20 Great Video Game Franchises That Became UNPLAYABLE

Banjo-Kazooie is a cautionary tale, filled with bitter disappointment and false hope. 

When Rare's whimsical title launched on the Nintendo 64, it seemed like the only 3D platformer on the system that could give Super Mario 64 a run for its money. Banjo-Kazooie was applauded for its innovative puzzles, colourful characters, and expansive worlds, further solidifying Rare's reputation as a top-tier studio. Most intriguing of all, Banjo-Kazooie's epilogue indicated the sequel, Banjo-Tooie, would let players jump from one game to another, which was an unprecedented mechanic at the time.

The "Stop 'N' Swop" feature was phased out of Banjo-Tooie, but it was still a terrific follow-up. But when Rare was sold to Microsoft, it looked like the loveable bear and bird were gone for good.

So, when Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts was announced, the response was pure elation. However, that excitement turned to horror when the threequel debuted. For some bewildering reason, Nuts & Bolts moved away from platforming to focus on vehicle construction. Now, experimentation is crucial to keep a franchise fresh, but this was too much of a departure, especially since the vehicle-building was tedious, time-consuming, and not fun.