Banjo-Kazooie 3 "not a racing game"

By Robert Purchese Published 12 May, 2008

Rare responds to leaked shots.

Rare has told Eurogamer that Banjo-Kazooie 3 is not a racing game and that you are better off waiting for its official unveiling tomorrow before jumping to conclusions.

The developer was responding to the leaked screenshots of the game that arrived this morning and featured plenty of vehicles, some of which appeared to be racing, or chasing each other.

"We haven't revealed the gameplay mechanic yet," George Kelion, Rare community manager, told us. "It's not a racing game, and people are honestly better off waiting until tomorrow when we are going to be talking about it extensively before drawing their own conclusions.

"The honest truth is that people don't know the half of it yet. The game is not just a graphical showcase."

Banjo-Kazooie 3 is due out exclusively on Xbox 360 this Christmas.

Expect more information from the Microsoft press event this week.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (47) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Darren #1 4 years ago

    To be honest that was my first thought when I saw the screenshots: that it was a racing-combat game but I've seen the other pictures that show it definitely has platforming bits too. It's still a blessed relief to hear it confirmed by Rare though as this game has a lot to live up IMO being the sequel to my all-time favourite platformer on the N64. I await its release with bated breath...

  • WillyWanka #2 4 years ago

    Be good god damn it!

  • BiscuitBase #3 4 years ago

    Probably a GTA clone then!

  • LetsGo #4 4 years ago

    "The game is not just a graphical showcase."

    Yeah, we know that by looking at the shots!

  • chrisjm #5 4 years ago

    i wonder if instead of jigsaw pieces your looking for vehicle pieces to progress

  • the_dudefather #6 4 years ago

    its going to be a gory third person shooter, featuring co-op play over XBL with each player controlling Banjo or Kazooie

    Banjo 3: Jiggies of war

  • monkie_king #7 4 years ago

    I think it's going to be a rhythm action game based on flimsy commercial hip-hop hits by former sitcom actors.

    BK3: Getting Jiggy wit' it.

    /coat

  • Darren #8 4 years ago

    If this game has third-person shooting bits in it then I'm going to firebomb Rare's and Microsoft's HQ because I'm sure Xbox 360 owners don't need every single game to be a clone of Halo 3 or Gears of Wars. Am I right?

  • alimokrane #9 4 years ago

    "The game is not just a graphical showcase."

    Is it a graphical showcase, Rare, is it, IS IT ?

  • Monkey_Puncher #10 4 years ago

    You need to see high def screenshots to properly judge the games graphics me thinks...

  • Psychotext #11 4 years ago

    Looks like a graphical showcase to me from what we've seen so far.

  • gingerlink #12 4 years ago

    yeah, the only jagginess is banjo and that's stylised...

    also @Darren, Halo isn't a third person shooter much. Banjo-tooie has already had first person shooter bits in.

  • jonsaan #13 4 years ago

    Banjo Kazooie> Banjo Tooie

  • Darren #14 4 years ago

    I never played Banjo-Tooie right though to the end like I did the original (I completed that twice in fact!) so my memory is vague as to the first-person shooting bits... I seem to remember having to shoot something in a temple maze... so that tells me they were only a very, very small part of the game. I don't mind if this new game does that too so long as whole sections of the game aren't turned into a third-person shooter, that would be just rubbish not to mention a cop-out if Rare think that's the only way they'll sell the game on the 360. I'm sure that's not going to be the case though... hopefully... /worries

  • JonFE #15 4 years ago

    I welcome this news and await the official unveil (more details), because, to be honest, I'd be skeptical if this was a racing/battle game...

  • seasidebaz #16 4 years ago

    "The game is not just a graphical showcase."

    no, its all about DA FIZZIX innit

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #17 4 years ago

    Banjo-tooie has already had first person shooter bits in

    and they sucked.

    Banjo Kazooie > Banjo Tooie

    Just like Jak & Daxter (no guns) > Jak 2 (guns)

  • the_ring_of_fire #18 4 years ago

    All this "It will use a wii-style remote" talk and saying it like you KNOW you're right...do you? From these screenshots can you see how it will control? I'd bet anyone as much as they can afford that this game will not use a wii-remote style controller.
    Edited by 1 at 12/05/08 @ 13:42

  • Darren #19 4 years ago

    If this does use the 360 motion controller then it'll have to be completely optional because otherwise the game will well and truly bomb if people are forced to buy a peripheral just to play it. It's already a genre that could be difficult to sell on the 360 so Rare need to ensure it's as accessible as possible not tie it to a gimmicky controller. That's my view anyway.

  • woodnotes #20 4 years ago

    "If this does use the 360 motion controller then it'll have to be completely optional because otherwise the game will well and truly bomb if people are forced to buy a peripheral just to play it."

    What, like Guitar Hero, Buzz, Wii Fit and Singstar?
    Edited by 1 at 12/05/08 @ 13:53

  • SeanLB #21 4 years ago

    I didn't realise there were so many people lying in wait to rag this game. Is it due to it not being on a Ninty console anymore that it is getting flack? I'm reserving real judgement until the unveiling tomorrow, and to be honest am much more interested in VP: Trouble In Paradise and Pocket Paradise; but I thought the Banjo franchise was resoundly loved and with the original team on board people had high hopes for it. Seems more like people are hoping for it to fail than anticipating some fresh details. Is it always like this here?

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #22 4 years ago

    I have a feeling there'll be open areas with lots of driving, but individual "levels" that will be all about the platforming. Maybe the vehicles are like Epona in Zelda, or something.

    Or I could be talking shite again.

    Oh, and I think it is a graphical showcase. Probably the nicest looking platform game this side of Mario Galaxy. Banjo in particular looks lush. Lush, I say!

  • Number1Laing #23 4 years ago

    "If this does use the 360 motion controller then it'll have to be completely optional because otherwise the game will well and truly bomb if people are forced to buy a peripheral just to play it. It's already a genre that could be difficult to sell on the 360 so Rare need to ensure it's as accessible as possible not tie it to a gimmicky controller. That's my view anyway."

    Are you being serious here? How many games require a specific non-standard peripheral then do not pack it in? If the game uses Microsoft's motion sensing controller then it will be packed in.

  • penhalion #24 4 years ago

    :) Looks like all of us afe sceptical about the vehicles. If it's a platformer then they don't serve a purpose unless there is a race mini-game like the mantaray and shell racing in mario galaxy. Otherwise it looks like the tallent at rare really did leave with the golden eye team.

  • Freek #25 4 years ago

    The other surprise being the wiimote knock off, wich everybody already knows about. You need to keep a tighter control on these things MS (and Rare) if you want to really surprise people.

  • Bumhug360 #26 4 years ago

    "Seems more like people are hoping for it to fail than anticipating some fresh details. Is it always like this here? "

    Yes, its on the 360 only therefore there is a large group of people who will say the game is crap despite how good it actualy is, if it appeared on the Wii or the PS3 though it would be a game of the year candidate and another reason why the 360 is crap

    This also happens on games that are released on just the Wii and PS3 just so everything is balanced, and on multiformat titles there are arguments about why each version of an identicle game is far superior than the other version even though the people making the arguments have only played one version.

    Looks a good game though, going to be another expensive sep/oct/nov again

  • cyber_nicco #27 4 years ago

    I didn't realize a 360-mote had been confirmed. I thought it was speculation and rumor that they were doing one.

    Did I miss a press release? Honestly.

  • NickD7 #28 4 years ago

    After the disappointment that was GTA IV I pray that this lives up to the hype.

    Yes GTA IV was average get over it, nothing new, lame car handling, GTA 3.5 more like.

  • Darren #29 4 years ago

    @Number1Laing - If it's packed with the game then the package will cost more, again not a great idea for a game that may not sell well on the Xbox 360 in the first place. If the game does use the rumoured motion-sensing remote then I'd hope that it will be completely optional and sold separately because I don't want to pay £20-£30 extra for something I might only use on one game. It's the very reason I never bought the webcam for example.

  • gingerlink #30 4 years ago

    I played banjo-tooie before banjo kazooie and believe tooie was far better.

    that's why I think people are normally unfairly predujiced against sequels, try playing the second game first for one, like having dessert before dinner, actually no, that's a horrible example, you want to keep the sweetness to afterwards, but then it's not as sweet because you're already almost full from the main course?

    *is tangled in words*

  • Darren #31 4 years ago

    I'll add that the big problem with the Xbox 360 getting a motion-sensing controller now (if it's true) is that not everyone will actually own one thus games will still have to be developed with the conventional controller in mind. This in turn will mean that very few games will actually end up using it as developers would be committing commercial suicide making games that only work with it as the market will be much smaller.

    For this controller to have worked properly, it would have needed to have been part of the machine's spec from the off like the Wii's was, not released three years down the line, that's just stupid IMO. How many Xbox 360 games make use of the webcam for example? Hopefully this controller rumour is connected to the 360's successor not the 360 itself.

  • Phanger #32 4 years ago

    I think they will reveal a new 360 controller wich you'ill play Banjo with. Similar to the Wiimote...

  • max66695 #33 4 years ago

    Im thinking the 360 motion sensing controller would work much better with the new Viva Pinata game. Not that Banjo wont use it, just that Viva, with its cursor-based control system is inherently more suited to it....

  • miiiguel #34 4 years ago

    btw, "Scene It? 2" is coming.

  • seasidebaz #35 4 years ago

    @all who think these are negative comments:

    i was really looking forward to this. but these screenshots make it look a bit pants... i await tomorrow's reveal with bated breath, as i used to love the banjo games (in fact, might emulate them now....)

    trouble is, rare have gone shit. pdZero was generic, kameo was alright but i got bored of it (bit too repetitive...) conker was pants (too much toilet humour) and viva pinata got boring after playing it for 2 days solid, when micromanagement sickness set in.

    i really want this game to be great, but will remain sceptical until tomorrow. especially as this game may contain excessive amounts of waggle.

  • miiiguel #36 4 years ago

    yeah, me too... now that we've seen this screenshots we know all about it, I say we could write a review already!
    That said I'll never play a Rare game again..., and I'll burn one of my 360's in a eastern ritual.


    Then again this doesn't make any sense whatsoever, but I want to blend in, with the crowd.
    Edited by 1 at 12/05/08 @ 19:01

  • drumbaby #37 4 years ago

    Oh...don't tell me, their answer to Little Big Planet, right? Rushed out, and with an Xbox Wiimote that breaks?

  • miiiguel #38 4 years ago

    errr... what does Banjo-Kazooie (1998) has to do with LBP (200?, where ?>= 8)? Have you been under a rock for the last 10 years? or you discovered video-games this afternoon ?
    Edited by 2 at 12/05/08 @ 19:29

  • WinterSnowblind #39 4 years ago

    @drumbaby

    I think Miiiguel has already put you in your place, but I have to respond, because that was quite simply one of the worst posts I have ever seen on this site. 1. How is this game even remotely like LBP? It's a platformer, which seems to have some form of vehicle creation system, I'd hardly say they're trying to market it as competition for LBP. 2. Banjo Kazooie 3 has been in development and was announced way, way, waaay before LBP was.

  • seasidebaz #40 4 years ago

    @snowblind:

    i would ignore the comments above you, for the fact that:

    1. miiiiiiguel is a 360 fanboy who instantly assumes that if a game is released on 360, it should get 10/10.
    2. drumbaby is a ps3 fanboy who is upset that the 360 may have another great game to add to the collection.

    this game will either be great or shite. rare's current record points to shite. but then again, it's banjo. so i will buy it anyway. although it will contain excessive waggle. unless rare made the wiimote for vp2...

  • the_ring_of_fire #41 4 years ago

    Still with the talk of the "wii-remote" controls...it won't have these and the moment this gets confirmed I hope no-one starts moaning that this is a bad thing. Neither will VP2.

  • seasidebaz #42 4 years ago

    "Still with the talk of the "wii-remote" controls...it won't have these and the moment this gets confirmed I hope no-one starts moaning that this is a bad thing. Neither will VP2."

    then why are rare making a wiimote? for pdZero2?

    no.

  • the_ring_of_fire #43 4 years ago

    Seasidebaz - Please don't get me wrong, I hope Banjo and VP2 will be great and believe they will be. I just think they'll be played with standard controls that's all. I'm sure they won't be using any new remote of any sort.

  • SomaticSense #44 4 years ago

    ""If this does use the 360 motion controller then it'll have to be completely optional because otherwise the game will well and truly bomb if people are forced to buy a peripheral just to play it."

    What, like Guitar Hero, Buzz, Wii Fit and Singstar?     "

    ...... which are all not platform games, you know, the genre that would be difficult to sell on the 360. That was Darren's point.

  • The-Bodybuilder #45 4 years ago

    Can someone please xplain to me where all this 360 wii-mote confirmation is coming from? ) O_o

  • MyPointIs #46 4 years ago

    The screenshots do look poor.

    Banjo's art direction was beautiful, colorful with genious compact worlds packed with details.

    This one looks empty, clinical and devoid of any fun.

  • Xerx3s #47 4 years ago

    "Looks like a graphical showcase to me from what we've seen so far."

    Yeah but then again, zealots such as letsgo will always deny such a given.

  • Beano #48 4 years ago

    Banjo-Kazooie 3 : Nuts & Bolts ?