0:00:00.000,0:00:06.000 For the last few years, this video series [br]has been about contiguous, interconnected, 0:00:06.000,0:00:11.875 maze-like worlds in games such as Metroid [br]Prime, Hollow Knight, and Elden Ring. 0:00:11.875,0:00:13.015 BANJO: "Guh-huh!" 0:00:13.015,0:00:17.460 So you might be surprised to see [br]me feature a pair of colourful 0:00:17.460,0:00:21.000 collect-a-thon platformers [br]with disconnected worlds. 0:00:21.000,0:00:23.640 But there’s a method to my madness. 0:00:23.640,0:00:30.420 You see, while Banjo-Kazooie is definitely divided [br]into distinct levels with little-to-no overlap, 0:00:30.420,0:00:34.920 the sequel, Banjo-Tooie, is far [br]more interconnected and complex. 0:00:34.920,0:00:39.960 Almost all of the levels join up [br]through shortcuts and secret routes. 0:00:39.960,0:00:43.320 Changes in one level can impact events in another. 0:00:43.320,0:00:48.780 And you'll be routinely backtracking to old [br]stages to solve puzzles and collect objects. 0:00:48.780,0:00:52.260 It is, at times, a Metroidvania. 0:00:52.260,0:00:55.080 But is that actually an improvement 0:00:55.080,0:01:00.120 over the first game - or just needless [br]complexity added to a winning formula? 0:01:00.120,0:01:01.980 Well, let's find out. 0:01:01.980,0:01:06.480 I'm Mark Brown, and this is Boss Keys. 0:01:07.080,0:01:09.900 Now before we can talk about Banjo-Tooie, 0:01:09.900,0:01:15.060 we have to start at the start and look at [br]the first game of the series: Banjo-Kazooie. 0:01:15.060,0:01:21.840 This Nintendo 64 gem - though, I’m playing the [br]Xbox Live Arcade version for the video - started 0:01:21.840,0:01:27.000 life as an isometric adventure game, about a boy [br]and a bunch of pirates, for the Super Nintendo. 0:01:27.000,0:01:31.260 But after switching hardware, and [br]seeing how Nintendo had changed 0:01:31.260,0:01:36.300 the platforming paradigm with Super [br]Mario 64, the game radically shifted 0:01:36.300,0:01:41.160 to become a 3D platformer about a [br]bear with a bird in his backpack. 0:01:41.160,0:01:45.360 And that Mario 64 inspo can [br]be felt pretty strongly. 0:01:45.360,0:01:48.720 The game features a sprawling [br]hub world - this time, 0:01:48.720,0:01:51.780 its the lair of series baddie Gruntilda the Witch. 0:01:51.780,0:01:55.320 The hub lets you can transport [br]to a collection of uniquely 0:01:55.320,0:01:58.740 themed-worlds - like an Egyptian [br]desert and a snowy Christmas land. 0:01:58.740,0:02:02.640 Inside you'll collect shiny [br]golden tokens - jigsaw pieces 0:02:02.640,0:02:05.340 and musical notes, rather than stars and coins. 0:02:05.340,0:02:10.680 And those tokens give you access to new [br]parts of the hub, and, in turn, new worlds. 0:02:10.680,0:02:15.240 Plus, while there's loads of stuff to [br]find and do if you want to completely, 0:02:15.240,0:02:18.780 100% finish the game - you [br]only need a few power sta... 0:02:18.780,0:02:22.320 I mean jiggies, to face the [br]final boss and finish the game. 0:02:22.320,0:02:26.040 But Banjo is definitely not a straight rip-off. 0:02:26.040,0:02:30.540 Banjo and Kazooie feel quite different [br]to control when compared to Mario. 0:02:30.540,0:02:34.020 The whole game has a snarky, [br]British sense of humour. 0:02:34.020,0:02:36.960 You're not booted out of worlds [br]when finding jiggies - something 0:02:36.960,0:02:39.300 Mario wouldn't change until Odyssey. 0:02:39.300,0:02:43.200 And I'd say the game leans slightly [br]more on puzzle-focused challenges, 0:02:43.200,0:02:46.620 and less on ones that reward [br]pure platforming prowess. 0:02:47.460,0:02:49.800 So, the game features nine levels - 0:02:49.800,0:02:55.500 there's Mumbo's Mountain, Treasure Trove [br]Cove, Clanker's Cavern, Bubblegloop Swamp, 0:02:55.500,0:03:03.150 Freezeezy Peak, Gobi's Valley, Mad Monster [br]Mansion, Rusty Bucket Bay, and Click Clock Wood - 0:03:03.150,0:03:06.120 all culminating in a totally [br]unorthodox final level: 0:03:06.120,0:03:11.400 a high-stakes gameshow featuring trivia [br]related to the game you just played. 0:03:11.400,0:03:16.080 These levels are fairly small [br]and compact - but even still, 0:03:16.080,0:03:20.460 they feature a number of clever tricks [br]to help you orient yourself in the level. 0:03:20.460,0:03:25.800 Stages are usually split into distinct [br]zones - like Gobi's oasis, sphinx, 0:03:25.800,0:03:29.460 and pyramids - to break the [br]level into organised chunks. 0:03:29.460,0:03:34.020 You also get plenty of weenies - [br]you know, those giant landmarks 0:03:34.020,0:03:37.680 that provide a consistent visual guide, [br]no matter where you are in the stage. 0:03:37.680,0:03:41.940 Some levels use a hub and spoke [br]system - like Bubblegloop Swamp 0:03:41.940,0:03:45.720 where the five different zones fan [br]off from a single central area. 0:03:45.720,0:03:51.240 And while all of the levels feature additional [br]sub-rooms - they are always accessed from clearly 0:03:51.240,0:03:56.580 identifiable doorways - like the pyramids in [br]Gobi's Valley and the boat in Rusty Bucket Bay. 0:03:56.580,0:03:58.740 So it's easy to remember where they are. 0:03:58.740,0:04:03.060 All of this stuff makes it easy to know [br]where you have and haven't been in the level. 0:04:03.060,0:04:05.280 And they help you return to places you've 0:04:05.280,0:04:08.040 already visited - which you may [br]need to do at certain times. 0:04:08.040,0:04:13.320 For instance, some levels feature environments [br]that are impossible for Banjo and Kazooie 0:04:13.320,0:04:18.000 to traverse - like these super slippery [br]slopes in the hill on Mumbo's Mountain. 0:04:18.000,0:04:22.620 However, Banjo can unlock helpful [br]transformations - like a walrus 0:04:22.620,0:04:27.900 that can survive icy water or a termite [br]that can, aha, crawl up slippery slopes. 0:04:27.900,0:04:31.380 Now you can go back to that [br]area and make further progress. 0:04:32.700,0:04:37.560 Now, much like Mario 64, the [br]levels are separate and standalone. 0:04:37.560,0:04:42.660 What happens in Mad Monster Mansion [br]stays in Mad Monster Mansion. 0:04:42.660,0:04:45.300 But there are a few exceptions to this rule. 0:04:45.300,0:04:48.720 Like, in every level you are able to collect all 0:04:48.720,0:04:52.200 10 jiggies before moving on to [br]the next stage, if you so wish. 0:04:52.200,0:04:57.180 However, in world five - Freezeezy Peak [br]- there's a jiggy that requires the Turbo 0:04:57.180,0:05:00.720 Trainers which won't be unlocked [br]until world six - Gobi's Valley. 0:05:00.720,0:05:06.240 This makes it the one instance where you can't [br]get all 10 tokens on your first visit, and so 0:05:06.240,0:05:10.980 you'll have to go back to a previously-explored [br]world if you want all the jiggies in the game. 0:05:10.980,0:05:16.920 There's also at least one moment where your [br]actions in one level will have an impact on 0:05:16.920,0:05:22.380 another: if you annoy Gobi the camel in Gobi's [br]Valley, he'll leave and show up in a later level. 0:05:22.380,0:05:25.920 But if you ignore that [br]quest line, he won't appear. 0:05:25.920,0:05:29.820 Also, each level has a button that [br]will make a jiggy appear in the hub 0:05:29.820,0:05:34.080 world - so you'll have to remember to [br]track it down when you exit the stage. 0:05:34.080,0:05:36.720 And you can actually leave levels while 0:05:36.720,0:05:39.720 transformed - which can be used [br]to solve puzzles in the hub. 0:05:39.720,0:05:44.880 The termite transformation can be used to scale a [br]steep hill outside Mumbo's Mountain, for instance, 0:05:44.880,0:05:49.740 and the pumpkin from Mad Monster Mansion is [br]needed to squeeze through this small gap. 0:05:49.740,0:05:55.740 And there's also one level that cleverly shifts [br]and changes, depending on how you enter the world. 0:05:55.740,0:06:01.140 I'm talking about the... sometimes [br]polarising ninth level, Click Clock Wood. 0:06:01.140,0:06:05.220 You open this level by hitting a [br]flower switch - and go inside to 0:06:05.220,0:06:08.100 find a giant tree during the rainy spring season. 0:06:08.100,0:06:13.860 Climb to the top of the tree and you'll find a [br]sun button that will open another door in the hub. 0:06:13.860,0:06:18.480 Which - when entered - will bring you back [br]to the exact same tree, but now in summer. 0:06:18.480,0:06:22.800 There are bees about, the tree has [br]new leaves, and the lake has dried up. 0:06:22.800,0:06:25.500 Which gives you access to [br]another button - and lets 0:06:25.500,0:06:28.440 you come back to the level [br]again, this time in autumn. 0:06:28.440,0:06:30.540 And, of course, once more for winter. 0:06:30.540,0:06:35.880 Many of the jiggies in this level require [br]you to solve puzzles across separate seasons. 0:06:35.880,0:06:41.700 For example you can plant a seed in spring, [br]water it in summer, and get a jiggy in autumn. 0:06:41.700,0:06:46.560 Or hatch a baby bird in spring, feed [br]it caterpillars in summer and autumn, 0:06:46.560,0:06:49.440 and then watch it grow into [br]a mighty eagle in the winter. 0:06:49.440,0:06:52.920 And you can break this rock while [br]the lake is dried up in summer... 0:06:52.920,0:06:55.620 only to find that the path behind it is too steep. 0:06:55.620,0:06:58.500 So you'll have to come back in [br]autumn, when the water's back, 0:06:58.500,0:07:01.080 and swim up to finally get your reward. 0:07:01.080,0:07:05.640 It's the sort of challenge that requires [br]thoughtful consideration of the level and how 0:07:05.640,0:07:10.920 it can change and adapt - and it rewards you for [br]returning to the right place at the right time. 0:07:10.920,0:07:15.300 It's a truly memorable level - [br]reminiscent of Zelda dungeons, 0:07:15.300,0:07:19.980 and those clever Mario 64 stages that [br]change depending on how you enter the world. 0:07:19.980,0:07:24.600 It was also one of the hardest levels [br]to make - according to designer Gregg 0:07:24.600,0:07:27.300 Mayles who said it took twice [br]as long as the other stages. 0:07:27.300,0:07:32.340 And it's slightly infamous among some Banjo [br]fans who find it more frustrating than fun 0:07:32.340,0:07:37.560 due to the verticality, having to do the same [br]tricky platforming in all different seasons, 0:07:37.560,0:07:42.300 and the pain of falling down and having [br]to do the whole thing aaaall over again. 0:07:42.300,0:07:48.420 It just goes to prove that it's easy for a [br]clever idea to stumble due to implementation. 0:07:48.420,0:07:51.720 A topic I'm sure we'll be returning to. 0:07:54.000,0:07:59.040 So overall, Banjo-Kazooie is a really [br]fun collect-a-thon platformer - with 0:07:59.040,0:08:03.360 memorable characters, collectables, [br]and worlds - and a few clever ways 0:08:03.360,0:08:06.660 to have the levels break out from [br]their distinctly different zones. 0:08:06.660,0:08:13.260 But for the sequel, released two years later, [br]Rare decided to make interconnectivity a key 0:08:13.260,0:08:19.620 part of the game - ensuring that every world would [br]have some connection to another part of the game. 0:08:19.620,0:08:23.160 But let's press pause on that for now - and start 0:08:23.160,0:08:26.100 by talking about the levels [br]individually and separately. 0:08:26.100,0:08:31.020 Because we need to know how they work alone [br]before talking about how they intersect. 0:08:31.020,0:08:37.620 And also because some changes in Banjo-Tooie end [br]up turning each level into a mini Metroidvania... 0:08:37.620,0:08:39.000 of sorts. 0:08:39.000,0:08:45.840 So this time the eight levels are Mayahem [br]Temple, Glitter Gulch Mine, Witchyworld, 0:08:45.840,0:08:54.000 Jolly Roger's Lagoon, Terrydactyland, Grunty [br]Industries, Hailfire Peaks, and Cloud Cuckooland - 0:08:54.000,0:08:57.000 with another game show at [br]the end to top things off. 0:08:57.000,0:09:04.080 This first change from Banjo one is that these [br]new stages are - on the whole - much, much bigger. 0:09:04.080,0:09:08.760 A level like Terrydactyland has a [br]massive central chamber with a lot 0:09:08.760,0:09:12.300 of verticality - and it splinters [br]off into many different sub areas. 0:09:12.300,0:09:16.680 And Hailfire Peaks takes place [br]on a sprawling volcano that is 0:09:16.680,0:09:18.900 roughly the size of a Banjo-Kazooie level... 0:09:18.900,0:09:21.600 before you realise that this is only half of the 0:09:21.600,0:09:24.600 stage - and there's a whole [br]icy expanse on the reverse. 0:09:24.600,0:09:29.460 All of the levels now have four warp points [br]throughout to help speed up traversal, 0:09:29.460,0:09:32.400 but little else is done to help with navigation. 0:09:32.400,0:09:37.260 While I just praised Banjo-Kazooie for [br]its level layouts that aid orientation, 0:09:37.260,0:09:41.940 I often found it extremely difficult [br]to find my way around in Banjo-Tooie. 0:09:41.940,0:09:47.220 For example, in levels like Terrydactyland, [br]Glitter Gulch Mine, and Hailfire Peaks, 0:09:47.220,0:09:51.420 I could never remember, even across [br]two whole playthroughs for this video, 0:09:51.420,0:09:55.320 which nondescript tunnels led to which sub-rooms. 0:09:55.320,0:10:00.360 And I routinely got lost in the maze-like [br]underwater chambers of Jolly Rogers Lagoon. 0:10:00.360,0:10:05.280 One stage stands out as a proud [br]exception, though: Witchyworld. 0:10:05.280,0:10:08.340 Taking influence from real-life theme parks, 0:10:08.340,0:10:12.840 this level has a helpful hub-and-spoke [br]system that keeps things organised. 0:10:12.840,0:10:18.120 Using the big top tent as an obvious [br]central weenie, the stage fans out in 0:10:18.120,0:10:23.400 four directions for the entrance, and the [br]space, haunted house, and wild west zones, 0:10:23.400,0:10:27.720 which have unique signs, shapes, and [br]colour palettes to keep them distinct. 0:10:27.720,0:10:33.720 It's a breeze to explore and a sharp contrast [br]to the rest of the game's more muddled levels. 0:10:33.720,0:10:40.080 And orientation is important in a game that [br]puts so much emphasis on re-exploring space. 0:10:40.080,0:10:46.380 So in Banjo-Kazooie I talked about how in a few [br]levels you could transform into critters like a 0:10:46.380,0:10:52.080 termite or a crocodile and use their unique powers [br]to overcome obstacles elsewhere in the stage. 0:10:52.080,0:10:55.620 Banjo-Tooie takes this and [br]amps it up dramatically. 0:10:55.620,0:10:59.400 Thanks to new character, uh, Humba Wumba. 0:10:59.400,0:11:00.030 Oy. 0:11:00.030,0:11:06.840 Every level now has a transformation, allowing you [br]to become a stone statue, an explosive detonator, 0:11:06.840,0:11:15.300 a van, a submarine, a small t-rex, a big t-rex, [br]a washing machine, a snowball, and a bee. 0:11:15.840,0:11:18.540 Not only will you have to find you way back to the 0:11:18.540,0:11:21.720 place where these transformations [br]will grant access, but you'll often 0:11:21.720,0:11:25.140 need to figure out an alternative route [br]that works for their unique movement. 0:11:25.140,0:11:28.440 For instance, it's effortless to jump up and 0:11:28.440,0:11:31.560 reach this pressure-sensitive [br]switch as Banjo and Kazooie... 0:11:31.560,0:11:34.860 but as a heavy snowball [br]with a three inch vertical? 0:11:34.860,0:11:35.940 Think again. 0:11:35.940,0:11:39.360 Instead you'll have to take a [br]warp panel to the fire side, 0:11:39.360,0:11:44.100 hot foot it through here before melting, and [br]then roll around to the button from above. 0:11:44.100,0:11:45.480 But that's not all! 0:11:45.480,0:11:48.060 This time you can also play as Mumbo Jumbo, 0:11:48.060,0:11:51.540 who can make changes in the level [br]when standing on these special spaces. 0:11:51.540,0:11:55.260 But he's slow and dumpy when [br]compared to Banjo and Kazooie, 0:11:55.260,0:11:58.080 so you'll sometimes need to find [br]another route for him to take. 0:11:58.080,0:12:03.300 And also new for this sequel: Banjo and Kazooie [br]can split up into two separate characters. 0:12:03.300,0:12:08.460 This reveals a bunch of unique moves that [br]can't be done when paired up, and leads to 0:12:08.460,0:12:13.560 challenges where the bear and bird must work [br]together, tag-teaming obstacles and puzzles. 0:12:13.560,0:12:18.060 All of this stuff is pretty cool, [br]forcing you to understand the level 0:12:18.060,0:12:21.780 and its various paths and routes [br]- and make intentional plans for 0:12:21.780,0:12:25.140 how you'll get around with the unique [br]abilities of the different characters. 0:12:25.140,0:12:30.960 But this fun gameplay is let down in [br]implementation - and not just by the confusing 0:12:30.960,0:12:36.120 level layouts that make it tough to even find [br]that place you need to use the transformation. 0:12:36.120,0:12:42.120 No: the real culprit is the tedium of [br]actually activating these transformations. 0:12:42.840,0:12:46.860 For instance, in Witchyworld you [br]find this shut-down dodgems ride. 0:12:46.860,0:12:49.980 So you go all the way to Mumbo and switch to him. 0:12:49.980,0:12:52.740 Go back to the dodgems to power up the ride. 0:12:52.740,0:12:58.020 Inside is a money box, so back to [br]Mumbo to become Banjo and Kazooie. 0:12:58.020,0:13:00.300 Then to Humba Wumba to become the van. 0:13:00.300,0:13:02.820 Back to the dodgems to pay the entry fee. 0:13:02.820,0:13:05.940 Then back to Humba Wumba to turn [br]back into Banjo and Kazooie. 0:13:05.940,0:13:09.660 And then back to the dodgems to [br]- finally! - play the mini game. 0:13:10.260,0:13:13.800 There's similar frustration in [br]finding one of these manholes 0:13:13.800,0:13:18.060 which grant new abilities - only to be [br]told that you need to split up and come 0:13:18.060,0:13:22.920 back as either Banjo or Kazooie [br]alone to actually learn the move. 0:13:22.920,0:13:28.500 And look - it's not Rare's worst game for [br]this sort of character-changing nonsense. 0:13:28.500,0:13:30.900 And the warp pads certainly do help. 0:13:30.900,0:13:34.920 But it's still just needless bloat [br]and backtracking that creates 0:13:34.920,0:13:39.060 tedium and discourages free-form [br]exploration and experimentation. 0:13:39.060,0:13:43.560 A button to break Humba Wumba's [br]magic spell and turn back into Banjo, 0:13:43.560,0:13:48.000 or a button to call your partner back [br]to you, would be a really nice addition. 0:13:49.260,0:13:54.480 All of this comes to a head in Tooie's [br]most infamous level: Grunty Industries. 0:13:54.480,0:14:00.780 A level that can go toe-to-toe with the Water [br]Temple for perplexing Nintendo 64 owners. 0:14:00.780,0:14:05.340 So this level is humongous - a five-floor factory 0:14:05.340,0:14:08.880 with an extra basement and [br]rooftop for good measure. 0:14:08.880,0:14:13.620 It's not too bad to navigate thanks to [br]clear signs above most of the doors - but 0:14:13.620,0:14:16.920 you'll probably need a notepad [br]to remember what's on each floor. 0:14:16.920,0:14:20.940 The true complication, then, comes [br]from constantly changing characters. 0:14:20.940,0:14:25.440 Many sections require you to split [br]up - especially as Banjo needs to 0:14:25.440,0:14:29.580 transport batteries around in his empty [br]backpack to unlock electro-powered doors. 0:14:29.580,0:14:34.980 Mumbo needs to make his way to various pads [br]to turn off machinery - but the results are 0:14:34.980,0:14:38.880 usually temporary so you'll need to rush [br]around to make any use of the change. 0:14:38.880,0:14:42.960 And then there's the level's special [br]transformation: the washing machine. 0:14:42.960,0:14:47.520 This allows access to service [br]lifts and some special rooms but, 0:14:47.520,0:14:51.720 for some inexplicable reason, [br]you can't use the warp pads. 0:14:51.720,0:14:54.960 The machine also can't jump very [br]high meaning you'll often need 0:14:54.960,0:14:56.760 to find alternative routes to get around. 0:14:56.760,0:15:02.220 In fact, much of the level involves making routes [br]and paths for the other playable characters - 0:15:02.220,0:15:04.740 like dropping this Mumbo pad down from the attic, 0:15:04.740,0:15:08.700 or lowering an elevator so the washing [br]machine can pass this small gap. 0:15:08.700,0:15:12.420 This leads to endless backtracking [br]and character swapping. 0:15:12.420,0:15:17.610 Now many of the changes you make are [br]permanent, one-way modifications to the level - 0:15:17.610,0:15:20.220 so it's more like slowly unpicking a knot, 0:15:20.220,0:15:24.480 rather than the brain-melting puzzle [br]box shenanigans of a Zelda dungeon. 0:15:24.480,0:15:27.180 But it's still a lot to keep in your head as 0:15:27.180,0:15:31.560 you must remember the status of so [br]many floors, doors, and sub rooms. 0:15:31.560,0:15:36.120 Without good memory or notes you can [br]be wandering around aimlessly forever. 0:15:36.120,0:15:41.100 Most players will spend double the time [br]on this level than any other in the game. 0:15:41.100,0:15:46.620 Now I did actually enjoy this level quite a lot [br]because I’m a sicko - but I get the backlash. 0:15:46.620,0:15:49.200 Even Rare agrees that it was a lot to take in, 0:15:49.200,0:15:53.340 and that a decent in-game map would [br]have helped things dramatically. 0:15:53.340,0:15:56.100 So that's the individual levels. 0:15:56.100,0:15:59.700 But now let's zoom out and [br]look at the game as a whole. 0:15:59.700,0:16:05.100 Because, at first glance, the game is [br]structurally similar to Banjo-Kazooie. 0:16:05.100,0:16:10.500 There's a hub world - this time the Isle of [br]Hags - where we can access the different levels. 0:16:10.500,0:16:16.680 Each world has 10 jiggies to find, again, and they can [br]be used to unlock stages further into the hub. 0:16:16.680,0:16:21.660 But even from the very first level, [br]Mayahem Temple, things are different. 0:16:21.660,0:16:26.700 We're immediately faced with obstacles that [br]we can't overcome with the abilities on hand. 0:16:26.700,0:16:30.540 And if you head through this tunnel [br]and check the menu you'll realise that 0:16:30.540,0:16:33.120 you're actually in a completely different world - 0:16:33.120,0:16:37.440 Terrydactyland, which you won't explore [br]properly until you unlock world five. 0:16:37.440,0:16:43.620 It soon becomes clear that Banjo-Tooie is not a [br]set of disconnected stages like Banjo-Kazooie, 0:16:43.620,0:16:48.600 but actually an interwoven web of worlds [br]that must be taken as a complete package. 0:16:48.600,0:16:53.280 And this interconnectivity comes in [br]a few different flavours: there's 0:16:53.280,0:16:56.520 backtracking to old levels with new abilities. 0:16:56.520,0:16:59.820 Criss-crossing between worlds through shortcuts. 0:16:59.820,0:17:04.320 And making changes in one world, to [br]create a knock-on effect in another. 0:17:04.320,0:17:08.520 So let's start by talking about [br]backtracking with abilities. 0:17:08.520,0:17:13.320 Banjo-Tooie starts will all the moves [br]you learned in Banjo-Kazooie - which 0:17:13.320,0:17:17.820 is already quite a lot - and then gives [br]you loads more throughout the adventure. 0:17:17.820,0:17:20.640 There's about 20 additional abilities in all, 0:17:20.640,0:17:26.520 including different types of egg ammo, extra [br]attacks, healing moves, egg-firing abilities, 0:17:26.520,0:17:31.800 and highly situational puzzle-solving [br]tools like Kazooie's ability to hatch eggs. 0:17:31.800,0:17:37.140 Predictably, those new moves grant access to [br]jiggies in the level where you unlock them: 0:17:37.140,0:17:42.240 in Mayahem Temple you get the Breegull [br]Blaster which turns Kazooie into an 0:17:42.240,0:17:46.260 egg-spitting shotgun, and lets you get [br]two jiggies from Targitzan's temple. 0:17:46.260,0:17:51.600 But the moves just as often let you get [br]jiggies in stages... you've already been to. 0:17:51.600,0:17:55.560 For instance, Mayahem Temple, [br]has a jiggy that requires the 0:17:55.560,0:17:58.260 Bill Drill from world two, Glitter Gulch Mine. 0:17:58.260,0:18:00.900 Which, in turn, has a jiggy that requires 0:18:00.900,0:18:04.020 the Springy Step Shoes from [br]world five, Terrydactyland. 0:18:04.020,0:18:08.160 World four, Jolly Rogers Lagoon, [br]needs the glide from world seven. 0:18:08.160,0:18:12.480 And world six, Grunty Industries, [br]needs the sack pack from world eight. 0:18:12.480,0:18:15.780 That's not even all of the jiggies - [br]and it also doesn't include additional 0:18:15.780,0:18:21.360 collectibles like Jinjos, Cheato pages, [br]honeycomb pieces, treble clefs, and so on. 0:18:21.360,0:18:24.540 Now, as a concept, this is fine by me. 0:18:24.540,0:18:30.960 Revisiting old areas with new tools, keys, and [br]abilities is at the heart of Metroidvanias. 0:18:30.960,0:18:36.540 And also point and click adventures - a genre [br]which Banjo-Tooie often feels reminiscent of. 0:18:36.540,0:18:41.460 Plus, it's usually quick to return to old [br]levels thanks to the hub (which is easier 0:18:41.460,0:18:45.720 to traverse than the one in Banjo-Kazooie) and [br]other interconnections that I'll talk about later. 0:18:45.720,0:18:49.080 But the execution does leave [br]something to be desired. 0:18:49.080,0:18:53.760 For one, Banjo-Kazooie established [br]that - barring one exception - every 0:18:53.760,0:18:57.120 world can be finished with the [br]abilities gained by that point. 0:18:57.120,0:19:02.340 Banjo-Tooie throws that convention out [br]completely, which is potentially confusing. 0:19:02.340,0:19:08.160 And secondly, once the player does realise [br]that jiggies may be inaccessible until later, 0:19:08.160,0:19:13.620 it's totally possible to assume that certain [br]puzzles can't be solved with your current tools. 0:19:13.620,0:19:17.580 This happened to me a fair few times - in Mayahem 0:19:17.580,0:19:20.640 Temple there are two jiggies being [br]guarded by sleeping characters. 0:19:20.640,0:19:26.280 I thought I'd maybe get some ability later on [br]to help with this problem - but it turned out 0:19:26.280,0:19:31.560 that I just needed to move the analogue stick [br]a small amount to make Banjo tip-toe silently. 0:19:31.560,0:19:35.760 This confusion is actually a [br]common issue in Metroidvanias. 0:19:35.760,0:19:41.100 I once spent ages wandering around the world of [br]Ori and the Will of the Wisps, looking for the 0:19:41.100,0:19:46.500 way forward - only to realise I just needed to use [br]the feather I already had to wake Baur the bear. 0:19:46.500,0:19:51.420 When you establish that your game is often [br]about going elsewhere to find the path forward, 0:19:51.420,0:19:55.200 it's not surprising that players [br]will sometimes incorrectly assume 0:19:55.200,0:19:57.780 that the solution is somewhere else in the world. 0:19:57.780,0:20:00.360 There are a few ways to help with this. 0:20:00.360,0:20:03.600 In Super Metroid there's a room [br]where you need to use Samus's 0:20:03.600,0:20:06.600 default run ability to bypass falling blocks. 0:20:06.600,0:20:10.860 The game actually locks the door [br]behind you to ensure you don't give 0:20:10.860,0:20:14.100 up and try to look elsewhere for [br]something to make you run faster. 0:20:14.100,0:20:19.260 In Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet you [br]can scan obstacles to see what ability 0:20:19.260,0:20:24.540 you need to use - one you already own, [br]or a mystery tool you don't have yet? 0:20:24.540,0:20:29.760 And in Blasphemous II, each new ability [br]is linked to a single specific type of 0:20:29.760,0:20:34.020 obstacle - so there's never confusion [br]about where you can and can't advance. 0:20:34.020,0:20:39.630 For Banjo it might have been nice to [br]communicate this through the jiggy tips page - 0:20:39.630,0:20:43.020 a useful screen in the menu which keeps [br]track of which jiggies you've found, 0:20:43.020,0:20:45.480 and gives hints and clues for finding the rest. 0:20:45.480,0:20:50.580 Some way of marking them as currently [br]accessible or not might have helped. 0:20:51.480,0:20:56.220 Next, let's look at the way levels [br]in Banjo-Tooie are linked together. 0:20:56.220,0:21:00.600 And this comes in two forms [br]- connections and changes. 0:21:00.600,0:21:06.780 The first is literally connections between [br]worlds - routes that link one level to another, 0:21:06.780,0:21:09.420 meaning you don't have to go [br]through the hub world first. 0:21:09.420,0:21:15.180 So in Mayahem Temple you can make a hole that [br]goes through to Glitter Gulch Mine, and later, 0:21:15.180,0:21:18.660 get access to Terrydactyland and Hailfire Peaks. 0:21:18.660,0:21:22.920 Glitter Gulch Mine has an entrance [br]to Witchyworld - and Witchyworld 0:21:22.920,0:21:25.320 has a secret shortcut to Terrydactyland. 0:21:25.320,0:21:29.580 Jolly Roger's Lagoon has a pipe [br]that drops into Glitter Gulch Mine, 0:21:29.580,0:21:32.640 and two pipes that lead to Grunty Industries. 0:21:32.640,0:21:37.179 Terrydactyland's stomping plains hooks [br]up to Hailfire Peaks - 0:21:37.179,0:21:39.420 which also has a pipe to Grunty industries. 0:21:39.420,0:21:43.260 Plus, a one-way route to Jolly Roger's Lagoon. 0:21:43.260,0:21:46.800 However, not all connections are created equal. 0:21:46.800,0:21:48.946 Some only go one way. 0:21:48.946,0:21:53.880 And the three links to Grunty Industries go [br]to completely separate and enclosed areas, 0:21:53.880,0:21:56.580 and so they don't grant access to the whole level. 0:21:56.580,0:22:01.620 Same for the route from Terrydactyland's [br]stomping plains to Hailfire Peaks - it 0:22:01.620,0:22:06.000 just puts you in a tiny icy cave [br]with nothing more than a jiggy. 0:22:06.000,0:22:08.100 So, put that all together, 0:22:08.100,0:22:12.660 and this gives us a map of Banjo-Tooie [br]that looks a little something like this. 0:22:12.660,0:22:17.340 I've marked the connections that lead to dead-ends [br]with dotted lines, to keep them separate. 0:22:17.340,0:22:19.440 Oh, and then there's Chuffy. 0:22:19.440,0:22:24.240 In Glitter Gulch Mine you can use Mumbo [br]to right this broken-down steam engine. 0:22:24.240,0:22:29.040 Then, as Banjo and Kazooie, you can [br]fight the conductor, Old King Coal. 0:22:29.040,0:22:33.720 Now you can open up train stations in [br]six other places - the Isle of Hags hub, 0:22:33.720,0:22:40.320 Witchyworld, Terrydactyland, Grunty Industries, [br]and Hailfire Peaks' ice side, and fire side. 0:22:40.320,0:22:44.100 Now you can ride the train from stop to stop. 0:22:44.100,0:22:48.780 There are now complete connections in [br]every world bar the last, Cloud Cuckooland, 0:22:48.780,0:22:53.760 which is high above the Isle of Hags and [br]so not physically touching any other stage. 0:22:53.760,0:22:57.240 The other way levels are [br]linked is through changes. 0:22:57.240,0:23:00.540 Do something in one world and [br]you'll make a difference in another. 0:23:00.540,0:23:04.860 So in Mayahem, when we open that [br]route to Glitter Gulch Mine, 0:23:04.860,0:23:08.760 Dilberta the rat will run through - [br]netting us a jiggy on the other side. 0:23:08.760,0:23:13.860 Likewise, opening this door from Glitter [br]Gulch to Witchyworld will let a flying 0:23:13.860,0:23:17.640 saucer travel through to the fairground [br]and unlock a mini-game in that level. 0:23:17.640,0:23:22.920 Witchyworld has a cell block with [br]Gobi the camel and a dinosaur called 0:23:22.920,0:23:28.500 Scrut who will head to Hailfire Peaks and [br]Terrydactyland, respectively, when rescued. 0:23:28.500,0:23:33.840 In Jolly Rogers Lagoon, fixing the UFO [br]sends it off to Hailfire Peak's ice side. 0:23:33.840,0:23:38.160 Turning off the sewage in Grunty Industries [br]will clean the water in Jolly Roger. 0:23:38.160,0:23:43.320 And you can send stuff from Cloud Cuckooland [br]down to the world below - you can drain this 0:23:43.320,0:23:45.840 water into Dippy's pool in Terrydactyland. 0:23:45.840,0:23:51.060 And you can knock George ice cube down to be with [br]his wife Mildred in Hailfire Peaks' ice side.... 0:23:52.620,0:23:54.060 whoops, wrong side. 0:23:54.060,0:23:58.740 Well at least that water is cool now, and [br]can be drained into Jolly Roger's Lagoon. 0:23:58.740,0:24:01.620 Phew! That's a lot of interconnectivity! 0:24:01.620,0:24:06.780 In fact, every single level features some [br]link to another stage in the game - whether 0:24:06.780,0:24:11.220 that's a literal route between stages or [br]a way to enact changes in another world. 0:24:11.220,0:24:13.860 But what's the point of all this stuff? 0:24:13.860,0:24:15.660 Banjo-Kazooie didn't have it, 0:24:15.660,0:24:19.860 after all - the only way to get from one [br]world to another was through the hub. 0:24:19.860,0:24:23.580 And outside of those super rare [br]exceptions I explored earlier, 0:24:23.580,0:24:25.980 the levels never impact on each other. 0:24:25.980,0:24:29.700 So what do we gain from the connections in Tooie? 0:24:29.700,0:24:34.920 Well, for one, it simply makes the [br]world feel more connected and complete. 0:24:34.920,0:24:40.260 Less like a random hodgepodge of disconnected [br]worlds and more like a believable space. 0:24:40.260,0:24:44.340 Grunty Industries dumps its [br]sewage into Jolly Roger's Lagoon, 0:24:44.340,0:24:46.980 which delivers water to Glitter Gulch Mine. 0:24:46.980,0:24:52.920 And characters visit Witchyworld, or leave one [br]world only to get trapped in Hailfire Peaks. 0:24:52.920,0:24:56.940 Just like seeing Pinna Park in the [br]skybox for Super Mario Sunshine, 0:24:56.940,0:25:01.680 or realising that blue lake is the cause [br]of the eternal rain in the City of Tears, 0:25:01.680,0:25:04.260 it adds to the world building and sense of place. 0:25:04.260,0:25:07.920 Two, there's just something [br]special in realising that a 0:25:07.920,0:25:10.020 world is more interconnected than you thought. 0:25:10.020,0:25:14.940 Even with those dead-end shortcuts I just [br]spoke about, it's still surprising and 0:25:14.940,0:25:18.480 charming to realise that you just showed [br]up in a completely different level - 0:25:18.480,0:25:21.120 perhaps one you won't unlock [br]properly until many hours later. 0:25:21.120,0:25:25.620 Three, is that, when it comes to those [br]literal connections between stages, 0:25:25.620,0:25:28.860 it can create expedient new routes and shortcuts. 0:25:28.860,0:25:34.620 And in a game that often has you backtracking to [br]an old area - perhaps with a new ability to use, 0:25:34.620,0:25:37.560 or because you just made [br]a change in another zone - 0:25:37.560,0:25:40.620 unlocking quicker paths should [br]be a very worthwhile reward. 0:25:40.620,0:25:45.660 Then again, I personally never [br]really used them for that purpose. 0:25:45.660,0:25:51.600 It was usually just as fast, if not faster, [br]to simply warp to the level entrance, leave, 0:25:51.600,0:25:55.320 and then use the handy hub world [br]warps to bounce to the other world. 0:25:55.320,0:25:59.700 Ironically, this is an instance where [br]Banjo-Tooie is actually so convenient 0:25:59.700,0:26:03.720 by default that there's not much to [br]be gained by an extra dash of speed. 0:26:03.720,0:26:08.640 And then finally, there's using interconnectivity [br]for puzzle- and problem-solving. 0:26:08.640,0:26:13.080 For instance, you can't actually enter [br]the main Grunty Industries factory, 0:26:13.080,0:26:17.700 when you first enter from the hub world, because [br]the front door is locked from the inside. 0:26:17.700,0:26:21.840 The solution is to find this switch [br]to open the level's train station, 0:26:21.840,0:26:27.180 and then take Chuffy from another stop to [br]enter Grunty Industries from the inside. 0:26:27.180,0:26:32.100 In Hailfire Peaks you need to be a [br]stony to enter the kickball tournament. 0:26:32.100,0:26:36.480 So you need to use the connection to [br]Mayahem Temple to transform in that 0:26:36.480,0:26:39.180 world - and then come back through as a stony. 0:26:39.180,0:26:44.100 And I really enjoyed this puzzle involving [br]Scrotty the dinosaur in Terrydactyland. 0:26:44.100,0:26:46.560 Her three dino kids need help. 0:26:46.560,0:26:48.960 One can be saved by Mumbo in the level. 0:26:48.960,0:26:52.440 Another is trapped in Witchyworld's jail cells. 0:26:52.440,0:26:54.000 And the third is sick. 0:26:54.000,0:26:59.460 You'll need Banjo's taxi pack to put him on [br]the train, park Chuffy at the Isle of Hags, 0:26:59.460,0:27:02.580 and then use Mumbo's magic [br]point to heal the dinosaur. 0:27:02.580,0:27:07.680 These puzzles ask you to consider not [br]just your current crop of abilities. 0:27:07.680,0:27:10.560 Or the tools available in the current level. 0:27:10.560,0:27:15.300 But to think about the entire world [br]as a possible puzzle-solving tool. 0:27:15.300,0:27:20.040 And they feel satisfying to solve because [br]they reward you for understanding how this 0:27:20.040,0:27:23.220 world works, and how all the [br]different areas fit together. 0:27:23.220,0:27:28.380 Unfortunately, most of the the other [br]connection-based puzzles are less exciting. 0:27:28.380,0:27:33.600 For instance - I mentioned earlier that you need [br]to clean up the water in Jolly Roger's Lagoon. 0:27:33.600,0:27:38.760 It might have been cool to see a clue that [br]the sewage was coming from Grunty Industries 0:27:38.760,0:27:44.820 and then make the intentional choice to travel [br]there and turn off the sewage or block the pipe. 0:27:44.820,0:27:49.740 But instead there's just a shortcut above [br]the tap in Jolly Roger's Lagoon that takes 0:27:49.740,0:27:54.540 you to that dead-end room in Grunty Industries [br]which has nothing but a sewer shut-off switch. 0:27:54.540,0:27:57.720 And many of the changes just kind of... happen. 0:27:57.720,0:28:01.680 You break this rock in Cloud [br]Cuckooland because, why not, 0:28:01.680,0:28:05.400 and then it drains down into [br]Dippy's pool in Terrydactyland. 0:28:05.400,0:28:10.080 You don't have to think, plan, or [br]consider how to get the water to Dippy, 0:28:10.080,0:28:12.120 you just play the game and it happens. 0:28:12.120,0:28:17.280 You don't even have to return to the level to get [br]the jiggy - though you can use the new water level 0:28:17.280,0:28:23.460 to swim up and get a Cheato page, which is a neat [br]reward for noting that Terrydactyland has changed. 0:28:23.460,0:28:28.080 So while these connections are cool, I [br]can only think of a few times where I 0:28:28.080,0:28:33.120 felt tested and rewarded for my memory [br]and understanding of the wider world. 0:28:33.120,0:28:36.540 Though... maybe that's for the best. 0:28:37.080,0:28:42.780 You see, in Banjo-Tooie, the individual [br]levels are already a lot to juggle. 0:28:42.780,0:28:46.500 Many jiggies require multiple [br]steps - like finding Mrs. 0:28:46.500,0:28:49.440 Boggy's three children, [br]hatching Terry's four eggs, 0:28:49.440,0:28:52.680 or pocketing 20 Doubloons in Jolly Roger's Lagoon. 0:28:52.680,0:28:55.440 And you need to remember all the locations and 0:28:55.440,0:28:59.340 obstacles that you can't bypass with [br]your current abilities or character. 0:28:59.340,0:29:04.140 And you simply need to try and organise [br]the muddled level layout in your mind. 0:29:04.140,0:29:05.940 It's a lot to take in. 0:29:05.940,0:29:08.280 And so when you add in this interconnectivity. 0:29:08.280,0:29:11.760 When you're making changes and [br]opening routes in other levels. 0:29:11.760,0:29:15.300 Or unlocking moves that might be [br]useful in some previous stage. 0:29:15.300,0:29:17.580 Well, it becomes an ever-expanding, 0:29:17.580,0:29:21.900 multi-dimensional quest log of [br]spinning plates and unclosed rings. 0:29:21.900,0:29:25.680 It can feel like an impossibly large [br]set of chores to keep track of. 0:29:25.680,0:29:30.660 Juggling all this in your brain is a fast [br]track to a headache - especially over the 0:29:30.660,0:29:35.220 course of multiple play sessions [br]for this huge 15 to 20 hour game. 0:29:35.220,0:29:40.440 Now it does feel satisfying to [br]finally unpick this game-wide knot. 0:29:40.440,0:29:44.040 And it is worth noting that it is [br]technically possible to get enough 0:29:44.040,0:29:47.640 jiggies to complete the game without [br]ever backtracking to a previous level. 0:29:47.640,0:29:51.180 But it still feels tremendously overwhelming - and 0:29:51.180,0:29:54.480 a long way from the simple [br]pleasures of Banjo-Kazooie. 0:29:54.480,0:29:58.920 Designer Greg Mayles has admitted as [br]such, saying "even though we thought 0:29:58.920,0:30:03.660 that Banjo-Tooie's more complex and interlocking [br]worlds were better than those of the original, 0:30:03.660,0:30:08.940 many fans still believe that Banjo-Kazooie was [br]the better game due to its simpler structure. 0:30:08.940,0:30:13.020 I would say we got the balance right the [br]first time and perhaps made the all too 0:30:13.020,0:30:17.040 common mistake of wanting bigger, [br]better, and more for the sequel". 0:30:17.040,0:30:23.100 Banjo-Tooie tried to expand in every single [br]axis at once: more moves, more characters, 0:30:23.100,0:30:28.020 more bosses, bigger worlds, more complex [br]challenges, more interconnectivity. 0:30:28.020,0:30:31.860 And in doing so, I don’t think [br]it managed to top the original. 0:30:31.860,0:30:37.440 Banjo-Kazooie is a timeless gem that's [br]easy to revisit, over and over again. 0:30:37.440,0:30:41.280 But with its more complicated [br]levels and overarching structure, 0:30:41.280,0:30:44.400 one playthrough is enough for Banjo-Tooie. 0:30:44.400,0:30:46.620 A good lesson for making sequels, then: 0:30:46.620,0:30:50.520 it's sometimes best to focus on [br]expanding out just a few elements - 0:30:50.520,0:30:54.900 rather than trying to outdo absolutely [br]everything from the previous game. 0:30:54.900,0:31:00.240 And also, maybe don't change the entire [br]thing to now be about building vehicles. 0:31:00.240,0:31:02.460 That's also good advice. 0:31:04.860,0:31:10.980 Hey, thanks for listening to a 30 minute [br]rant about a 20 year-old N64 game? 0:31:10.980,0:31:12.420 What is this channel? 0:31:12.420,0:31:16.440 Let me reward your patience [br]with one more Banjo story. 0:31:16.440,0:31:24.600 So one of Rare's first Xbox 360 games was the [br]largely forgettable Kameo: Elements of Power. 0:31:24.600,0:31:29.400 The studio held a competition to design [br]costumes for the various characters. 0:31:29.400,0:31:34.320 And so I submitted a few entries [br]with Kameo characters dressed as 0:31:34.320,0:31:37.260 Rare heroes like Vela from Jet Force Gemini. 0:31:37.260,0:31:41.340 And wouldn't you know it! I [br]was one of the 11 winners. 0:31:41.340,0:31:48.600 And so thanks to me, you can now turn Pummelweed [br]into a weird Mumbo Jumbo amalgamation. 0:31:48.600,0:31:50.640 You're welcome, gamers.