Banjo's Nuts bolt to stores Nov. 14

Budget $39.99 price point for Rare's latest confirmed; gamers who preorder will get early access to original Banjo-Kazooie on Xbox Live Arcade.

Microsoft wants gamers to buy all of its products, but it seems to be especially keen on getting people to pick up Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. The publisher today announced a November 14 release for the game, as well as a plan to make it stand out from the holiday rush of AAA titles.

First off, Microsoft confirmed the $39.99 price point for the game that retailers had been listing since early July. On top of that, customers who preorder the game will receive a download code for a free copy of the original Banjo-Kazooie on Xbox Live Arcade two weeks before its official launch.

Nuts & Bolts brings Rare's platforming duo into the current console generation with a twist, as the pair will have to design and build their own vehicular contraptions in order to navigate a world full of obstacles. Its XBLA counterpart will be a revamped version of the original Nintendo 64 3D platformer that gave birth to the franchise.

The preorder promotion isn't the only connection between the two games. Rare is incorporating a feature that will reward accomplishments in Nuts & Bolts with unlockable content in the downloadable title.

For more on Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

192 Comments

  • punch37

    Posted Oct 21, 2008 10:02 pm PT

    this game plus the original game for N64 no reason not to preorder this game

  • geo911

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 7:08 pm PT

    Damn, sounds like such a great deal. There has to be some type of catch. One new game for 40$ plus Banjo-Kazooie, a great classic for free. Something seems wrong. I'll wait a week or two before pre-ordering.

  • Colonel_Juju

    Posted Oct 5, 2008 11:50 am PT

    No, if you pre-order, the 64 Banjo game is free. So it is 2 games for $40. Sounds like a good deal, but I'm not the "early-adopter" type.

  • necronaux

    Posted Sep 26, 2008 9:43 am PT

    I guess the price is right. They should have included the revamped 64 game as an unlockable on this disc release. So, instead of saving $20, if you want both, you only save $5 of the 'regular' price of a new $60 game. It wouldn't be unheard of, Old-school unlockables were done on a number of xbox originals (Castle Wolfenstein, Doom, House of the Dead, to name a few).

  • DaClint91

    Posted Sep 25, 2008 6:05 pm PT

    Well, if you look at it, it's like getting this game for $25 ($40 minus $15 for the awesome classic). So even getting GoW2 a week before and Saints Tow 2 a month earlier may not be a bad deal

  • DaClint91

    Posted Sep 25, 2008 6:03 pm PT

    I LOVED Banjo-Kazooie and this new one looks very interesting (especially at $40), but there is a slight problem...

    ...Gears of War 2 comes out a week before (11/7/0. Plus Saints Row 2 will only be a month old on this date (and GH: World Tour comes out on Oct. 26, but lets save that for Chirstmas).

    So in a one month span, 4 good games come out
    -Gears of War 2
    -Guitar Hero: World Tour
    -Saints Row 2
    -Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (with extras). It's hard to choose what to buy.

  • TheArcade

    Posted Sep 25, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    That does it I'm pre-ordering this game.

  • keyhole_romance

    Posted Sep 24, 2008 8:30 am PT

    This offer is available in the UK (39.99, with the free pre-order download) from Play.com

  • martin_289

    Posted Sep 19, 2008 12:08 am PT

    Anyone got a price for the UK yet? HMV says 40 quid!

  • horgen123

    Posted Sep 15, 2008 12:43 am PT

    *Must preorder*

  • hungryyeti

    Posted Sep 12, 2008 9:05 am PT

    theres no chance of goldeneye being released on xbox live arcade however they said it is likely that we will see perfect dark and killer instinct on xbla as well

  • Superdude475

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 4:25 pm PT

    Finally I get to play Banjo-Kazooie. Kind of surprised that an N64 game is coming to XBLA. Maybe this gives hope for Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, & Conker's Bad Fur Day woot!

  • drivinggod2005

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 5:47 pm PT

    Does this mean that Microsoft are not doing this offer in Europe?!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

  • kurtven

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 5:16 am PT

    That's so unfair that Europe, has to pay twice the price, and doesn't get Banjo & Kazooie (XBLA) with in the price

  • Skreb-Masters

    Posted Aug 21, 2008 12:26 pm PT

    Maybe they can resolve the Stop N' Swop mystery that's been lingering around for years? It's funny how I'm buying another Banjo game just to resolve that mystery. I'll deffo snap up BK1 when it comes out. I'll look at the reviews first before I think about Nuts and Bolts. Could go either way with the new game mechanice (lol pun)

  • rene9ade520

    Posted Aug 21, 2008 4:05 am PT

    Foq yeah!!!! I'm friggen excited. Now Rare just needs to release all there other amazing titles for the live arcade!!!

  • rene9ade520

    Posted Aug 21, 2008 4:05 am PT

    Foq yeah!!!! I'm friggen excited. Now Rare just needs to release all there other amazing titles for the live arcade!!!

  • tidyspidey

    Posted Aug 21, 2008 3:24 am PT

    woohoo!! Banjo-Kazooie rock!

    Now we want Conkers Bad Fur day 2 - come on Rare!!

  • Murgatron25

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 9:06 pm PT

    I'm still amazed that a N64 game is coming to XBLA. I just can't get over it. Terrific value, totally pre-ordering.

  • S2333

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 4:29 pm PT

    I wonder if it is the same in Australia.
    I would pre-order this afternoon if that were true.

  • blackace

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 1:03 pm PT

    Very cool. I've gotta pre-order mine when I get off of work. Only $40?!? Hell ya, you can't beat that price. They should do this with all RARE games if you ask me. Tell RARE to start working on a new BattleToads & Killer Instinct 3 games already.

  • cheesy_potatoe

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 12:41 pm PT

    why would the have banjo kazooie on the xbox 360??

  • stevo_360

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 11:18 am PT

    Nuts and Bolts looks pretty interesting.

  • videogamr49

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 11:15 am PT

    @eagidni: Rare actually did confirm that Stop N Swop will be in the revamped Banjo-Kazooie on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

    I'm excited to hear that not only will we be getting the original game early, we get it two weeks before its' mainstream release! For only $39.99, that price just made my day .

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 11:08 am PT

    Banjo's nuts? Ugh, that's the part I was hoping WOULDN'T make it to stores.

  • eagidni

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 11:03 am PT

    i can't help but think that by "unlockable content in the downloadable title" they mean that after all these years, stop 'n swop will finally come into play. that would probably sell me on the 360 once and for all.

    of all things, huh? heh...

  • Vegna_Infamous

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 10:44 am PT

    "Banjo's Nuts bolt to stores Nov. 14"

    *Evil Voice Tone*
    Finally....Finally! I will have Banjo's nuts! With Banjo's nuts! I can finnally take over the world!!!! Muhahahahahahahahahahahaha!

    Banjo's nuts now available in stores near you, hehe...

  • tiamat555

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 10:16 am PT

    This fuels my hate for Microsoft. I loved the second Banjo Kazooie and it was one of the best platformers I have ever played. Now Microsoft comes up with some idiotic story about the witch doctor becoming a mechanic and some such trash to build cars and vehicles . This is just another pathetic excuse so Microsoft can sell you things online and so it can compete with Little Big Planet.Rare used to have such good games but they have pathetically fallen so far.

  • OhSnapitz

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 9:39 am PT

    LordOblivion777...

    Banjo was a Rare property.. Unlike 007 that was co-developed with Nintendo. When M$ aquired Rare.. Banjo(along with Killer Instinct, Perfect Dark ect..).. was one of the properties that M$ got with it. I think this will be a HUGE win for M$ this holiday season.. Especially if the price of the Arcade drops to $199..

  • ftjx

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 9:27 am PT

    Bear Testicles

  • hotdork70minus1

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 9:25 am PT

    Wow ! Nice Pricing !

  • LordOblivion777

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:38 am PT

    if banjo kazooie was also part nintendo how is it going on live and not virtual console? I have Wii60 and plan to get this game but I'm a bit confused here

  • Thornorway

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:18 am PT

    Fantastic value, surely going to preorder this juicy cake of a game

  • The_Dude1212

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:17 am PT

    If I remember a certain signature on the forums correctly, this is how it played out...

    Nintendo: 'You were supposed to destroy the empire, not join them!'
    Rareware: 'SCREW YOU!' (heh heh...Star Wars III)

    Either way, I find it Bullcrap the N64 golden classics only bolster the 360's rep. Goldeneye, Banjo...next thing you know they're gonna port over Diddy Kong Racing!

  • rabbids

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:07 am PT

    What about PC?

  • gamefantasy

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 7:52 am PT

    the title is freaking hilarious lol. I like the fact that we can get the original if preordered.

  • Sagacious_Tien

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 7:13 am PT

    Very good value here.

    Hope they do something similar for Australia.

  • Nater2010

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 7:11 am PT

    Sounds good! I am a huge fan of the original game and am quite looking forward to this one!

  • BigDaddy973

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 7:10 am PT

    I probably will buy this game!!!! I love banjo!!!

  • Kezman118

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:56 am PT

    Lol at the title of this article, Banjo's Nuts!!!

  • residentzombie2

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:42 am PT

    Tebbit Xbox 360 actually has more younger players than PS3, not sure of the Wii but I'd guess the Wii has the most. When you are a kid you don't have a job and need to rely apon your parents to buy you your new console. It is alot easier for a kid to ask mom and dad for a $380 system instead of a $500 system.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:35 am PT

    I would have gave this a try if it was a traditional platformer. I don't like what Rare has changed the series into.

  • NightKiller34

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:33 am PT

    Wow, I new this was going to happen. I doubt this will sell well because every time rare releases a game for xbox it ends up being kinda bad, except for Conker but grabbed by the ghoulies was horrible.

  • LausDomini

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:26 am PT

    If the downloadable game comes out two weeks early, shouldn't Rare have made accomplishments in the original affect Nuts & Bolts instead of the other way around?

  • LausDomini

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:23 am PT

    I never buy new games but I will preorder this one!

  • towelie892

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:11 am PT

    Interesting article title, Brendan.

  • Titanfan2083

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:08 am PT

    "all i have to say WHEN MICROSOFT TAKES OVER U GET PERFECT DARK ZERO...NOW THIS!"

    I love Rare's games and I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take this wrongly.

  • sonicmask

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:05 am PT

    all i have to say WHEN MICROSOFT TAKES OVER U GET PERFECT DARK ZERO...NOW THIS!

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