Banjo-Kazooie -- Final Opinion.

I've completed Banjo-Kazooie, the Xbox Arcade version, at just over seventeen hours. I collected everything there was to collect including the now active stop and swap items to be used in Nuts & Bolts. The gameplay has remaned unchanged. It's just as it was ten years ago on the Nintendo 64. Some things have changed with age and perception though. I remember the game's worlds as these massive sprawling levels. They're not really massive. In fact I was amazed at how compact they actually are. And I didn't remember the hub world as being as complex as it was. It doesn't change how fun the gameplay still is however. The gameplay is still a slightly more complex 3D platformer in the Mario 64 vein. The humor of the game remains funny all these years later. I was actually very surprised by how well the music holds up today technically speaking. It sounds great. And the composition is timeless and classic Rare. I'm amazed by how good the game looks. The higher resolution works wonders. The graphics are extremely sharp and crisp compared to the blury Nintendo 64 original. I was also really impressed with just how colorful the game is. Rare made great use of color. Something not that common these days, well, outside of Rare games. I'm thoroughly impressed with the Xbox 360 version of the game, especially considering it was a free title. But even at the $15 asking price, the game would be well worth it. I'm giving Banjo-Kazooie an 8.5. Now bring on Banjo-Tooie.