9 Genre-Defining Video Game Franchises That Died While You Weren't Looking
8. Banjo-Kazooie
Mario's tenure on the N64 was never planned to be anything but a pit stop. Super Mario 64 arrived to cement the mustachioed icon in gamedom's hall of fame and then moved on to new adventures. Rare's Banjo-Kazooie, which stands shoulder to shoulder with the former as a genre-defining platformer, wasn't so lucky.
Vaulting from one critically acclaimed masterpiece to the next, Banjo-Tooie followed its predecessor's success at the turn of the Millennium, only for the bear and bird tag team's adventures to reach an abrupt end shortly after.
Rare attempted a revival in 2008 with Nuts & Bolts, but the departure from platforming and exploration hastened its sinking faster than an iceberg.
The only avenue to pursue in reliving the series' highs is by picking up Yooka-Laylee - Playtonic Games' crowdfunded spiritual successor - though be warned, it attracted but a fraction of the praise that its ancestors did.
If it's a bonafide sequel you're looking for, don't count on it; Rare's got its hands full with Xbox One exclusive Sea of Thieves which, if the stars align, may actually reach retail within the next 12 months.