It may be hard to believe, but theNintendo Switchis about to be eight years old. Nintendo’s hybrid console came out all the way back in March 2017, the same year thatHorizon: Zero DawnandBreath of the Wildwere 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 theNintendo Switch, however. Even though it’s getting up there in age, 2024 has been a fairlystrong 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, likeMetroid Prime 4,Mario & Luigi: Brothership, andPokemon 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 launchedThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, which was met with broadly positive critical reception. Earlier in the year, titles likeUnicorn Overlord,Princess Peach: Showtime,Grounded,Animal Well,Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, andPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorremake 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-Tooiewill finally be heading to the Switchvia the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass subscription service.
Banjo-Tooie is Coming to Nintendo Switch Online on October 25
Banjo-Tooie is a Great Follow-Up to a Beloved N64 Platformer
Banjo-Tooieis the sequel tothe cult-classic 3D platformerBanjo-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-Tooiegives players interconnected non-linear environments to explore, which are far larger than any of the levels in the originalBanjo-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-Tooieand its predecessor came out in an era whenRare 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, fromKiller InstinctandDonkey Kong CountrytoBattletoadsandJet 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, likeKiller Instinct(SNES, 1995),Blast Corps(N64, 1997), andSnake Rattle N' Roll(NES, 1990), are currently playable on the Switch. Eventhe originalBanjo-Kazooiewas added to NSOback 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-Tooiehas 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 ofthe Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass subscription service, though, more people will be able to experience it than ever before. Perhaps the divisive Xbox 360 exclusiveBanjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Boltswill also joinBanjo-KazooieandBanjo-Tooieon theSwitchsomeday, 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
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.
