Banjo-Kazooie XBLA gets date, price

By Robert Purchese Published 25 September, 2008

Late November for ten quid.

Microsoft plans to release Rare's Nintendo 64 platformer Banjo-Kazooie for Xbox Live Arcade on 26th November. The price: 1200 MS Points (GBP 10.20 / EUR 14.40).

Remember, pre-orders of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (released on 14th November) will be given a free download code for the N64 remake - a whole two weeks before general consumption.

This should be useful for those bursting with excitement about using the Stop N' Swop feature. This rewards accomplishments in the Live Arcade game by unlocking features and content in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

Microsoft and Rare also plan to release Banjo-Tooie on Live Arcade early next year.

Head over to our recent hands-on impressions of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts for lots more information.

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 (28) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Retroid #1 3 years ago

    1200? For a tweaked N64 port.

    Sod off.

  • Darren #2 3 years ago

    Never let it be said that Microsoft don't know when to take advantage... they certainly do with their XBLA games. "We know that people want Banjo-Kazooie so let's add 400 points to the expected price... they'll still buy it!". They're certainly not stupid! LOL

    Yes, I'm a teensy weensy bit disappointed it isn't 800 points like Soulcalibur was, if only for consistency (why is this older game more expensive...?) but, that said, this game is still worth twice that price IMO.

  • Darren #3 3 years ago

    Oh and don't people who've pre-ordered B-K: Nuts & Bolts from GAME, etc., get this XBLA game for free...? I'm sure I read that somewhere... if that's the case then it doesn't really matter how much they charge for it! :D

    *EDIT*
    Ooops, the article mentions exactly what I said - missed it for some reason - so... hurray! :)
    Edited by 1 at 25/09/08 @ 13:53

  • Tricky #4 3 years ago

    1200 is fine for this game - it's huge.

    Not a problem for me anyway as I'm preordering Nuts and Bolts and getting it for free, but if I still had to pay then I would have. Superb game.

  • BlueDot #5 3 years ago

    Is it really free with pre-order ? I thought it just meant that you can get the xbla game 2 weeks before anyone else.

  • johnboy_johsnon #6 3 years ago

    who are participating in this pre-order mumbo jumbo?

  • Darren #7 3 years ago

    And Banjo-Tooie early next year...? Oh joyous joy! Never got to play that properly on the N64 so that's going to be a mostly fresh experience for me. Weird how there's no Banjo-Kazooie games for years then three are due to arrive within quick succession... not that I'm complaining! LOL

  • JonFE #8 3 years ago

    Darren, I'm not sure all retailers participate in that offer. I've only seen game.co.uk and play.com offering it so far...

    Edit: Johnboy, I was answering Darren's question above, but, I guess, that goes for you too :)
    Edited by 1 at 25/09/08 @ 13:59

  • Tricky #9 3 years ago

    Game are the first ones to announce they're participating in the pre-order deal.

  • Darren #10 3 years ago

    @BlueDot - This is what it says on GAME's website:

    "Limited offer while stocks last. You will be emailed a code that will allow each GAME customer who places a pre-order to receive a free download code for the original “Banjo Kazooie”. This will allow you to download & play from Nov 14th from Xbox LIVE Arcade. Our customers will also benefit from the “Stop N’ Swop” before anyone else. “Stop N’ Swop” rewards players’ accomplishments in the new game with extra content and features in the Xbox LIVE Arcade game. Customers who have already preordered this game will also receive the bonus offer. A valid email address and Xbox LIVE account is required."

    Reads very much to me like you get Banjo-Kazooie for free...

  • DDevil #11 3 years ago

    I agree with Retroid.

  • Xerx3s #12 3 years ago

    "It's expensive isn't it? "

    Dunno, compared to getting a worn down cartridge here it's rather cheap. Saw a boxed one going for 58 euro the other day.

  • Xerx3s #13 3 years ago

    What shops are participating in the free BKxbla version preorder?

  • chub #14 3 years ago

    play.com are doing the pre-order offer.

  • Rangerwave #15 3 years ago

    I think its actually quite reasonable for the game, but like so many others here, I've already pre-ordered on Play.com. It was the offer for the free game that actually made me go ahead and spend £39.99 when it comes out.

  • rotmm #16 3 years ago

    Xerx3s,

    Funnily enough, I was looking in to this yesterday evening. So far I found Play.com, Game.co.uk, Gamestation.co.uk, Hmv.com.

    Sites that don't seem to are Amazon, Gameseek.co.uk, Gameplay.co.uk, Cdwow.co.uk and I'm not sure about Zavvi as the site wasn't working for me.

    Myself, I'm probably going the HMV route. Always been good for me in the past.

  • Fernando #17 3 years ago

    preorder offer for me thanks

    they know the price is too high themselves so they want more copies of BK 360 sold :)

  • Monkey_Puncher #18 3 years ago

    They've clearly hiked up the price in the hope that it will get more people to pre-order Nuts and Bolts, makes sense I guess. I placed my order with Game earlier, can't wait for the game! Oh and bring on Tooie as well, haven't played it for yonks and it's really hard to find these days on N64.

  • BlueDot #19 3 years ago

    Zavvi does have the preoder offer, for only £35 too. Mine has been placed.

  • andywilkie35 #20 3 years ago

    ordered mine off Play.com ages ago

    1200 points for this game would be fine by me. I had the original and am looking forward to playing it again.

    Saying that, I always wanted Banjo-Tooie and never saw a copy in the depths of Essex that I used to live in, so thats great news that they're releasing that too!

  • dudefella #21 3 years ago

    Fucking ripoff price. 1200 points for great original content like CC and Braid is fine, not for a sodding N64 port. Count me out.

  • rotmm #22 3 years ago

    @BlueDot,

    Yup, £35 from zavvi.co.uk is definately the way to go :)

  • J.C #23 3 years ago

    They could have thrown in Banjo-Tooie as well for that price. ahh, that will come later for another 1200!

    Fuck off microsoft!

  • cyber_nicco #24 3 years ago

    It is pretty clear that you get Banjo-Kazooie free if you preorder.

    Here in the US, I preordered (while reading this) from Amazon and got the same deal.

  • SwedBear #25 3 years ago

    Webhallen in Sweden also has the pre-order deal.

  • DAN.E.B #26 3 years ago

    is it a remake or just a straight port?
    i really hope they have updated the graphics!
    one of my all time fave games!

  • rotmm #27 3 years ago

    DAN

    It looks like a straight port with an updated rendering engine, but as you'd expect nothing in the way of new, higher res textures or models.

    http://ww w.gametrailers.com/player/40452...

  • Kyle #28 3 years ago

    To be fair, it's still only a tenner. And this isn't any old N64 game, it's one of the best and largest. Compare the amount of content in B-K to the amount in, say, Switchball or Uno which are 800 points each.