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Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 8 votes
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Game Info
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Rare
Genre(s): Action
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Release Date: September 10, 2003
Summary
Get ready for a whole heap of hag in Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge! Despite being thoroughly flattened by a boulder after her first tangle with the bear and bird, Gruntilda is already hard at work on Plan B: to go back in time and prevent the meddling pair from ever meeting... Set in the lost months between the events of "Banjo-Kazooie" and its sequel "Banjo-Tooie," Grunty's Revenge charts the original plan of the Isle of Hags' No. 1 witch to escape from her predicament with only the assistance of inventor underling Klungo. Ultimately left with no choice but to follow his arch-enemy back through the pages of time, Banjo finds himself caught up in new battles, new contests and encounters with faces both familiar (such as a young and unproven Mumbo Jumbo) and not so familiar (grizzly old mentor Bozzeye) as he seeks to stop the vengeful hag before she can throw an enormous spanner in the works of history. [Rare]
Also On Metacritic
GAMES: Banjo Pilot
Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central
Also On The Web: Nintendojo Preview Official Website
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Deeko
A fine mix of adventure, puzzle and mini-games that all end up falling into place gracefully.
Read Full Review >Nintendojo
Enjoyable, simple, and compelling enough that you will want to play all the way through; finding every Jiggy and Jingo along the way. Unfortunately the journey is so short that Banjo-Kazooie veterans will be able to finish the game in its entirety in four or five hours.
Read Full Review >GameSpy
What makes Grunty's Revenge work so well is that it never becomes boring or overly repetitive.
Read Full Review >Play Magazine
Every level offers new challenges and new abilities, so the quest continues evolving and new areas are continuously unlocked. [Nov 2003, p.100]
Play Magazine
Every level offers new challenges and new abilities, so the quest continues evolving and new areas are continuously unlocked. [Nov 2003, p.100]
GameZone
Sure the story is extremely weak and the boss battles prove to be more of an annoying distraction rather than a challenge, but it is, overall, the best conversion of a brilliant N64 game on the GBA.
Read Full Review >Nintendophiles
If you enjoyed the original Banjo-Kazooie games, you will enjoy Grunty’s Revenge. If you didn’t like the original games, you probably won’t like Grunty’s Revenge. It’s that simple.
Read Full Review >IGN
Even though the plot is weak, the game design isn't; Rare's first GBA title is just as deep and extensive as the original Banjo-Kazooie game released on the Nintendo 64.
Read Full Review >GameBiz
A bad thing about the enemies though is that while they do change from world to world, they are still limited with the total number of 14 enemies being seen and there also being a few types of enemies that are seen in every world.
Read Full Review >Next Level Gaming
As good as the skeleton may be, the substance just isn't there.
Read Full Review >Game Over Online
It isn't an outright revolutionary game but it has a lot of charm. The vibrant graphics and animations really spruced up the presentation of the title. Younger players will find the quaint story attractive.
Read Full Review >Nintendo Power
Although the straight-on overhead view makes it difficult to judge the height of platforms, the overall game play is fast-paced and enjoyable. [Dec 2003, p.148]
NTSC-uk
Like "Wario World" before it, Banjo Kazooie on the GBA burns ever so brightly during the entire game because it has the class and quality about it in design, gameplay and aesthetics. It is just a pity that it burns ever so shortly as a result.
Read Full Review >Inside Gamer Online
It has crisp sound, good graphics, and an ok game to play. The game will be good for a month, but unless you’re a hardcore fan of the BK series, you might wanna pass.
Read Full Review >Cheat Code Central
No multi-player, recycled levels and a relatively short game by any standards is reason enough not to own this game.
netjak
May not be the best Banjo Kazooie, nor is it very long, but it’s sure to be enjoyed by BK fans and any person who is looking for a fun little game to play on their GBAs. If you didn’t like the first two games, then chances are you won’t like Grunty’s Revenge.
Read Full Review >GameSpot
While Banjo and Kazooie have a healthy variety of moves and attacks, the short nature of the quest combined with the almost obsessive-compulsive focus on grabbing items means that players will hardly get a chance to enjoy what the characters can do.
Read Full Review >GameCritics
Generally a good game by Advance standards, but practically all of the series' charm and sophistication is lost without complete use of the third dimension.
Read Full Review >Eurogamer
For those few short hours the title doesn't really involve much more than collecting, leaping and basic problem solving. The plot doesn't interfere much, and as such the time travel element that could have been used to good effect is cast aside as just another excuse for all Banjo's hard work.
Read Full Review >Gamestyle
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge answers the very question that it poses: N64 into GBA doesn't fit.
Read Full Review >Game Informer
The isometric view means that you can frequently get stuck behind things or die because you misjudged distance and/or height. [Nov 2003, p.177]
Edge Magazine
While there are some interesting mini-games to break up the wandering, Grunty's Revenge is mainly an abject lesson in breadcrumb following game design. [Dec 2003, p.106]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 9.5 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Bryan S. gave it an8:
This game has great controls, great graphics, and fun gameplay. The only problem is it's too short, completable in only a couple of hours.
Jhonny V. gave it an 8:
It's a pretty good game..It has some flaws that i spotted but most of all it good.
Alex B. gave it a 10:
Banjo Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge has lived up to high expectations. It provides endless challenges and the graphics are superb. After reading the review Edge Magazine's review of the game I think they are completely wrong and are f***** bums. Anyway the new game provides a great load of fun for hours. WARNING BANJO KAZOOIE:GRUNTY'S REVENGE IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!
Some One gave it a 10:
I've been a lover of he Banjo_kazooie series ever since the N64. IM so happy that came out with such a unique and fun game. You will be drawn to complete 100%of the game and get everything.
Moose Ontheloose gave it a 10:
BRILLIANT! Has the feel of the N64 games, some of the best graphics on the GBA, and heaps of gameplay.
Olly bolly gave it a 10:
This game rocks! It has exactly the same graphics as the ones on Ninteno 64! ROCK ON!
Tom G. gave it a 10:
Plays almost exactly like the N64 versions except in an isometric view(like Spyro). The graphics and gameplay are phenomenol....definitely a platformer you're going to want to add to your collection.
