Minecraft Helped Bring Banjo-Kazooie to Smash Bros.

Ever sinceBanjo-Kazooiereleased on Nintendo 64 In 1998, the iconic duo has been loved by gamers around the world.Banjo-Kazooie’s success prompted developer Rare to createBanjo-Tooie, which released for Nintendo 64 in 2000. Following the success of these first two outings, Microsoft purchased Rare for $375 million. Nintendo fans who loved theBanjo-Kazooiegames on Nintendo 64 worried that Banjo wouldn’t ever return to Nintendo consoles. And aside from two Game Boy Advance spin-off games, their worries were seemingly confirmed. Banjo’s third outing,Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Boltsreleased exclusively for Xbox 360 in November of 2008.

However, at E3 2019 Nintendo released a trailer that shocked gamers around the globe revealing Banjo-Kazooiea playable character inSuper Smash Brothers Ultimate. The reveal was easily one of the most exciting moments of E3 prompting hundreds of wild reaction videos from long-timeBanjo-Kazooiefans. From that moment on, it felt like anybody could join theSmashroster. The possibilities are endless. I honestly believe we can now get Lyn, Tharja, Hector, Camilla, Lon’qu, or even Ephraim! Regardless, it was an exciting moment that many will never forget.

RecentlyGamesIndustry.bizinterviewed Rare’s Craig Duncan giving more insight into Banjo’s shocking inclusion in Smash. Duncan shared that, “Minecrafthad paved the way for that relationship between Nintendo and Microsoft.“Minecraft, of course, took over the world after launching it’s 2009 beta and catching the attention of YouTube audiences. Microsoft eventually boughtMinecraftdeveloper Mojangfor $2.5 billion in 2014.

Microsoft and Nintendo’s current relationship can be greatly contributed toMinecraft, which released on the Wii U, 3DS, and Nintendo Switch. Ever since then the two companies have seen a lot of collaboration, supporting cross-play between the two platforms, while Microsoft even publishes games likeCupheadon the Nintendo Switch. Meanwhile, 2020 is already looking to be an incredible year forSuper Smash Bros Ultimate. After the over-the-top-thrilling, breath-taking announcement of new fighterBylethin January, Nintendo will be releasing another six fighters inFighter Pass Vol. 2. Personally, I’m hoping for Goomba, Lego Batman, Bubsy the cat, Geralt’s bathtub, Conner McGregor, and the Duolingo Owl. Leave your Fighter Pass Vol. 2 wish-list in the comments, and stay glued to Dualshockers for any newSmash Bros.announcements.