Banjo-Kazooie is the next game set to arrive on Nintendo Switch Online. The game is coming for subscribers of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass in January.
The Nintendo 64 games available in the Expansion Pack have been slowly increasing since its controversial announcement in October. The Expansion Pack gives Nintendo Switch Online subscribers access to a selection of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, as well as Animal Crossing’s Happy Home Paradise DLC. The Expansion Pack was widely ridiculed by Nintendo fans due to the cost and lack of benefits. It quickly became Nintendo’s most disliked video ever on YouTube. Before YouTube removed that feature anyway.
Nintendo has been adding games to the service since it was first announced. In October, the service was announced with just nine Nintendo 64 games and 14 Sega Genesis games. Along with the games not working properly when the service launched, the small number of games was one of the biggest issues gamers had with the value of the Expansion Pack. Paper Mario was just added to the service and it looks like more games will be added every month for the foreseeable future. Whether that gets Switch owners to subscribe now is another thing.
Banjo-Kazooie is somewhat of a surprise for Nintendo’s online service. Although the game was originally a Nintendo 64 exclusive, the franchise is currently owned by Microsoft after the company’s purchase of Rare in 2002. Although, Microsoft has been particularly open about working with other console makers in recent years.
Banjo-Kazooie is one of the best platformers of all time and it’s a shame that the series has languished since Microsoft’s purchase of Rare. The studio was able to make one Banjo-Kazooie game for the Xbox after the Microsoft purchase. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts was a different take on the franchise but nonetheless one of the best Xbox 360 exclusives.
An exact date for when Banjo-Kazooie will arrive on the Expansion Pack has not been provided but expect it in the first half of next month.
