Banjo-Kazooie set to hit Nintendo Switch Online expansion pack on Jan. 20
What you need to know
- Nintendo finally announced a release date for Banjo-Kazooie on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
- The company previously confirmed in December that the game would be hitting the expansion pack in January, but we didn't know an exact date.
Nintendo fans have been eagerly waiting for Nintendo 64 classic Banjo-Kazooie to hit the NIntendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. The company announced Tuesday evening that the game will be dropping onto the service Jan. 20.
The announcement also came with a brand new trailer, which you can view below. It doesn't show anything new, but does show off some nostalgic footage and gives players a look at what the game will look like on the service. While the expansion pack allows players to check out ports of classic Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis, it doesn't do a whole lot to change up or remaster the experience, so the N64 graphics make sense.
Embark on a wild quest with an unlikely pair! The adventures of Banjo and Kazooie begin here!
Banjo-Kazooie is coming to #NintendoSwitch for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members on 1/20! #Nintendo64 pic.twitter.com/R349r8gbvDEmbark on a wild quest with an unlikely pair! The adventures of Banjo and Kazooie begin here!
Banjo-Kazooie is coming to #NintendoSwitch for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members on 1/20! #Nintendo64 pic.twitter.com/R349r8gbvD— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 19, 2022January 19, 2022
One of the biggest criticisms lobbed at the Switch Online expansion pack was that it didn't have enough games to justify the $50 per year price tag (and it was $80 per year for the family pack). Since its launch in October, Nintendo hasn't done much to add to the catalog, but it has been slowly adding some requested games, like Paper Mario, consistently.
It was unclear for a while if Banjo-Kazooie would come to newer Nintendo platforms. Developer Rare was bought by Microsoft in 2002 after spending years making games for Nintendo, and there were questions as to whether licensing deals would impact future ports, remasters, or entries in the series. Later Banjo-Kazooie titles all launched on Xbox Live Arcade.
Retro everything
Lots of retro goodness under one roof.
The Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack offers not only online connectivity, but access to cloud saves, Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64, and Sega Genesis titles. Subscribers get special offers for retro-themed controllers, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons players can access the Happy Home Paradise DLC for free if they're a subscriber.
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Carli is the Gaming Editor across Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore. Her last name also will remind you of a dinosaur. Follow her on Twitter or email her at carli.velocci@futurenet.com.