Banjo Nuts & Bolts demo on Xbox Live

By Robert Purchese Published 29 October, 2008

Full game almost upon us.

Rare has cobbled together a Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts demo for Xbox Live.

The sampler weighs in at 1.07GB, and contains a small portion of the Showdown Town hub area to explore. There's also a chance to try some multiplayer challenges and make your own contraptions in Mumbo's Garage

Nuts & Bolts arrives for Xbox 360 on 14th November, complete with shiny graphics and a fancy-pants vehicle creator.

We've been rather taken by the game so far, even if we're a little apprehensive about the shift away from platforming towards racing and building. But, thankfully, this all works quite well.

Head over to our most recent hands-on impressions of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts to find out more.

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 (55) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Beano #1 3 years ago

    Anybody here tried it yet?

    I loved the old games on N64 but this really looks bad... hope I'm wrong!

  • Monkey_Puncher #2 3 years ago

    Turned on the download before I left the house this morning, I've liked what I've seen of it so far so hopefully it's as fun to play as it looks.

  • Dizzy #3 3 years ago

    Ooo cool.... will check it out this weekend. Looks awesome.

  • jaangus #4 3 years ago

    please let me know what its like on here . I have got it on preorder but my xbox is still being fixed.

  • kinky_mong #5 3 years ago

    Definitely checking this out tonight. Put my pre-order in last night so I can get the XBLA original for free so I'm hoping this confirms I made the right decision.

  • Darren #6 3 years ago

    I'm really excited about this game... so excited I feel like a little kid at Christmas actually! It's the game I want more than anything else, even Fallout 3.

    I do hope it's not a disappointment after all the waiting for it though. It does look sensational in the videos... all colourful and cute and a bit different... very unlike most other Xbox 360 games, well non-Rare ones anyway, so that should help it stand out from the masses of samey game-ies. If it *is* good though then I hope it is a big, big, big success for Rare unlike the Viva Pinata games which don't seem to have done as well as expected. Perhaps Microsoft should actually... you know... *advertise* this game, eh? Releasing it a week AFTER Gears of War isn't really ideal IMO, I feel it will get overlooked by a lot of people unless it is really exceptional. Should have come out in early October I think or been held back for next February/March when it might have more impact.

    Anyway, I cannot wait to play this demo and be reacquainted with Banjo and co... roll on 5pm! :D

  • andywilkie35 #7 3 years ago

    put my preorder in months ago, looks absolutely brilliant. Gonna be all over the demo tonight

  • Eighthours #8 3 years ago

    Pleasebegoodpleasebegoodpleasebegoodpleasebegood...

  • IronGiant #9 3 years ago

    Rare should be making games for Nintendo they'd reach a much bigger audience.. this has a good chance of bombing like Viva Pinata2 whether it's good or not.

  • Beano #10 3 years ago

    "I'm really excited about this game... so excited I feel like a little kid at Christmas actually! It's the game I want more than anything else, even Fallout 3. "

    Really?

    I'm surprised... think it looks incredible bad based on the movies. Build-a-car-Lego-style-and-go-racing? I want a real 3D platformer!

  • Mortey #11 3 years ago

    I really want to try this tonite, but my wife will be watching Arsenal.....bloody gooners!

  • Scrumhalf #12 3 years ago

    Tried it at the Expo last night, was not overly impressed. However I have managed to give it another go today on the demo, and it is really growing on me very quickly.

    First impressions - it is fun but the physics are a bit weird at times, graphics are very nice at times and overall saw myself buying this where before I was a lot more cagey about it.

  • Garwoofoo #13 3 years ago

    The demo's great. Feels much more like the original Banjo games than I was expecting, and the vehicles are really fun. I'm looking forward to this more than ever now.

  • danteire #14 3 years ago

    Hooray, with this and Tomb Raider demo I have some games to play till Friday (need to find money for Fallout 3)

  • PierrePressure #15 3 years ago

    @Mortey.

    I will gladly watch the gooners with your wife.

    Top girl you got there ;)

  • smurphs #16 3 years ago

    Anyone know if the demo is locked out to us 2nd class silver membership owners?

  • Mortey #17 3 years ago

    @PierrePressure

    She is, if it wasn't for her awful tatse in Football teams and men......

    (It could be worse she could like Man U or Chelski!)

    Edited by 1 at 29/10/08 @ 11:36

  • DUFFKING #18 3 years ago

    Clearly Mr. Beano hasn't read a single preview of this game recently, nor watched any recent videos :p

  • Beano #19 3 years ago

    I have seen a bunch of videoes but nothing that looked like a platformer.. looked like a build-a-racer with a bit platforming tacked on.

    But I can be completely mistaken of course - haven't tried the game after all :)

    Can you give me links to some videoes I can check out?
    Edited by 1 at 29/10/08 @ 11:46

  • GamesConnoisseur #20 3 years ago

    Like some others, for some reasons I m very very keen on this as felt its was a new direction and quite creative at allowing everyone opporunity to produce something individualistic. Sure not to the same scale as LBP but would be fun seeing if your product beats everyone else in multi player sessions.

    I dont think its bad looking or bad direction to take the platforming franchise forward, If it was just third iteration of Banjo and Kazooie, I would have not be as interested.

  • cyacomini #21 3 years ago

    Well I'll be trying this tonight for sure - looking forward to it for a while now.

    Started playing Fable 2 last night, but my 2 rotties went mental at the dog scenes so I had to switch it off!

    Beano : Nuts & Bolts is no more a racing game than MGS4 is an 'interactive' movie...

    *runs

  • Beano #22 3 years ago

    Let's not turn this into a PS3 vs. 360 thread or let's-bash-the-skeptic. I'm just asking for links showing the platforming elements.

  • cyacomini #23 3 years ago

    Here you go then - bit of driving and platformy stuff

    [link url=http:// www.gametrailers.com/player/40959.html
    ]http://ww w.gametrailers.com/player/40959...[/link]

  • Beano #24 3 years ago

    Thanks :)

    I will check it out later - Gametrailers are down right now :(

  • Beano #25 3 years ago

    Ok, seen it... no platforming shown what so ever.

    Still looks like a adventure where the player collects bits to buid a racer. Far from the old platformer-focused games.

    On the positive side, it looks different and original... but unfortunately also very dull to me. I want a platformer!

    Edited by 1 at 29/10/08 @ 12:27

  • McGeeza #26 3 years ago

    My thoughts on a quick go of the demo - I've not played any previous Banjo games

    Visuals aren't great. Quite a bit of slowdown (mostly during a four vehicle race around the first land and mostly when the other vehicle and/or water on screen). Also jaggies are quite bad. Lovely art style though of course. Reminded me quite a bit of Viva Pinata (although not quite as slick although this is a lot more busy so comparison probably unfair).

    Gameplay was ok for what I played. The Vehicle workshop is brilliant and I can imagine creating mental vehicles being the games main draw for lots of people. Tried a race and a 'football' game. The race was OK. Took my boys (age 7 & 8) a few attempts to get used to the handling before they won. The vehicles were on long stalk legs so was quite easy to get them tangled up and thrown off track. The football mini game was a bit dull really, entailing getting a oversized footie into a goal while avoiding obstacles. Not much of a challenge.

    Overall I would say a game for my kids when the price comes down a bit. I imagine you'll love it if you are a Banjo fan though.

  • Xerx3s #27 3 years ago

    Downloading.... It's great to be self employed. ;)

  • JonFE #28 3 years ago

    "It's great to be self employed. ;)"

    Is it also great when pay-day comes? :s

  • barchetta #29 3 years ago

    Played very briefly, then watched my 5yr old try to navigate up the hill to the first globe.

    Looks very nice (some slowdown as mentioned earlier- and some pop-in as seems norm at the moment) and the soundtrack is from the Wallace and Gromit mould which is no bad thing.

    Upon checking the game looks to be 7+ but I'm still surprised that much of the explanatory stuff is text based (and none too legible on an SDTV) with the usual 'character grunts and mumbles' instead of decent voice acting. I'm sure many 7 year olds won't take it all in - but then maybe the game is aimed as much at the existing Banjo audience?

    Will need to spend a bit more time on this but was hoping for an easily accessible game to share with the kids - more so than VP:TIP.

  • Monkey_Puncher #30 3 years ago

    The reason for it being text based is part of the charm of the first games was the strange noises the animals made when they speak, if they'd have added voice acting the fans of the old games would have been up in arms. I'm personally glad they stuck with that style, but I can understand that people new to the series my find it a bit odd.

  • Darren #31 3 years ago

    I personally think it is good that Banjo-Kazoiie: N&B relies on the text not spoken dialogue as it encourages people to read for a change, especially youngsters who might be playing the game. My young nephew actually improved his reading skills by playing the first two games on the N64 so it isn't all bad. Anyway, Banjo doesn't speak as such and I think it would have spoilt the game if he had in this 360 version. He is an animal after all, not a human being! ;)

  • Beano #32 3 years ago

    Yes, an animal which use tools and build complex mechanical vehicles... speaking would be completely unrealistic :)
    Edited by 1 at 29/10/08 @ 13:12

  • Slipstream #33 3 years ago

    Funny because when I first saw 'Nuts and Bolts' in the title back when this was announced, I immediatly thought Ratchet and Clank.

  • barchetta #34 3 years ago

    Yeah, fully understand not giving the characters 'human' speech but they don't seem that expressive in their range of noises/grunts!

    Oh and I'm sure Dead Rising was more legible on my SDTV than this and look how much grief that brought on itself.

  • Stuz359 #35 3 years ago

    Just played the demo.

    Not sure about this. The vehicle builder is great, could definately come up with some good designs. The graphics are brilliant, looks like Super Mario Galaxy's wet dream. But through playing it, I personally did not enjoy it that much. Maybe the full game itself may change my mind but I just didn't find it that fun to play.

  • Pastici #36 3 years ago

    I don't like it, never really been a fan of vehicle based games, too much of a departure for me :(.
    Shame, it looks nice.
    Edited by 1 at 29/10/08 @ 14:34

  • ronuds #37 3 years ago

    Sometimes text-based instructions are better because you don't have to worry about missing someone saying something vital.

    Can't wait to play!

  • Ninja_Tino #38 3 years ago

    I did enjoy what I played (which is good as it's been the only game I've EVER preordered - need the original) but I hope that there is a lot of variety as the game continues. Also, hoping for moments of proper platforming as well. I can't see why some challenges simply don't require a vehicle but good old fashioned jumping. Not that I'm complaining too much, I'm sure the vehicle customisation will be fun.

  • Landmaster #39 3 years ago

    Banjo-Kazooie & Tooie are amongst my favourite games ever.
    Actually they're probably my faves as they're the only games i've actually kept with my 64!
    I've been waiting for this for a long time and while the vehicle-based platforming had me sceptical at first i really couldn't care less anymore.
    My Girlfriend's buying me an Elite, Banjo-Kazooie N&B, Fable 2 and Gears 2 for Christmas... Will be a long wait. ):
    Selling my PS3 too as there will be no point in having a 360 and PS3 and a Wii as i've recently realised during nights in friends houses on XBL, the PS3 seems to just be a more expensive 360 but just not as good...

    Whoops. (:

  • Landmaster #40 3 years ago

    Are Reviews far off by the way?
    I'd love a good review right about now :)

  • muscleblade #41 3 years ago

    "there will be no point in having a 360 and PS3 and a Wii as i've recently realised during nights in friends houses on XBL, the PS3 seems to just be a more expensive 360 but just not as good..."

    Indeed!

  • Beano #42 3 years ago

    Tried the demo and while the first impressions were quite good and graphics are nice (but unpolished), the gameplay seems very annoying.
    The handling of the vehicles is off - flips and skids all over the place and sticks to other vehicles... terrible!
    There is virtually no platforming to be found here (as some has claimed) and was simply not fun for me, sorry. Hopefully the demo does not represent the full game.

    I predict Eurogamer's score to be 8 or 9 :)
    Edited by 1 at 29/10/08 @ 16:37

  • ThePissartist #43 3 years ago

    "Pleasebegoodpleasebegoodpleasebegoodpleasebegood... "

    +1

  • TiredRiver #44 3 years ago

    Not a good game.
    Very confusing. I thought it would be perfect for my 6 year old but it won't work.
    Basically it is very very stupid.

  • TiredRiver #45 3 years ago

    Tomb Raider demo yesterday was pretty good and I liked it.

    Scratch Banjo off the list and now it is down to two:
    GOW2 & Tomb Raider.

    BtW Fallout is very overrated.

  • Pastici #46 3 years ago

    You're overrated, see what I did there? :D

  • Beano #47 3 years ago

    @TiredRiver : Get both... or.... get GOW2 first and buy TR:U 8 hours later when you have completed GOW2 ;)

    EDIT: TR:U is out a week later than GOW2 so it's not really a choice now is it? ;)
    Edited by 1 at 29/10/08 @ 17:26

  • bad09 #48 3 years ago

    TBH after seeing it yesterday Banjo is well off my list, I know you can't really get a feel for a game after only watching my girlfriend playing it but I thought it was terrible (couldn't be bothered to try it myself I was that unimpressed). Oh well the original is on live soon, that and LBP will cover the cute platformer genre for me this winter :)

    / moves on.

  • BadBoyBonner #49 3 years ago

    Just been messing around for a few hours building and flying many different vehicles I have constructed - personally I love it.

    Even though you are only allowed to drive the "trolley" round the maps hub - you can go into Mubo's garage and build away (even saving blueprints) and test the to your hearts content in the Test Track - which is selectable from inside the garage.

    Graphics are fab (could possibly do with reworking the shadow LOD transformation).

    Loved the quip from Grunty about fans hating Banjo's new Square nose - she was right!

  • RedSparrows #50 3 years ago

    I liked it. I would have preferred a platformer, but it's fun all the same, and the aesthetic is gorgeous. The nature of the development in game suggests later levels will be crazy and awesome ^^

  • technofranki #51 3 years ago

    I've played the demo, and I think I like it. Need to play it some more, but I'm excited.

    I've made some YouTube videoes that I've posted on my blog.

  • TiredRiver #52 3 years ago

    I'm retracting what I said.

    I gave it a second chance and after spending some time inside it I like it.
    Its nostalgic and fresh. The contraption building had my two kids in giggles.


  • rotmm #53 3 years ago

    @technofranki,

    Credit to the blog. One of the better I've seen.

  • muscleblade #54 3 years ago

    I need to play it more i guess the gamepaly was a little confusing so ive had to read the hints alot. It wasnt all that fun tbh. I had high hopes for this but wasnt even considering Tomb Raider Underworld. The demos has almost turned my opinions completly on both games. Next is Mirrors Edge.
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/08 @ 11:48

  • Fleisch #55 3 years ago

    been playing the demo, really not a fan at the moment and I loved the last three (inc GBA one!). Banjo just feels totally gimped without any sort of double jump or kazooie manuevers. I keep instinctively holding the shoulder button down and pressing what should be a "C" button and expecting kazzoies legs to pop out and do the fast walki/walking up slopes.

    Other than that the game worlds are convoluted and confusing. Theres no sense of direction or purpose. Again, being so heavily reliant on vehicles has removed any platoforming as far as I could see. Really not my scene (but I want it to be given my past B&K experiences)

    I think I'll prob be cancelling my pre-order but desperate to like this game!!!! Definately get the original on XBLA, or might just plug in the N64 again and save the cash!
    Edited by 1 at 03/11/08 @ 11:53