especially that of L.O.G., towards the franchise, is a bit much — but on the whole I’m still amused by the game’s dialogue and characters. The old cast remain true to themselves and the supporting NPCs deliver some good lines. I was very happy to see Gruntilda return to her rhyming, which was sorely missed throughout the majority of Tooie.
Though the gameplay is the most controversial aspect of Nuts & Bolts, I find it to be the game’s greatest strength. Nuts & Bolts can best be described as a 3D twist on Bad Piggies with its buildable vehicles. The game has a massive array of pieces and a wonderfully intuitive creation system. I thought the depth of Nuts & Bolts would be more intimidating, but the game does an amazing job at easing you into the system with an array of pre-designed blueprints. The quantity of parts increases with your progress, as well as turning crates of parts into collectibles that give you the opportunity to find new tools on your own.
Though your early vehicles may be a bit sluggish, you’re soon able to improve your speed and utility. Moreover, after you quickly grasp the fundamentals of vehicle creation, the variety of vehicles possible is near limitless. The open worlds of Nuts & Bolts are primed for you to test out all of your wildest creations — be they on land, air, or sea. Despite how commonplace sandbox games have become, Nuts & Bolts still holds up despite its age. Not only is it a pioneer, it’s a damn good one. Granted, the game has a few glitches, never anything actively inhibiting my experience.
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Though some levels can be a tad underwhelming, they’re all creative and conceptually fresh. Even the green hills of Nutty Acres manages to be unique with its volcano, beaches, and scanline skies. Others, such as LOGBOX 720 or the Terrarium of Terror, are complete departures from previous games with their new ideas and emphasis on verticality. The hub world of Showdown Town is fantastic — even replaying it now I’m still amazed by the scope of they managed on an Xbox 360. Collectibles, minigames and platforming challenges are crammed all over the charming city. For a game series with some outstanding hub worlds, Showdown Town is worth being counted among them.
Of course there’s the point that Nuts & Bolts concludes the series; though the ending cutscene teases a return, the game’s underwhelming sales led to it being the last in the franchise. Given it feels more like a spin-off, this rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way. On the other hand, the game should be allowed to stand on its own merits. Yes, it’s wildly different to what came before, but it’s great fun regardless. I will admit though, I didn’t care for many of the boss fights. Even though they’re all decently fun, the Gruntilda boss fights are often pushovers. Her fights in the first two games were actually quite difficult, but here they can be overcome in seconds.
Nuts & Bolts is by no means perfect with its snarkier humor, flaws in its aesthetic, and the odd balancing, but it’s not a bad game. I’d go as far to say it’s a great game. It offers a level of customization that was truly innovative for it’s time and justifies its core gimmick with intuitive and fun design. The game allows you to exercise your imagination and gives you a world of potential packaged within a simple interface. Combining these elements with a whimsical tactile look, fun worlds, and a good sense of humor, Nuts & Bolts is an absolute classic regardless of how different it is from its predecessors.
