Skip to main content

Banjo-Kazooie will be playable on Switch next month

Starting next month, Nintendo Switch owners who have subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack will be able to play yet another retro classic. Developer Rare’s iconic Banjo-Kazooie will be coming to the console as an addition to the service in January 2022.

Banjo’s on a mission to rescue his sister from the envious wicked witch Gruntilda!

Foil her selfish plan to snatch the beauty from Tooty in Banjo-Kazooie, available to #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members in January! #Nintendo64 pic.twitter.com/pvPD4aRvwr

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) December 10, 2021

Announced in a post on Twitter from the Nintendo of America account, it’s not clear exactly when Banjo-Kazooie will be available for Expansion Pack subscribers. It’s not too much of a surprise that the platformer is being added, though, as it’s one of the most recognizable titles in the Nintendo 64’s library. Another classic, Paper Mario, was also recently added to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack’s library of games.

Banjo-Kazooie will be added to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack’s catalog in sometime in January. A specific date for the game’s arrival has not been revealed. However, with Paper Mario‘s addition this month and Banjo-Kazooie coming to the service next month, it seems like Nintendo is aiming to add games on a monthly basis.

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is an upgraded version of Nintendo’s basic online service, giving players access to a growing catalog of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games for a bit more cash than they’d spend on the basic version. Along with access to Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, users who subscribe to Nintendo’s premium online service will get access to some DLC for Nintendo’s first-party games. At the moment, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack users will also get access to Animal Crossing: New Horizons‘ Happy Home Paradise expansion.

Otto Kratky
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…
Nintendo confirms that Switch 2 and a June Direct are coming
A Nintendo Switch Red and Blue system.

Nintendo has finally confirmed two important things that people were speculating about. First off, we learned that another Nintendo Direct showcase will be taking place this June. More importantly, Nintendo finally confirmed that it is working on a Nintendo Switch successor and said we'd learn more about it within this fiscal year.

This all came from a statement by President Shuntaro Furukawa on Nintendo's corporate X (formerly Twitter) account. "We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015," the post confirms. "We will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation."

Read more
Hades 2 shows the Steam Deck’s biggest advantage over the Nintendo Switch
A Steam Deck sits next to a Switch OLED.

It's always an exciting week when the sequel to one of the greatest games of all time surprise releases on a Monday. That's what happened on May 6 when Hades 2 surprise launched into early access. Players are already diving into the surprisingly robust roguelike, testing their might in its new biomes. I've been enjoying it myself from the comfort of my couch -- and not on my Nintendo Switch, where I played the first Hades. Instead, I'm curled up with my Steam Deck.

The PC-only launch means that Hades 2 is a Steam Deck "exclusive" for the time being (or at least exclusive to portable PCs like it and the Asus ROG Ally). It'll likely come to Nintendo's system -- or its predecessor -- once it hits 1.0, but developer Supergiant doesn't expect its game to leave early access until at least the end of 2024. Until then, you'll need a device like the Steam Deck to play it on the go. That's a reminder that Valve has beaten the Switch at its own game, and Nintendo will have to get creative again with its next system to regain its throne.
Early access on the go
Based on my time with it so far, Hades 2 is a phenomenal match for the Steam Deck. It's already Verified for the platform, and for good reason. It looks fantastic (especially on an OLED screen) and runs smoothly. I've already taken it on the go and found that it's not a huge drain on the Steam Deck's battery. At this point, I don't imagine I'll need to play it any other way.

Read more
3 retro classics to play on Nintendo Switch Online this weekend (May 3-5)
Kirby and his friends post in Kirby and the Amazing Mirror art.

With rumors of a new Nintendo console heating up, it's once again time to accept that the Switch's long lifespan is coming to its end. 2024 will likely be the system's last full year before a successor steals its thunder. That's apparent in Nintendo's recent first-party offerings, as the system is getting a lot of remasters and niche curveballs this year. As exclusives like Endless Ocean: Luminous underwhelm, you may have found yourself looking for reasons to fire up your Switch.

Thankfully, you have a lot of great excuses to do so if you're subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online. The service is home to plenty of classic games from the NES up to the Nintendo 64. Even if you're a game historian, there's a good chance you haven't played everything Switch Online has to offer. This weekend, I have three recommendations for anyone looking to fire up some great, old games. These aren't random picks; I've chosen three games that feel spiritually linked to some of this spring's biggest games.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror

Read more