UK Banjo pre-orders net XBLA version

By Tom Bramwell Published 9 September, 2008

Including two-week head-start.

Although it confirmed the Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts release date a couple of weeks ago, Microsoft has now added that UK pre-orders will be rewarded with free access to the Xbox Live Arcade version of Banjo-Kazooie as well.

The XBLA game is due out "a couple of weeks" after the 14th November launch, but US gamers have already been told they will get it free if they pre-order - and that they will get it on 14th November, rather than having to wait for the regular release. Microsoft UK has confirmed we get the two-week head-start as well, although it has yet to announce participating retailers. We've been told to expect more details in the next week or so.

As followers of the series know, there's even more added incentive to consider adding the XBLA game to your collection, because it will unlock content in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts - and vice versa, thanks to the dormant "Stop 'N' Swop" feature included in the original N64 Banjo-Kazooie and repurposed to add value to this long-awaited duo of Xbox 360 releases.

For more on Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & bolts, which mixes 3D platforming with racing and other gameplay styles thanks to a nifty vehicle-creation tool, check out our extensive Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts hands-on with single-player and multiplayer, and look out for another round of impressions later this week.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (27) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Vice.Destroyer #1 3 years ago

    Free XBLA game (which is a classic) if you pre-order a must-buy game? Sold.

  • Julie1364 #2 3 years ago

    Tell me where and I’ll be pre-ordering

  • Xerx3s #3 3 years ago

    Will there be similar things in other countries? Come one EG, stop just copy pasting what the PR outlets hand you and ask the relevant questions.

  • Lexx87 #4 3 years ago

    Already got my order in at Game, which I assume (hope) will be participating. Awesome news!

  • viper_h #5 3 years ago

    Awesome. Was hoping for some news like this!

    Hope Amazon participate.
    Edited by 1 at 09/09/08 @ 10:08

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #6 3 years ago

    MS have just retracted their press release, so it may be that this ain't the case anymore.

    However, I think they just want to confirm which retailers will be offering the "free Banjo download" code - so they don't end up with a confusing "Fable II Pub Games" situation again.

  • JonFE #7 3 years ago

    Let it be from play.com as well this time please...

  • J.C #8 3 years ago

    They should have thrown in banjo tooie into the mix as well. i never played the second one :(

  • toythatkills #9 3 years ago

    To save more money, just buy Banjo Arcade for a fiver when it's released, and during those few extra weeks Nuts and Bolts will have dropped in price about 60%.

    Bargain!

  • septimus #10 3 years ago

    GAME obviously, maybe Play and Amazon?

  • sneetch #11 3 years ago

    Ga-huh! Nice. Can't wait to see Loggo again. :)

    @Xerx3s

    Agreed, how's about a wee bit of digging EG? It's nice to get all this UK news but it's not a lot of use to people outside the UK (although I'm sure the UK chains operating here will have the same offer for me).

  • miiiguel #12 3 years ago

    hey viper_h, help me out! Do you know anything else about this? I buy almost all my games at Amazon UK, although I do live in Lisbon...

    /wishes to be in London, where shit happens - more of it at least/

  • GlassMoon #13 3 years ago

    I just hope they price the game as cheaply as the american version as well.

  • nbnz #14 3 years ago

    How about a comment on the pricing. Officially $40 in the us whereas retailers here selling for £40 (Amazon, Play, Game)

  • miiiguel #15 3 years ago

    Any of you, got a similar offer, ever? If so, how does it work? Is it a code? Well, I'm asking because of what I said previously.

  • JonFE #16 3 years ago

    farticus, tax has nothing to do with this. 40 GBP are approximately to 70 USD, huge mark-up to justify on taxes.

    For example, let's assume that the 40 USD price is pre-tax. With a 20% sales tax it would come up to 48 USD, which would be around 27 GBP. Add to that 20% VAT and it comes up to 32-33 GBP, still 7-8 pounds cheaper than its asking retail price of 40 GBP (or 45 GBP RRP) - and that's an example where I probably over-taxed everything ;-)
    Edited by 1 at 09/09/08 @ 12:03

  • WillyWanka #17 3 years ago

    I never knew banjo original was coming out! HUZZAHHH!
    \ o/

  • DrDamn #18 3 years ago

    @Farticus
    All quoted US prices tend to be pre-tax as the tax applied is set at the state level. Standard game prices in the US are $60 so a big new release at $40 is effectively a semi-budget release. They should do the same here, particularly as it is a MS title - but we could have another Test Drive Unlimited situation.
    Edited by 1 at 09/09/08 @ 12:43

  • DrDamn #19 3 years ago

    @JonFE
    VAT is Sales tax ... so you've effectively added it twice there.

  • sneetch #20 3 years ago

    I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a cheaper price "Viva Pinata: Trouble In Paradise" also retails for US $40 (normally $60 for a game) and £40 (normally... well, £40). I guess MS is happy with their pricing here.

    That is the only reason I've not bought it, I'm tired of getting screwed, actually the price screw-over is starting to leave a sour taste in my mouth so I might not bother.

  • DrDamn #21 3 years ago

    Interesting. Looking at Amazon.com both Banjo and Viva Pinata Trouble in Paradise has a $39.99 price point. On Amazon.co.uk VP has an RRP of £40 but is being sold for £30. BKN&B is still RRP £50 and being sold for £40.

  • sneetch #22 3 years ago

    @DrDamn

    Wait... is it normally £50 (I'm not from the UK) apologies to Rare and MS if it is. My mini-rant was out of line then.

    Woah. Did I just apologise to MS? I need to lie down.

  • JonFE #23 3 years ago

    @DrDamn, I know :)

    I added it twice to illustrate that even if we were to add EU VAT to the equivalent US *retail* price (the one you actually pay) it would *still* be cheaper than it currently is...

    ...which is silly for a 1st party game on the undecided console battleground that Europe currently is...

    I'm guessing that MS feels Banjo would stand a better chance at the gun-addicted US retail as a semi-budget title, but I'm sure that the game would benefit from a similar tactic applied over here as well.

  • Razorus #24 3 years ago

    Wait, wait, you mean the N64 classic Banjoo Kazooie? Suddenly I'm interested.

  • Toothball #25 3 years ago

    Hmm, they're releasing loads of games with extra pre-order content these days. Not sure whether I'm a big fan of this trend, but it does have me somewhat tempted now. Played the original many times already though, but the new bits might be interesting. Only takes a few hours to finish anyway.

  • LunatikCajun #26 3 years ago

    @ Toothball
    "Hmm, they're releasing loads of games with extra pre-order content these days."

    I would guess its to try and get the sales in early, when the sale price is higher, and to cut down on people waiting for the inevitable price drop.

    Doesnt always seem worth it, *cough*FableII*cough*, but on this occassion, it just might be.

  • sneetch #27 3 years ago

    @frod
    "BURGERNOMICS PEOPLE

    if I see another direct comparison of $ and £ prices which ignore cost of living (and also US sales tax which is never included in RRP), then I'll stab J Allard in the face."

    This kind of sweeping statement catches all kinds of people in it; you never know who you're talking to. However, I'll assume you're talking to me. I (as you may have noticed) deliberately discussed price points rather than converted prices; if a given company generally sells their games at $X, £Y and €Z it they then offer a new game at $X - 10, I expect the prices to be £Y - y1 and €Z - z1 where y1 and z1 are (very) roughly equivalent to $10 (this normally boils down to about £5 or €10).

    Thankfully this appears to be the case here.

    Don't forget to check around, I bought Infinite Undiscovery over here on Friday from Gamestop for €50, GAME are trying to charge €70, I also checked about today and GAME are charging €65 for Viva Piñata, Gamestop are looking for €50, the way that is I think I'll be preordering from Gamestop.