Fantastic game, deserves all the acclaim.
Personally, and this is a fairly contentious point, i prefer Banjo-Kazooie to Super Mario 64, just because i believe that while Mario is superb, Banjo-Kazooie goes above and beyond the expectations that were lauded upon it all those years ago.
The distinctive levels help immersion (Click Clock Wood still holds a place in my heart) and they, by and large, avoid the tired stereotypes that are commonplace in platformers (Lava world, water world etc.)
Despite the childish appearance of the game, this is a game that can deliver for adults as well, with its' often snappy dialogue and broad pallet of challenges. The wide array of moves also prove that this is no simple 'jump, jump and jump again' platformer, and many jiggies require a great deal of effort and commitment in order to procure them.
Even with the 'retro' tag that is often slapped upon it, Banjo-Kazooie is far more and in the halls of video game history, that will be more than apparent.