It may be hard to believe, but the Nintendo Switch is about to be eight years old. Nintendo's hybrid console came out all the way back in March 2017, the same year that Horizon: Zero Dawn and Breath of the Wild were released. Normally, when a system has been on the market for such a long period of time, the final years of its lifespan tend to be pretty lackluster in terms of first-party releases and exciting new announcements. This hasn't been the case with the Nintendo Switch, however. Even though it's getting up there in age, 2024 has been a fairly strong year for the Switch, all things considered. Nintendo has had multiple well-received showcases this year, and has revealed a handful of major exclusives that are coming to its console in the near future, like Metroid Prime 4, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
2024 has also seen the release of many high-quality games on the Nintendo Switch, both exclusive and multiplatform. Just last month, for instance, Nintendo launched The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, which was met with broadly positive critical reception. Earlier in the year, titles like Unicorn Overlord, Princess Peach: Showtime, Grounded, Animal Well, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake made their debuts on the Switch, as well. That's not all, though, because even more games are coming to the console in 2024. On October 25, in particular, Banjo-Tooie will finally be heading to the Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass subscription service.
Xbox Insider Has Bad News For Banjo-Kazooie Fans
Fans of Banjo-Kazooie may be disappointed to learn about the status of a new game in the family-friendly 3D platformer series.
Banjo-Tooie is Coming to Nintendo Switch Online on October 25
Banjo-Tooie is a Great Follow-Up to a Beloved N64 Platformer
Banjo-Tooie is the sequel to the cult-classic 3D platformer Banjo-Kazooie. It was developed by the famous British studio Rare and released exclusively on the Nintendo 64 in 2000. In terms of scope, the game is considerably more ambitious than its predecessor. Banjo-Tooie gives players interconnected non-linear environments to explore, which are far larger than any of the levels in the original Banjo-Kazooie. In addition, the game features a multiplayer minigame mode that can support up to four players. While the plot, which follows Banjo and Kazooie's escapades as they try to stop the evil witch Gruntilda from destroying the island they inhabit, isn't much to write home about, the gameplay still holds up to this day.
Rare Games Weren't Available on Nintendo's Modern Consoles, But That's Been Changing Lately
Banjo-Tooie and its predecessor came out in an era when Rare was synonymous with the Nintendo brand. During the 1990s, the British developer made a name for itself by releasing hit after hit on Nintendo's consoles, from Killer Instinct and Donkey Kong Country to Battletoads and Jet Force Gemini. After Rare's acquisition by Microsoft in 2002, however, the company stopped supporting Nintendo's home systems. Because of this, Rare games were hard to come by on Nintendo consoles for quite some time .
Fortunately, an assortment of titles from Rare's back catalog, specifically ones that were released on retro Nintendo consoles, have been coming to Nintendo Switch Online these past few years. Many of the Microsoft-owned studio's games, like Killer Instinct (SNES, 1995), Blast Corps (N64, 1997), and Snake Rattle N' Roll (NES, 1990), are currently playable on the Switch. Even the original Banjo-Kazooie was added to NSO back in 2022, finally making the title accessible on a modern platform other than Xbox.
Banjo-Tooie Will Be Available to More Players Than Ever Before, Just Like Banjo-Kazooie
Like its predecessor, Banjo-Tooie has also been exclusive to Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in terms of current-gen systems. Now that the game will soon be available to all members of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass subscription service, though, more people will be able to experience it than ever before. Perhaps the divisive Xbox 360 exclusive Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts will also join Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie on the Switch someday, but given that it was never released on a Nintendo console to begin with, fans probably shouldn't hold their breath for that to happen.
Nintendo Switch
- Brand
- Nintendo
- Battery
- 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required
- Dimensions
- 13.7 x 7.8 x 3.66 inches
- Weight
- 2.65 pounds
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid portable and home console that aims to be the only gaming system anyone needs. The hybrid controller is an undisputed success because it provides a high degree of portable visual quality and converts easily into a home console.
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