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