Banjo-Kazooie Games in Order: All 5, the 3 Game Pass Covers, and the Evercade Cart Due October 30

There are five Banjo-Kazooie games: Banjo-Kazooie (1998), Banjo-Tooie (2000), Grunty’s Revenge (2003), Banjo-Pilot (2005) and Nuts & Bolts (2008). As of 11 October 2026, Xbox Game Pass Premium and Ultimate include three of them, Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack includes two, and the two Game Boy Advance games still need an original cartridge. A new way to play arrives on October 30: an Evercade cartridge with both N64 games rebuilt as native ports.

The series is short and front-loaded. The two N64 originals review at 92 and 90 on Metacritic, Microsoft bought Rare on 24 September 2002, and Nuts & Bolts (November 2008) is still the last new game, nearly 18 years ago. Below: the release order with scores, the order we would actually play them in, and what each route costs, because the price differences between consoles are bigger than the differences between the games.

Quick start: what to do first

1. Play Banjo-Kazooie (1998) first. It is the best-reviewed game and it is available on Xbox, Switch Online and Evercade.
2. Play Banjo-Tooie (2000) second. It is the direct sequel and the only other game scoring above 90.
3. On Xbox, take one month of Game Pass Premium or buy Rare Replay ($29.99) and you get Nuts & Bolts as well.
4. On Switch or Switch 2, you need the Expansion Pack tier of Nintendo Switch Online ($49.99 a year in the US). Nuts & Bolts is not available there.
5. Treat the two Game Boy Advance games as optional extras that need a physical cartridge and a Game Boy Advance.

Verified on 11 October 2026 against the Xbox Store listings, Nintendo’s Classics library and Xbox and Evercade announcements. Prices, subscription catalogs and release dates change, so check the checkout page before you pay.

The five Banjo-Kazooie games in release order

The series runs from Banjo-Kazooie in June 1998 to Nuts & Bolts in November 2008, and only the first two games score 90 or higher on Metacritic.

Release dates and scores come from the Wikipedia article for each game, which cites Metacritic for the scores. Scores are the original-release versions.

The score gap tells you where the series peaked. Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie sit at 92 and 90, Nuts & Bolts lands at 79 (“generally favourable”), and the two Game Boy Advance games trail at 72 and 68. Nuts & Bolts is the interesting outlier: it sold about 140,000 copies in its first US month, was treated as a commercial disappointment, and moved to Microsoft’s budget Platinum Hits line in January 2010. Many fans rejected the move away from traditional platforming, and some critics have since called it the best game in the series.

Release order or story order?

Play them in release order. The only game whose release date misleads is Grunty’s Revenge: it came out in 2003 but is a “direct interquel” of the first two games, in which Gruntilda travels back in time to stop the events of Banjo-Kazooie. A story-order purist would go Banjo-Kazooie, Grunty’s Revenge, Banjo-Tooie, then the rest. We would not, because Grunty’s Revenge scores 72 against 92 and 90 for the games on either side of it, and it is the hardest game on the list to get legally.

The right order depends on who is playing:

The takeaway: for most people the series is two games, then one oddity, and everything past Banjo-Tooie is optional.

Where to play each game in 2026

No single subscription covers all five games. We found no console or digital re-release of Grunty’s Revenge or Banjo-Pilot (the Nintendo Classics game list shows Banjo only in its N64 section), so a full set means a Game Boy Advance and two cartridges.

Xbox: three games, two ways to pay

All three of the 3D games are on Xbox One and Series X|S. The Rare Replay store page lists $29.99, says it is included with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate, and names Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie and Nuts & Bolts among its 30 games. They are the Xbox 360 versions running through backward compatibility. Bought separately, each is $14.99 on the Xbox Store, so the three cost $44.97. Rare Replay saves $14.98 and throws in 27 other Rare games.

Game Pass Premium cost $14.99 a month when Xbox relaunched its tiers in October 2025, according to Gematsu. Xbox’s 21 April 2026 price update cut Ultimate to $22.99 and PC Game Pass to $13.99 and did not name a Premium price, so confirm it at checkout.

Nintendo Switch and Switch 2: two games, one tier

Both N64 games are in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack library: Banjo-Kazooie since 20 January 2022 and Banjo-Tooie since 25 October 2024, which Nintendo Life confirmed requires the Expansion Pack. Nintendo says individual 12-month memberships “start at $49.99 US.” The library is a subscription, not a purchase: the games stop working when you stop paying, and the apps need an internet check-in at least once a week.

If what you want is the collect-everything loop rather than the N64 era specifically, our best cozy games on Nintendo Switch guide covers calmer games with the same explore-and-collect pull.

PC, handheld PC and phone: only through the cloud

None of the three Xbox games has a native PC version. The store pages list Xbox One, Series X|S and Xbox Cloud Gaming, and when we checked Microsoft’s own catalog feeds on 11 October 2026, all three appeared in the cloud and console Game Pass lists and none in the PC Game Pass list. That makes cloud streaming the route for a handheld PC or a laptop. Our Xbox Game Pass on handheld PCs setup guide walks through getting Game Pass running on one.

One conflict is worth knowing about before you plan a long stream. Gematsu reported “unlimited cloud gaming” for Premium at the October 2025 relaunch, but the Xbox plan page we fetched lists “Cloud playtime (10 hours/month)” for Premium (and 15 hours for a higher tier, which does not match Xbox’s own April 2026 description of unlimited cloud on Ultimate). We could not reconcile these, so treat the Premium cloud cap as unconfirmed. Three collect-a-thons will probably run past ten hours, so check the cap on your own plan before you stream the lot, or use a console download instead.

Evercade: both N64 games on one cartridge, due October 30

The Evercade Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack puts Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie on a single cartridge and is due on October 30, 2026, according to Video Games Chronicle. It is not an emulator wrapper: Evercade built native ports using source code from Rare, with higher resolution, 60fps, save states, better camera control, a D-pad control scheme, a cheat menu and a music player that includes unreleased tracks. Time Extension adds fast travel to Gruntilda’s lair, a reworked aiming mode and Bottles’ Revenge, a second-player mode cut from the 2000 game, which until now had only been adapted from the original ROM for emulators.

In the US, the cartridge ships in the box with the Evercade Nexus handheld at $199.99, per Siliconera; we did not find a standalone US price for the cartridge. The same report says the Rare Super Pocket (June 2026) has Banjo-Kazooie built in alongside 11 other Rare games. Video Games Chronicle says the cartridge plays on any Evercade system. We could not confirm whether older units get the 60fps mode. If you are weighing Evercade against cheaper Android-based handhelds, our best retro handheld 2026 ranking compares Anbernic, Retroid and Miyoo on real specs.

Game Boy Advance: the two you cannot stream

Grunty’s Revenge and Banjo-Pilot were both published by THQ and developed by Rare. A mobile version of Grunty’s Revenge appeared in 2005, but we found no current digital edition of either game. A used cartridge is the only route, and prices move with collector demand, so check recently sold listings rather than asking prices.

The cheapest way to play, by console

The cheapest legal way to play three of the five is one month of Game Pass Premium; the cheapest way to own them is Rare Replay at $29.99. The table works out the cost per Banjo game, counting only the Banjo titles, which makes subscriptions look worse than they are if you use the rest of the library.

The arithmetic points one way: if you own an Xbox, one month of Game Pass Premium is half the price of Rare Replay ($14.99 against $29.99), so rent first and buy only if you want to replay. If you own a Switch, the Banjo-only maths is bad ($25 a game), so the Expansion Pack makes sense only if you value the rest of the library. If you own neither, the cloud route on a handheld PC costs the same as the Xbox subscription.

A fail-safe if you already pay for Game Pass: check the catalog before you buy anything. The three games are in the console list today, and Rare Replay has been in Game Pass since 25 June 2019.

Which Banjo-Kazooie games are worth your time?

• Banjo-Kazooie (92): play it. The series’ defining game, and it is available on Xbox, Switch Online and Evercade. The Xbox version also brought back Stop ‘N’ Swop.
• Banjo-Tooie (90): play it second. It is the direct sequel. On Evercade it gains Bottles’ Revenge, which makes that version the one to watch for completionists.
• Grunty’s Revenge (72): completionists only. The story fills the gap between games 1 and 2, but it is 2D and it needs a Game Boy Advance. Skip it unless you want the full set.
• Banjo-Pilot (68): skip unless you already own the cartridge. It is a kart racer, it was first announced as a Diddy Kong game, and it has the lowest score in the series.
• Nuts & Bolts (79): play it as a different game, not a sequel. You build vehicles from more than 1,600 parts, and Banjo and Kazooie lose most of their earlier moves. The series’ own people later said the change may have been too radical, which is a fair reason to go in expecting a different kind of game.

Is there a new Banjo-Kazooie game coming?

There is no announced game. Composer Grant Kirkhope said in a September 2026 podcast that at least three outside studios have pitched Microsoft or Rare on a revival, naming Toys for Bob and Moon Studios, and said “right now I feel there’s a slight chance,” according to God Is a Geek. He also said he did not know whether any pitch had succeeded and that Rare is busy with Sea of Thieves. Treat it as one person’s account: Microsoft has not indicated that a new game is in development.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to play Banjo-Kazooie before Banjo-Tooie?

In our view, yes. Banjo-Tooie is a direct sequel, and the only game you can skip without losing the thread is Grunty’s Revenge. If you only have time for one, play Banjo-Kazooie, which reviews slightly higher (92 against 90).

Is Banjo-Kazooie on Nintendo Switch?

Yes, in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack N64 library since 20 January 2022, with Banjo-Tooie added on 25 October 2024. We found no way to buy it outright on Switch, and Nuts & Bolts is not there.

Is Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts worth playing?

Yes, if you treat it as a vehicle-building game that happens to star Banjo and Kazooie. It scores 79, it is included in Game Pass Premium, so it costs nothing extra if you are already subscribed, and some critics have reappraised it as the best in the series. Expect it to divide you the way it divided fans.

Can you play Banjo-Kazooie on PC?

Not natively. The games are Xbox One and Series titles, and on PC the supported route is Xbox Cloud Gaming through Game Pass Premium or Ultimate. Check the cloud playtime allowance on your plan first.

Where can I play Grunty’s Revenge and Banjo-Pilot?

On a Game Boy Advance, using an original cartridge. We found no re-release on Switch Online, Xbox or Evercade.

If you enjoy tracing a series from the start, we have the same treatment for Assassin’s Creed games in order and FNAF games in order.

Sources

1. Wikipedia. Banjo-Kazooie (video game) — release dates, Metacritic scores, Xbox Live Arcade and Nintendo Switch Online releases. Wikimedia Foundation
2. Wikipedia. Banjo-Tooie — release dates, Metacritic score, Bottles’ Revenge. Wikimedia Foundation
3. Wikipedia. Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty’s Revenge — release dates, interquel plot, Metacritic score. Wikimedia Foundation
4. Wikipedia. Banjo-Pilot — developer, publisher, release dates, Metacritic score. Wikimedia Foundation
5. Wikipedia. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts — gameplay, sales, reception. Wikimedia Foundation
6. Wikipedia. Rare (company) — Microsoft acquisition, 24 September 2002. Wikimedia Foundation
7. Wikipedia. Rare Replay — game list, Game Pass addition on 25 June 2019. Wikimedia Foundation
8. Wikipedia. Nintendo Classics — library lists and weekly online check-in rule. Wikimedia Foundation
9. Xbox. Rare Replay — Xbox Store listing, price and Game Pass tiers. Microsoft
10. Xbox. Banjo-Kazooie — Xbox Store listing, price, Game Pass and Cloud Gaming. Microsoft
11. Xbox. Banjo-Tooie — Xbox Store listing, price, Game Pass and Cloud Gaming. Microsoft
12. Xbox. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts — Xbox Store listing, price, Game Pass and Cloud Gaming. Microsoft
13. Xbox. Xbox Game Pass plans page — Premium cloud playtime allowance. Microsoft
14. Xbox Wire. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Price Update. Microsoft, 21 April 2026
15. Gematsu. Xbox Game Pass introduces upgraded Essential, Premium, and Ultimate plans, including price increases. October 2025
16. Nintendo. What you need to know about the new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership plan. December 2021
17. Nintendo Life. Nintendo Expands Switch Online’s N64 Library With Banjo-Tooie. October 2024
18. Video Games Chronicle. Evercade CEO says Rare ‘put in a lot of energy’ to add new content to its native Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie ports. Chris Scullion, 17 August 2026
19. Time Extension. Evercade Banjo-Kazooie Cart Will Include Unreleased Game Mode Bottles’ Revenge. Kris Moyse, 14 September 2026
20. Siliconera. New Evercade Nexus gaming handheld launches in October
21. God Is a Geek. Grant Kirkhope Says Three Studios Have Pitched New Banjo-Kazooie Games to Microsoft. Lukas Berger, 3 September 2026

Michael R.

I've been playing video games for over 20 years, spanning everything from early PC titles to modern open-world games. I started Switchblade Gaming to publish the kind of accurate, well-researched guides I always wanted to find — built on primary sources, tested in-game, and kept up to date after patches. I currently focus on Minecraft and Pokémon GO.