A new Banjo Kazooie game is here … sort of, and it’s not on Xbox

by

Like what you’re reading? Help us stay on your radar by setting Windows Central as a preferred source in Google Search. You’ll always be among the first to know about the newest news, reviews, features, and everything else we cover!

These days, Rare is known for games like Sea of Thieves, or the cancelled Everwild. But back in the day, they also created the popular 3D platformer Banjo-Kazooie, which follows the fun adventures of a bear named Banjo and his bird friend, Kazooie, who rides around in his backpack.

The original Banjo-Kazooie, released in 1998, is a landmark game, much like Super Mario 64. Its sequels, Banjo-Tooie and Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty’s Revenge, are also highly praised. However, the 2008 game Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts took a different approach, focusing on building vehicles, which proved divisive among players and received a less enthusiastic response.

It’s been a long time since Rare released a new Banjo-Kazooie game, and with the studio currently working on Sea of Thieves, it’s uncertain if they ever will under Xbox Game Studios. However, surprisingly, there *is* a new Banjo-Kazooie game available to play – with a bit of a twist.

Banjo-Kazooie: Mumbomania is a new game created by fans using the Dreams game-making tool on PlayStation. It’s free to play if you have Dreams, which costs $20 (or is included with PlayStation Plus). You can find a trailer for the game here or watch it below.

Unfortunately, the game Dreams isn’t available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Windows PC. This means if you don’t have a PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 4, you won’t be able to experience Mumbomania. However, the game is visually stunning, and definitely worth playing if you have a PlayStation console.

As an analyst, I’ve been looking at Banjo-Kazooie: Mumbomania, and its level design is quite interesting. The entire game takes place on one large tropical island, and the goal is to collect 30 ‘jiggy’ pieces – they’re similar to the stars you’d find in Super Mario 64, though the original Banjo-Kazooie had 100. What’s new here is the introduction of Mumbo, a floating skull character who assists Banjo and Kazooie. He helps with collecting items, combat, and even lets you transform into different creatures.

You can control Banjo and Kazooie with typical moves like jumping, rolling, and punching, plus Kazooie can fly and shoot eggs. Mumbo Jumbo helps by collecting items and transforming Banjo into things like giant rocks or cannons, which unlock special powers.

It typically takes around an hour to finish the game. If you’re a completionist and want to find everything and solve all the puzzles, it’ll likely take around two hours.

You’d be forgiven for thinking Mumbomania was an official Banjo-Kazooie game, not a fan project – the creators put an incredible amount of effort into making it feel authentic. Director William Butkevicius, known as Eupholace, said it took over 14 months and more than 800 hours of work, and that dedication really shines through.

PieceofCraft created the game’s animations and programmed how things work, while The Game Brass composed Mumbomania’s energetic and lively music. They both worked with him on the project.

Where is Xbox’s answer to Dreams?

It’s amazing that Banjo-Kazooie: Mumbomania is finally here, and a testament to the dedication of the game’s fans. However, its release is also a bit sad, because it highlights that Microsoft, Xbox, and Rare haven’t created a new Banjo-Kazooie game in over 20 years (though Rare has acknowledged and supported Mumbomania!).

Astro Bot’s success as 2024’s Game of the Year proved that platforming games are still incredibly popular, and highlighted the need for Xbox to develop some of its own. There’s hope that Toys for Bob, the team behind Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, might create a new Banjo-Kazooie game. They’ve expressed interest in doing so since becoming an independent studio and are currently looking for potential partnerships, even after leaving Xbox Game Studios.

As a tech and gaming fan, it’s really struck me how unique Dreams is. With Mumbomania being a game *within* Dreams and only available on PlayStation, it really shows how there’s nothing quite like it on Xbox or PC. It’s a totally different creative space, and that PlayStation exclusivity is a big part of what makes it special.

While games like Battlefield 6 and Halo Infinite offer creation tools such as Portal and Forge, they still have limitations. Mumbomania, on the other hand, looks and feels so much like a real Banjo-Kazooie game that it’s something you simply couldn’t create within those other titles.

It’s strange and disappointing that Xbox owns the rights to Banjo-Kazooie, but the only good Banjo-Kazooie game released since 2008 is exclusive to PlayStation. To make matters worse, Xbox players don’t have a similar platform to create their own Banjo-Kazooie-style levels or experiences.

FAQ

Is Dreams on Xbox?

Nope, Dreams is not available on Microsoft’s Xbox consoles. It’s exclusive to PS5 and PS4.

Is Dreams on Steam?

Unfortunately, Dreams isn’t available on Steam for PC. It’s currently only playable on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

Is there anything like Dreams on Xbox?

Unfortunately, no Xbox game currently offers the same level of creative freedom as Dreams. Xbox once had Project Spark, released in 2013, but its online features are no longer available, so you can’t share your creations with others.

Read More

2025-12-05 01:40