Fan-Made PC Port of Banjo-Kazooie Delivers 60 FPS and Widescreen, Creator Celebrates with Classic Gruntilda Tribute

Steve Mayles, the mind behind Banjo-Kazooie, has given a nod to a fan project that has successfully brought the N64 classic to PC.

The trend of decompilation has really taken off in the 2020s, especially among retro gaming enthusiasts. The native PC ports that have emerged from these efforts offer fantastic new ways to enjoy classic titles. For instance, revisiting Ocarina of Time through Ship of Harkinian was a blast last year, and projects like Sonic Unleashed Recompiled have transformed a game that was previously unplayable on PC into its best version yet.

In a surprising turn of events, a Banjo-Kazooie PC port has finally made its debut, thanks to Wiseguy. This was confirmed through a trailer featuring in-game characters discussing the PC port.

The port boasts enhanced framerates and resolutions (with Mumbo claiming 360 frames), along with optional quality-of-life improvements from the 360 version, such as dual analog controls and the ability to save collected music notes even after dying in a level. It also includes mod support, allowing players to dive into the beloved Banjo-Kazooie Nostalgia 64 level pack. And yes, Doom is reportedly playable within it.

Mayles acknowledged the mod on Twitter, crafting a rhyme in classic Gruntilda fashion: “Recompiled, oh my word! People just love the bear and bird!” This seems to indicate his approval of the project. If Microsoft isn’t going to do anything with the franchise, it’s great to see the community stepping up.