Finishing Banjo-Kazooie, Rare’s superb first platformer for the N64, brought a mix of emotions. Delight, in seeing that ryhming witch Gruntilda beaten once and for all. Intrigue, at the possibility of a sequel. And utter revulsion, at the cringe-worthy name Rare had chosen for it. Banjo-Tooie? A nation cringed.<br><br>We held out hope that it was only a working title. We prayed to out gods that Rare would drop the stupid name. We even wrote pleading letters to their CEOs, Tim and Chris Stamper themselves, offering them bribes and hookers if they’d change it. Alas, to no avail. Banjo-Tooie is the chosen name, and we’re stuck with it. Perhaps all that money has gone to Rare’s collective head.<br><br>But enough criticising – awful, awful name or not, Banjo-Tooie should be superb. Having learned the art of 3D platforming in the original Banjo-Kazooie, and honed the art further in last Christmas’ Donkey Kong 64, Banjo-Tooie is Rare’s last, best hope at stealing Miyamoto’s platforming crown. Just as DK64 proved to be twice as big as BK, Banjo-Tooie should be even more expansive than Rare’s monkey epic. With eight worlds to explore – the same number as DK64, and interestingly one less than the original BK – it should easily best the size of DK.<br><br>The greatest addition of Banjo-Tooie so far is the revelation that Banjo and Kazooie can finally split up and go their separate ways. It’s a bit like the Divorce Referendum. Only with bears and birds, obviously. Like DK64, there’ll almost certainly be locations where Banjo can go and Kazooie cannot, and vice-versa. Oh, and Mumbo-Jumbo – the BK shamen and Rare’s best character ever – will also be controllable, though mysteriously only "at certain points during the game". Hmmmm.<br><br>With the trebling of characters controllable in the game, new moves will be a certainty. Unlike DK64, where all 5 characters shared the same basic set of moves, BT’s bear/bird/shamen-thing combination should ensure that each character controls totally differently. Kazooie is unlikely to use Banjo’s arse-stomp, and Banjo isn’t likely to be flying anywhere on his own. New character changing abilities are also likely to be present – with one released screenshot showing the promised T-Rex change.<br><br>With DK64 putting an Expansion Pak into the homes of most N64 owners, BT is also certain to employ it. Rare, in typical paranoid Rare fashion, have only released a handful of screenshots – and they’re the last ones you’ll see for a while, so get ‘em while they’re hot – but from what we have seen, the textures are far sharper, the detail better, and Rare promise we’ll see real time lighting effects. Another promise is that we’ll to Banjo’s infernal camera system. We hope and pray.<br><br>Of course, the big question on everyone’s lips is "Wouldn’t a bear attack a bird instead of carrying it around in its backpack?"; swiftly followed with "What’s up with the secret areas that Mumbo showed us at the end of BK?" Well, we’re as baffled as you for the first one – it makes no sense dammit! – but light will soon be shed on the second, more pressing question. The hidden areas of BK – the ice key and the two ‘?’ eggs that Mumbo revealed at the end of the game – will finally be available for collection come BT’s release, but as to what they’ll open, or how they’ll be accessible – secret code? Connectible cartridge? Controller Pak? – still remain mysteries.<br><br>Still, however it’s done, it’ll add an extra dimension to a game that could be in trouble for being too similar to both its prequel and DK64. While we’ve got no doubt it’ll be able to put one over on BK, surpassing the monkey quest that crammed just about everything in will be a difficult job indeed. However, with a promising multiplayer mode, prequel compatability and Rare’s best characters yet, it’s a sure-fire hit. Rare, of course, would rather peel their collective skin off and roll around in salt than give a definite release date, but somewhere in between Perfect Dark and Zelda Gaiden would seem likely. The big summer hit? Our money’s on the bear. <br></P>