The hardest secret CVG has ever had to keep is finally out in the open: Rare's original N64 Banjo-Kazooie is coming to Xbox Live Arcade in its entirety, Nintendo logos and all!
We travelled to Microsoft last week to see the XBLA version in action, which is being ported externally by a third-party developer.
Visually it's benefited massively from a boost in resolution, and Banjo's model seems to have been touched up in-game as well.
Essentially, Banjo is untouched from the 1998 N64 original. Boot it up, and Mumbo plays away on a big, Nintendo-branded xylophone. Skip to the menus and Banjo will even have a go on his Gameboy. We've no idea how this is legally allowed to happen but we're glad it is.
Achievements and leaderboards are a mandatory addition to the Xbox Live Arcade version, but in our chat Rare hinted that the infamous 'Stop 'n Swap' feature vetoed from the N64 version could make a come back. "We can't say anything", they told us when quizzed on the feature.
Rare's hoping to get Banjo XBLA out before the release of Nuts 'n Bolts, which still has as a temporary release date at the end of the year. More soon.