Move over Mario, there's a new bear in town
The worlds you explore in this game are extremely well developed. Primarily you have the witch’s castle, a huge maze in itself, which is the hub through which you access the other worlds. These other worlds you go to are both innovative, and yet rooted in a kind of logic. What I mean is that you never have an environment, just for the sake of the game. These worlds you explore run the full gamut of possibilities. Explore a pirate cove, go underwater to explore a mechanical fish, visit the creepy haunted house, and go to a giant tree and explore it during all of its seasons.
As you travel through these areas you will meet various people (and items) who can help you on your quest. Of course you never get something for nothing, so you usually have to collect some item or perform some task for them. While most of these characters are specific to their world, there are some exceptions. There is Monty the mole who can be found on several levels and will teach Banjo & Kazooie new moves that will allow them to defeat seemingly invincible enemies. Gruntilda’s sister the good fairy who is hidden throughout the castle and who can give you insight into Gruntilda’s little secrets. And finally there is Mumbo-Jumbo, a comical witch-doctor who can change you into various animals to allow you access to new areas and solve specific puzzles.
With bear and bear combined, it is amazing how many different moves you will be required to master to complete this game. There are several moves that require only Banjo or Kazooie alone, but the best moves are when you have to combine their talents. From flying to swimming to running, from bashing to pecking, to jumping, you’ll never get tired their marvelous antics. And if that weren’t enough when Mumbo-Jumbo changes you into different animals there may be new moves to be learned as well.
Overall I think this is a game against which other games of its type should be compared against. It is a game that I don’t get tired of playing because there are so many interesting things to do that it never seems repetitive.