Super Smash Bros. Most Wanted: Banjo-Kazooie

In order to be a strong addition to the Super Smash Bros. roster, an “approaching challenger” must be iconic, unique, and offer a broad set of attacks. I considered many characters that appear throughout the Nintendo universe, and this duo really fits the “bill” and “packs” a punch!

Soon before the turn of the century, consoles capable of full 3D environments that were powerful enough to handle full motion and camera control were finally affordable for consumers and accessible to developers. This facilitated the realization of revolutionary 3D platformers, like the 1996 masterpiece Super Mario 64. Developed almost concurrently with Mario’s first non-linear adventure, the British second-party developer Rareware (now simply known as Rare) was working on a platformer that would follow their hit 2D platforming series: Donkey Kong Country. Known in 1995 as “Project Dream” (an adventure game starring a boy named Edison who fought the pirate Captain Blackeye) the game that became Banjo-Kazooie started development for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The IP was soon transferred to the Nintendo 64, and a bear named Banjo replaced Edison.

wanted their new protagonist to be more mobile, i.e. able to double jump and run fast when necessary, so they added wings and skinny legs coming out of Banjo’s backpack. It was then that Kazooie was born.

Rare’s Banjo-Kazooie had done something revolutionary for the time: allow the player control two entities simultaneously, whose combined abilities made one extraordinary character. Paired with discoverable and upgradeable abilities, Banjo/Kazooie became the most powerful platformer character imaginable. They could easily outmaneuver, out-muscle, and outsmart any other hero in gaming. Move over Mario, because this duo can definitely clean your pipes!

Standard Moves

Banjo and Kazooie’s standard moves would be executed mostly by Banjo and be fairly powerful due to Banjo’s bear strength. A typical powerful punch combo would come from Banjo’s paws. For the left and right standard attacks, a single strong punch with a slight delay would damage the opponents greater than the single button combo. The up attack would be a back flip kick assisted by Kazooie’s wings. As you may expect, the double jump would also be assisted by Kazooie, flapping her wings to boost the duo that little bit higher. In addition to the double jump, the pair would be able to continue flying for a few flaps, similar to how Kirby could fly in earlier games. While in the air, the down attack would consist of Banjo forming a rolling ball and executing a downward punch. Basically, all the standard moves would be the same as Banjo’s in the original games with the addition of a standing down attack. For that, I imagine a powerful spinning leg sweep.

The only standard move that I would imagine them having that Banjo does not execute would be how the duo runs across the screen. For that, Kazooie would pop her legs out of the pack and scurry across the screen making that familiar sound when she would do the same move in the original game.

Special Moves

In order to showcase both character’s abilities and balance the game play, the special moves would be performed mostly by Kazooie and cause less damage than the standard attacks. For the single button special attack, Kazooie would pop out of the pack, lift Banjo off the ground a bit, and do a triple beak peck. The left and right moves would be egg projectiles that explode on contact. The animation would involve Banjo turning his pack around and Kazooie sticking her butt out of the top flap to shoot the eggs. If charged, the explosion would be bigger, bursting with music notes and puzzle pieces.

The up special move would be a flying, spinning beak attack that results in the duo gliding back to the ground. The aerial down attack would be a flip and ground pound with Banjo forming a cannon ball and Kazooie pointing her beak down through the backpack, a sort of cross between Mario’s ground pound and Link’s sword stab. As for the ground special attack, Banjo would quickly drop to his stomach and Kazooie would pop out of the pack horizontally with a strong beak stab that would launch the opposition diagonally up. I took creative license with about half of these moves, but for the most part, they were taken from the original games.

Final Smash

One of the more interesting mechanics in the original games were the transformations that the duo could undergo. For a final smash attack, I would like to see Mumbo Jumbo, the power-granting witch doctor, aid our heroes. While the animation of Mumbo appearing happens, Kazooie would zip the duo around the screen until Mumbo finishes his short appearance dance. At the same time, a speech bubble would fade into the bottom of the screen so Grunty could chatter some kind of disparaging rhyme at the trio.

Once the flying bear-bird combo stops in front of their magical benefactor, he would then transform them through the ant, the pumpkin, the bee, the washing machine and finally the T-Rex.

As T-Rex Banjo-Kazooie, who would be roughly twice the size of Banjo normally, the player would slowly move around smashing opponents off screen. I would imagine this would last only about ten seconds.

Stage

When I think of stages in Banjo-Kazooie, my favorite has always been the sandy Egyptian world. It was such a departure from the boldly colorful, lush jungle stages from most of the games.

Unfortunately, it’s not quite representative of the game as a whole, so I would prefer the typical jungle scene. On the right of the stage, Mumbo’s skull-shaped hut would act as a platform on top as well as a wall that would separate the players from a waterfall to the far right. Trees and rope bridges would form two multi-level platforms on the left, connecting other floating platforms. Near the center of the stage, a break-away straw hut would allow characters to fall down to a lower level, like in the Zelda’s Castle stage. However, instead of falling into the abyss below, the characters can fight in a shallow pool formed by the waterfall above.

And of course, off in the distance, Grunty’s tower looms over the combatants.

Theme Music

Of course, all of the music of the original game is amazing, so a full soundtrack medley would have to be the music of the stage. The music would have to include the intro theme, Grunty’s theme, and the first main level music. Just listen to the first 10 minutes of the music I’ve posted, and you’ll see why.

Likeliness of Banjo & Kazooie Joining the Smash Cast

Slim to none. In 2002, Rare was purchased in full by Microsoft for the tune of $375 million USD. In 2008, the third major console appearance of Banjo and Kazooie came out on Xbox 360. Something tells me that Microsoft would never allow one of their (now) first-party IPs to appear on another platform. I guess that means just one thing…

Although cute and cuddly, Banjo and Kazooie would really kick some ass in Super Smash Bros.Wii-U. With such a vast move set at their disposal, the playful-looking pair would do some real damage to the other Smash Bros. Their mobility, strength, and versatility on the field of battle may only be rival to Pitt from Kid Icarus. Kazooie’s speedy legs, gift of winged flight, and egg-shooting ability paired with Banjo’s brute strength and killer chops on the ol’ five-string make the pair a force to be reckoned with. I know that their appearance on another Nintendo console may never happen, but I sure hope it does someday.