Had things been as planned by Rare, last year would've held both the Wii and the 360 having a port and an update of GoldenEye 007 for the game's tenth anniversary, respectively. As reported by MundoRare, the chronicle of Goldeneye 007 XBLA will forever be remembered as an opportunity to make money that was never met.
However, as you're all aware of, Banjo-Kazooie on Xbox Live did not meet the same fate in the year of its tenth anniversary. Announced at E3 2008, BK XBLA was a curveball to the Rare fanbase, as one of Rare's most popular titles was said to be available near the same timeframe as Nuts & Bolts' release in November. The developer of the port was unknown for a limited time, but just as soon as the game was announced, 4J Studios was revealed to be the company responsible for bringing a game beloved by many to the 360 console.
Graphically, the game appears so much sharper than the N64 version from which it originated. The resolution has been greatly improved, as well as the draw distance. One can see so much farther into a world compared to the original version. Yet it's just as well; the higher graphical resolution made a visually great game for its time even greater, as it's still a sight to behold.
A game of this caliber can't be remembered without its starring characters. Banjo Bear is definitely the dullest sack of dirt in Spiral Mountain, yet his good heart and intentions always prove him to be in favor with the good characters of the Banjo universe. On the other side of the spectrum, you have Kazooie the Red-Crested Breegull. Smart and sassy, she doesn't take crap from anyone, and lets them know through scathing insults and sarcastic remarks out the wazoo (or kazoo, if one is so inclined), most of which are not taken in good stride. Finally, you have Gruntilda, who at first sounds like your run-of-the-mill witch, except for the fact that she's a poet at heart, choosing to have everything she says in rhyme.
