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RARE community manager explains Banjo's "blocky" look.

Chaos | May 22, 2008 | News | XBOX 360 
Have you wondered why Banjo looks so blocky in his newest game Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, even though its appearing on XBox 360? A RARE community manager recently explained exactly why Banjo looks so "blocky".

I personally like the look. Probably more than I'd like it if Banjo didn't look so "blocky".
In a post over on the Xbox.com forums, Rare community manager George Kelion (under his XBL gamertag Monkeythumbz) has offered an insight into the "blocky" visual style seen in the developer's upcoming Xbox 360 video game Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

"Banjo's new look is meant to be self-referential," explained Kelion. "Videogames have developed their own visual language - from the pixels of 8-bit gaming, through the parallax backgrounds of 16-bit to the blocky, low-poly designs of 32 and 64 bit gaming. We reckon it's fun (and a little bit cool) to purposefully incorporate and celebrate these themes as an artistic endeavour."

"We went down the normal route of adding more polygons, smoothing things off, but in the process lost some of the strong form of the N64 characters so we made a conscious effort to retain an angular look, even exaggerating it in places, that in turn echoes the angular, blocky construction of the vehicles,"

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  • 0 thumbs!
    Donnelly | May 22, 2008
    I've never played Banjo Kazooie before but I thought it looked quite cool.
  • 2 thumbs!
    Xegaldis | May 22, 2008
    No, I've only noticed how Rare have ruined Banjo Kazooie since Microsoft bought them.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Silver Mirror | May 22, 2008
    I can just imagine what the meeting was like when Rare brought them ideas for Banjo and Kazooie 3.

    Rare executive walks in
    "Well Microsoft we have done some brainstorming and have thought up a game quite true to the original but still very innovative"
    Microsoft executive
    "hmm no this won't do at all, where are the vehicles? Where are the explosions? Where are the robots?"
    Rare Executive
    "But sir this is Banjo Kazooie, stuff like that just wouldn't work, not to mention piss of legions of fans"
    Microsoft executive
    "It does now, we have discovered that people seem to like things like that so our philosophy is to put it in every game. Now just steal some customisation ideas from LittleBigPlanet and were golden
    Rare executive
    "yes sir"


    After that a giant spaghetti monster comes in and eats them all, but I think it proves what I'm getting at.

    Banjo Kazooie is dead as far as I'm concerned
  • 0 thumbs!
    BoomStikAngel | May 22, 2008
    I did not car for it then so why should i care for it now?? But it really dosnt look that bad.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Oogity_Boogity_Boo | May 22, 2008
    Eh, it's at least worth a rent. Give the game a chance guys, maybe it'll come through.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Zero and X | May 23, 2008
    I loved, and I mean LOVED Banjo Kazooie and Tooie for the N64 when I was a kid, so Iam feeling very mixed about the new game. I just dont have a solid opinon on whether or not Iam excited for this game. Il wait to actually play it I guess.
  • 3 thumbs!
    BANDITO ATTACK | May 23, 2008
    i think its quite obvious thats hes blocky for nostalgic purposes. :l
    • 0 thumbs!
      Xenctuary | May 24, 2008
      Exactly, I can't see how anyone would think otherwise!
  • 0 thumbs!
    shadow993 | May 24, 2008
    It gives him character. I like it.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Zero and X | May 24, 2008
    I just noticed, he looks creepy when he shows his teeth like that......

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