Banjo-Kazooie

Banjo-Kazooie is a 1998 platformer developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64, a colorful collect-a-thon starring a honey-loving bear named Banjo and his sharp-tongued red bird companion Kazooie, who rides in his backpack, as they set out to rescue Banjo's kidnapped sister from the vain witch Gruntilda.

The pair explore vibrant, self-contained worlds accessed from a central hub, gathering musical notes, jigsaw pieces called Jiggies, and other collectibles to unlock new areas, while Kazooie enables special moves like flying, egg-shooting, and fast running, and the duo can learn abilities from a mole named Bottles. Sharp humor, memorable characters, catchy area-shifting music, tight controls, and clever level design made it a standout of the era's 3D platformer boom.

Frequently ranked among the best games on its console and often held up as refining the template set by Super Mario 64, it earned a lasting following and a direct sequel. It has been re-released on modern platforms as part of a classics collection and subscription service, keeping this beloved adventure easy to enjoy today.