One of the first 3D platformers released in the 2000s was also one of the last great games released on the elderly N64. Rather than settling on giving gamers more of the same, Rare were more ambitious with Banjo-Tooie making the levels vaster, the puzzles more complex, and the draw distances farther. But ambition doesn't always yield the best results, and there were plenty of people who complained that Tooie felt stark and directionless in comparison to its more condensed predecessor. Many of the areas felt like great sparse plains rather than multi-layered platform worlds, and the N64 didn't quite have the firepower to make these look impressive. Tooie's flaws, however, are offset by the wealth of new gameplay mechanics, with 45 moves to make, a whole bunch of new mini-games to play, and the ability to turn into awesome creatures like a T-Rex and, erm, a washing machine. The use of goofy noises instead of voices is charming to this day, and discovering sneaky shortcuts between levels brings up similar levels of satisfaction as gamers would experience years later with Dark Souls.
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
