MICROSOFT SUPPORTS BANJO-KAZOOIE IN SUPER SMASH BROS SWITCH



At one point, Rare was synonymous with Nintendo, but that was before Microsoft swooped in and acquired the studio to make it a first-party developer for Xbox. While the studio has gone on to release a number of titles under Microsoft’s guidance since the acquisition, one franchise in particular has remained an endearing throwback to the days of Nintendo’s partnership with Rare in the hearts of fans. That property in question is Banjo-Kazooie.

Despite once being considered for newcomer status in Super Smash Bros. Melee prior to the sale of Rare, the odds of seeing the bear and bird protagonists return to throttle the likes of Mario and Link have never been that strong given the fact that Microsoft and Nintendo are direct competitors. Even then, that hasn’t prevented Xbox boss Phil Spencer from saying that he’d happily allow Banjo and Kazooie into Super Smash Bros. if Nintendo wanted to include them.

Now that the likes of Banjo, Master Chief, Marcus Fenix, and more first-party Microsoft characters are featured as downloadable skins in Minecraft for Nintendo Switch, it looks like this pipe dream may finally become a reality – but only if Nintendo’s decision-makers are game.

WILL SUPER SMASH BROS SWITCH HAVE A STORY MODE?



Franchise creator Masahiro Sakurai spent a lot of time creating the narrative-driven Subspace Emissary mode in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but the developer was soon disheartened to see cutscenes for the romp appear online – allegedly ruining the experience for fans. As a result, Sakurai opted out of developing any sort of story-driven mode for the Wii U and 3DS installments of the franchise, but it sounds as if he may have changed his mind.

Take this with a handful of salt, but the same tipster behind the alleged Ice Climber and third-party character leak claims that Smash Switch will feature a will feature a “story mode modelled around 2 player co-op.” This would tie in perfectly with the emphasis on multiplayer that Nintendo has strived so hard for with its dual Joy-Con approach, but it sounds a little too good to be true – especially if the roster remains as large as it was in the latest versions.

SUPER SMASH BROS SWITCH TRAILER