Banjo-Kazooie's Ever Changing Soundtrack 

It's June 29, 1998 and Rare, then Nintendo exclusive game designer, released their first 3D platform collectible hunting game for the Nintendo 64. The most comparable game that existed at the time would have been Super Mario 64. Banjo-Kazooie stars a duo of a bear named Banjo and a bird named Kazooie and their quest to free Banjo's sister, Tooty, from the evil clutches of the witch Gruntilda. Banjo and Kazooie have to hunt down puzzle pieces to create picture so they can slowly unlock the entrance to Gruntilda's castle and free his sister. Banjo-Kazooie was rated highyl by reviewers and still has a special place in gaming history, with it most recently being re-released on Xbox One of a collection of Rare games.

Banjo-Kazooie's soundtrack was revolutionary for the time because of depending on what you were doing in the level the music would change and the legend behind this idea was Grant Kirkhope. In an interview with Gamnesia, Kirkhope was quoted as saying that the developer wanted the music to be like that of the Lucas Arts Monkey Island series would the music would fade in and out depending on where you were in the game. Kirkhope started as a composer for Rare two years before did the Banjo-Kazooie music. Kirkhope has worked on such games like GoldenEye 007, Viva Pinata, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z and coming some Yooka-Laylee, a Banjo-Kazooie spiritual successor. After Rare's purchase by Microsoft, he really wanted to expanded his horizons as a composer and left to be a composer for hire.

I will be talking about three song in this article and of the three, two of them have multiple versions that play a different places throughout the level. When these songs play throughout the level the only different is usually an instrument change and increased or decrease in speed. The song are "Treasure Trove Cove", "Mad Monster Masion" and "Final Battle Music." 

The level of Treasure Trove Cove is accompanied by the song of the same name. The level is beach and pirate themed and is completely surrounded by water. The music in the level is mainly island musical instruments like steel drum and bongos with xylophone, but as you travel around the area the music will change. When you enter water and start swimming the music is more subtle as if you actually dunked your head in water and listened to the music playing. As you approach a character named Capt. Blubber the music will change in the same music, but more flute and accordion than islander percussion instruments. The last evolution in the song is when approaching a giant crab named Nipper the music gets much faster and intense like most boss fights. This song and all of its variations are some of my favorite in the game.

The last level I will be talking about that has variation in it is the "Mad Monster Mansion." The song sounds just like a spooky haunted house music from Scooby-Doo complete with the organ, owl sounds and almost haunting moans. Much like Treasure Trove Cove, when you go under water in Mad Monster Mansion makes it more subtle and recreates in the water sound. The music also changed when you enter the haunted mansion, cemetery, and church. As before this is my second favorite songs.

The last song I will be talking about is the "Final Battle Music" and it doesn't have any variations. The main theme of that song is closely related to the song in the Wizard of Oz when there is the tornado. The similarities are even stronger because most of the fight Gruntilda flies around on her broom. The song also has song banjo music playing admits the epic music to signify Banjo fighting the evil.

I used to play this game all of the time when I was younger, but I sadly never 100% the game. The music was truly one of the funnest parts of the game that inspired of the intense moments that fuels the game. The soundtrack you can find on YouTube. Thanks for reading everyone and keep on jammin'.