Nintendo delivered quite a surprise for N64 fans this week, announcing Rare’s 3D platformer Banjo-Tooie would be joining the Expansion Pack service next week on 25th October 2024.
As part of this announcement, Rare (known nowadays for titles like Sea of Thieves) has taken to social media to voice its own excitement about fans having access to this classic in “another modern way”. Here’s what the UK-based studio had to say:
“Banjo-Tooie! On Nintendo Switch for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion members! NEXT WEEK! Exciting to see this one available in another modern way (alongside @XboxGamePass and Rare Replay), if just so we can watch loads of new players work out how to get into Grunty Industries.”
As noted, this title is already available via Xbox Game Pass and in the Rare Replay collection. The trailer for the Switch Online version also mentions how the N64 release is “now in widescreen mode”.
Steven Mayles, the “father of Banjo and Kazooie”, also wished everyone “good luck” getting past Grunty Industries:
Some other Rare titles that have previously been added to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack N64 library include Blast Corps, the original Banjo-Kazooie and GoldenEye 007. Some of its other retro series like Donkey Kong Country and Battletoads have also been added to the service.
