Out of all the games I’ve been playing in the last few weeks, the one that I keep coming back to is Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts. Rare has developed a reputation of hiding deep games under a veneer of color and fuzziness. Conker Live and Reloaded was a pretty hardcore class based shooter. Viva Pinata is a deep management and collector game. Banjo Kazooie is the best example yet of user generated content.
The original Banjo was something of a Mario 64 clone. This version (8 years after the last one) does away with most of the platforming and relies on customizable vehicles. Customizable being the key word here. As the game progresses you unlock hundreds of components and snap them together LEGO-style to make pretty close to anything you want. The only requirements are a seat for your character. If you want to make a land vehicle you add some wheels, fuel, and an engine. Wings and propellers (or jets later in the game) and you have a plane. Tilt the propellors up and you’ve got a helicopter. Add some floaters and you’ve got a boat. The possibilites are near endless.
All the components have statistics of weight and durability which ties directly into the game’s physics engine. Overload one side and you’ve got balance and handling issues. Bigger engines means more power but also more weight and fuel consumption. Most weapons require ammo boxes. Do you attach critical components directly together running the risk of losing something when you take a hit or do you use fragile poles to tie everything together or or the additional strength and weight and space of body parts?
Unlike Spore, everything that you design matters. The ability to make your own designs (and share them online or in multiplayer) is very powerful. Don’t be fooled by the colorful and fuzzy exterior, BK provides as much depth in construction as Viva Pinata provided with garden management. It’s a must get especially at $40.