15 Video Game Franchises That Tried Something Wildly Different (And Failed)

In the late 90s, fans were being treated to what many consider to be the golden era of 3D platformers. Alongside the likes of Crash Bandicoot and Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie was very much a part of that golden era. For many, it remains one of the N64's greatest games, with its visuals, gameplay, level design and soundtrack all receiving overwhelming praise.

A sequel, Banjo-Tooie, helped grow the franchise's reputation as one of the best in the platforming genre. Developer Rare's acquisition by Microsoft in 2002 delayed future sequels, but 6 years after the acquisition, a new Banjo-Kazooie game was released, titled Nuts & Bolts.

However, Nuts & Bolts can only really be called a platformer very loosely. Instead, the bulk of the gameplay sees players constructing custom vehicles from a wide range of different parts, in order to complete a series of objectives. Different objectives require different types of vehicles, and players have full autonomy over what they build. It was a fun, unusual concept, but it was not what fans of the series wanted at the time.

The game is still incredibly divisive to this day, and it was such a radical departure from what the series was known for, that it proved to alienate many fans. Some felt it was an interesting concept but should not have been linked with the Banjo IP, which subsequently never released another mainline game. Years later, there is still plenty of clamour for a proper sequel to the pair of platforming games. Whether that ever comes to fruition remains to be seen.