Banjo Kazooie: Nostalgia 64 Release Date Announced—New Trailer Showcases Exciting N64 Adventures

Banjo Kazooie: Nostalgia 64 Release Date Announced—New Trailer Showcases Exciting N64 Adventures For over a decade, fans of the beloved Banjo Kazooie franchise have longed for a new entry to revive the colorful adventures of the bear and bird duo.

Despite recent updates, such as Banjo and Kazooie joining Super Smash Bros.

Ultimate and the original N64 classic making its way onto Nintendo Switch Online, the official prospect of a fresh title has remained out of reach.

With Rare and Microsoft channeling their efforts into projects like Sea of Thieves and the upcoming Everwild, the series' most ardent supporters have taken matters into their own hands—most notably prolific N64 modder KurkoMods. KurkoMods, a renowned figure in the fan-led N64 ROM hacking community, has unveiled the much-anticipated release date for his new project, Banjo Kazooie: Nostalgia 64.

Announced on his YouTube channel with a visually vibrant release date trailer, this ambitious mod will become available to KurkoMods' Patreon supporters on May 7th, 2025, with a public release following on May 17th.

The creator remarked that the project reached this milestone after years of dedication and hard work. Banjo Kazooie: Nostalgia 64 stands apart as a remarkable tribute to not only the Banjo Kazooie series, but also to classic Nintendo 64-era gaming.

The mod invites players to guide Banjo and Kazooie through imaginative new levels inspired by legendary titles such as GoldenEye 007, Donkey Kong 64, Yoshi's Story, and Super Mario 64.

Notably, it also features stages based on the unreleased earlier vision for Banjo Kazooie known as Project Dream, as well as Donkey Kong Country 2 from the SNES era. According to available information, the initial reveal for Banjo Kazooie: Nostalgia 64 dates back to July 2021.

However, development took a brief hiatus from November 2021 to December 2023.

After resuming work, KurkoMods reignited anticipation by showcasing an updated trailer highlighting Banjo exploring a creatively designed hub world.

This central hub houses representations of various N64 cartridges, allowing players to access each unique crossover level, thereby celebrating the broad legacy of Nintendo 64 platformers. The mod is being engineered to run seamlessly on N64 emulators and is also compatible with authentic N64 hardware using an Everdrive flash cartridge, enabling long-time fans and retro gaming enthusiasts to experience the mod on original equipment. Banjo Kazooie: Nostalgia 64 is an exemplary testament to both the enduring appeal of Rare’s classic franchise and the dedication of the modern ROM hacking community.

With the official release just around the corner, the mod’s arrival continues the tradition of fan-driven innovation—honoring the legacy of Banjo Kazooie on platforms like the Nintendo Switch and N64, while introducing new adventures for a contemporary audience. Interested players can watch the latest trailer and download the necessary files through KurkoMods' YouTube channel upon public release.

For those eager to return to the worlds that defined the N64 generation, Banjo Kazooie: Nostalgia 64 promises a vibrant, nostalgia-rich journey.

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