The last real jiggy worth getting, if you can find it.
Recently, I entered a store specializing in games that were pawned. There I found a game that was so aged it looked like it had been left, forgotten on someone's lawn. It was titled Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge, Upon reading this, I implored the clerk to open the hinge. I couldn't believe my eyes, I had to purchase this pleasant surprise. However, I must wonder, is this one last bear n' bird thrill, or will I once again be treated to digital swill?
STORY
Ok, I never played the first game (Banjo-Kazooie), but from I do know, the villain, a witch named Gruntilda (Grunty for short), is actually killed and buried under a rock thanks to the exploits of a bear named Banjo and a "Breegull" bird named Kazooie (E-rating, yeah…). The sequel (Banjo-Tooie) is two years later, where she comes back as a skeleton and plans to suck up everyone's life force in order to be completely resurrected. Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge is only two months after her death, so it's a sort of mid-quel. Her ogre assistant, Klungo, Builds a robot, which Grunty's soul then possess in order to, well, get revenge on Banjo. Her plan is to kidnap Kazooie and travel back in time and prevent our heroes from ever meeting, hence never stopping Grunty's reign of terror. While a little out there for a witch to become a robot and time travel, it is a cartoon-style game where the plot doesn't have to matter too much. Besides, it's better than Nut n' Bolts where a "God of games" forces them to compete in a vehicle building competition because… we were promised a new Banjo-Kazooie game, basically!
GRAPHICS
When you think of Game-Boy Advance game, you think of sprites and 2D worlds, looking like SNES, but more detailed. Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge does it's best to push the system's limits, they used simplified versions of N64 polygons to make it feel like a true game of the franchise and not some spin-off. Environments are more like SNES, but the later SNES showing details and making it still look decent despite the 3D-esque characters. Level design is generic, with beginning green fields, moving on to more exotic levels, such as tropical beaches, frozen wastelands, and fiery mountains, and a big, scary lair for the final boss. Enemies are a disappointment from the N64, as most are just different colors.
GAMEPLAY
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge stays true to its N64 predecessors. It's Mario 64-style hub with multiple worlds and "star" collecting is just as fun as ever. It still has you learning new techniques by collecting music notes. It still has that plat-forming zest I enjoyed from the N64. HOWEVER, movement is slowed down to compensate the game-boy's processors, Banjo seems to walk, which is agonizing for the first two hours of play until you learn how to speed up. The plat-forming itself is also awkward. While the environments are nice, there is a problem determining altitude. You see, it tries to keep the game as a whole 3D by keeping the camera at a fixed top-down view, kind of like the gen-IV pokemon games. Imagine having to jump, glide, and slide around like that. It's hard to tell if you can reach with a basic jump, or if you need more advanced moves. It's also makes gliding tricky since you can't look forward, which often results in over-steering. The puzzles and mini-games are often repeats with tweaks to make it slightly more challenging as you go. Therefore, it does get kind of boring after an hour-long session. This also results in the "star" collecting being much easier than its predecessor. Which in turn makes the games not last as long.
MUSIC
Honestly, it's like all the others, country twang with varying instruments to capture the mood of the level. It's not really something that stands out, but every games been like that so it's expected.
VERDICT
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge is all-in-all a good game. It has its flaws with slightly confusing environments, repetitive mini-games, and a gimmick that makes the final boss almost impossible to beat since you're likely to lose half your health before you confront it (that's my only real complaint). It's not really a game I'd give to someone who hasn't played its N64 predecessors, it's one of those game that true fans would more likely enjoy. I'd give it 8/10 as a fan, probably 6/10 as an unbiased gamer. So my final, personal score for this is 7/10. Like I said, if you're a Banjo-Kazooie fan it's a good find, otherwise it's kind of a gamble.