Banjo-Kazooie is a 3D platformer developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. The bear Banjo and bird Kazooie explore vibrant themed worlds, collecting Jiggies and musical notes and learning moves — flying, swimming, egg-firing, and more — to rescue Banjo’s sister from the witch Gruntilda. It’s a defining collect-a-thon, praised for its level design, humor, and music.
How To Play Banjo-Kazooie
Control
Action
Control Stick
Move Banjo and Kazooie
A Button
Jump (and flight/higher jumps with Kazooie)
B Button
Attack (claw swipe, peck, rat-a-tat moves)
C Buttons
Use learned moves / fire eggs; camera
Z Trigger
Crouch / special moves
Start
Pause / menu
About Banjo-Kazooie
Release date
NA: June 29, 1998 · EU: July 17, 1998 · JP: December 6, 1998
Sheldon has spent over a decade immersed in retro gaming, from NES classics to arcade gems. He's deeply passionate about preserving gaming history and helping others rediscover these timeless titles. When he's not gaming, Shaun writes about the evolution of video games and their cultural impact.
