Banjo-Kazooie's Spiral Mountain -- Designing For Comfort

[@rtyuik7]

4:17 - i love the touch of using the Underwater Variant for the music, just for the phrase "one for Swimming", almost as much as i love the Games that do the same thing

[@Eichro]

And it feels almost like Gruntilda's Lair is an extension of this. It's safe at start, but it gets progressively more dangerous as you clear stages and also as you move up the Lair. Banjo-Kazooie has to have the best difficulty curve of any 3D platformer.

[@raydaypinball]

Fun fact: you can use banjo’s bear punch to destroy snowballs that Sir Slush enemies throw at you, spawning a honeycomb piece! It’s the only move that can do this and the only way to create an infinite supply of honey

[@ChrisPTY507]

Wtf i didn’t knew that! Thanks for the fun fact!!!

[@chompythebeast]

Another fun fact: The game has a limited number of honeycombs it will allow to be spawned at once. I think after the 9th (or 10th?) piece is spawned, it will despawn the oldest honeycomb. I'm pretty sure the only place in the game you can see this happen right before you is there in Freezeezy Peak, performing the same technique you mentioned. *_The More You Know_*

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

I love this series so much.

[@Author_SoftwareDesigner]

Holy crap. What amazing editing and writing. Clear examples. Cohesive sentence structure. Solid conclusion and finality. You’ve got talent bro

[@623pieman]

For me personally this is one of those channels I see a post and immediately get excited, thanks for the consistent quality

[@Delcat42]

The perspective in this is astounding. I was ten or so when Super Mario 64 came out, and while certain parts terrified me, we all have Eel Trauma and Piano Phobia, I never considered how daunting the sheer openness of the world is--which is astounding to me, because I am a gamer who is absolutely *petrified* by how daunting open worlds are. I have tried multiple times to play Super Metroid and been so anxious over choosing an incorrect door that I've had to stop. You're totally right. Super Mario 64 is frustratingly impenetrable if you don't have instructions to turn to--I remember getting stuck on King Bob-Omb for the same vague hint, except it was because I thought you had to throw him off the entire thrice-fucked mountain. In the game's credit, this is fun to watch and yields unique text, but I remember how irritated I was. And you're so right--Banjo-Kazooie is comfort food. You're constantly confronted with new and daunting obstacles, but--let me do Freezeezy Peak. First thing you see, sad kids. Three sad kids in a sad Christmas house with Sad Christmas playing in G[rant] Major. These poor children know nothing but that their father was meant to be home with their Christmas presents hours ago, and they sniffle pathetically, asking for help finding their lost parent and lost bouncy packages with eyes. There's a bit in Watchmen about how the surefire way to win someone into getting invested in a story is to start with the saddest thing possible, and at eight, that's it, bro. So you go looking for presents, but before you do that, hey, there's a giant snowman, oh look, Jinjo by a flight pad, thank God the water is pain, oh hey Twinkies oh no Twinkies--you get get a present about once a beat on the pathing here to remind you the quest is still on, but you're hungry for Jiggies and you are exploring for every last shiny morsel. Which is the thing--you would have to be so far off path to *not* have gotten the Boggy Jiggy, establishing that the dad has a reason for Grinching his kids. But it is *just as likely* that in your presumed game overs and return to starts, you'll wander up the hill to Boggy's race. And let me tell you, as a kid? Kinda pissed me off. Not only is this dude letting me play Santa while his brood plays Tiny Tim, but every time I start a sled race with him, he ANNIHILATES me, no matter how fast I trot. Like, it's cheating fast. Uncool. Still, you inevitably put up the tree. And inside--*inside*, so you are guaranteed to have gotten the Jiggy here before saving Christmas--is the last gift. It is in this crux of play that the game is looking to see the effort you put in. You get a considerable payoff of enjoyment in the tree segment (still a favorite of mine), but the snowmen and the freezing water is pissing you off a bit by now. By this time you've made it to the far side of the map, you have earned it. It feels like a solid triumph. And this, pending Mumbo tokens, is where you get the payoff that's been building off all level: Your own personal gift: To be a walrus. A walrus who is completely able to access almost the whole of the map without any damage from the freezing water. An invincible walrus. With a very fast sled. This entire melodrama that started as soon as you came into the stage, the life and times of four utterly random polar bears who previously meant nothing to you, ends with you as a walrus, winning a sled race against the truant father, who, as it turns out, is actually a pretty cool dude once he's not *cheating* fast. It's not like he meant to leave the kids waiting, anyway, the man did swallow a Jiggy, he clearly has a lot on his mind, or else absolutely nothing, and both of these states may be forgiven with some charity. The kids get their gifts. The sounds of the crying and slowed-down tinkly Sad Christmas tune is tromboned to bright and celebratory speed. You did it. You saved Christmas. And then, as an even greater reward, you walrus on in to the Walrus Cave, get a Jiggy, and see the Ice Key, forming a lifelong obsession and argument on message boards. It's magical. It's a kinetic storybook. I know this is just a KZbin comment, and we're not supposed to such as show emotional honesty here, but your love of gaming and passion for game design is phenomenally infectious, and I'm delighted to have found it. Thank you for taking the time to make videos, and I hope you forgive me the long-winded rant, and consider it inspiration ❤️ wahey

[@PTp1ranha]

This echoes a lot of the points VG made and you're all three absolutely correct. Spiral Mountain is brilliant.

[@SuperGoomba10]

Late but very much agreed with everything stated in this video; the fact that the game offers you the option of skipping the tutorial if you so choose in particular always stuck out to me as a unique and interesting way of not forcing repeat players to waste time learning things they already know (though I personally always do the tutorial anyway because that's just the kind of player I am = P). I'm honestly surprised "making the tutorial skippable" isn't a more common feature in other games!

[@chompythebeast]

I've played the game dozens of times and I think I skipped the intro once and felt like I slightly cheated myself haha. Especially if you're gonna go around and get the empty honeycomb upgrades, it really feels like a "might as well" situation, especially since you can instantly skip dialogue with L+B or whatever it is

[@yarns_]

Awesome video as always, man. Keep up the great work, you deserve wayyy more subscribers

[@roondar6141]

As much as people want to pies and moan about tutorials they do need to be in the game, especially when they’re for beginners. It’s nice to see a game do a tutorial right, not by holding your hand do much that it feels overbearing, but giving you little nudges in the right direction while telling you what the buttons do.

[@rezahydra]

Banjo had the perfect tutorial. Have you played the game before? Here’s the tutorial moves! No? Well here’s this short and helpful tutorial with rewards and quirky humor.

[@jameslawrenson1208]

It's easily one of the best tutorials in video game history!

[@tifKh]

Keep up the good work, seriously!

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

En

[@ParmMannREBORN]

Didn't even think of spiral mountain existing to teach players how to rotate the stick, fuck that's actually genius

[@henryentertainmentsystem9923]

This man deserves more subscribers.

[@AnzemH]

Love the Narrator!

[@Mazidox]

Fantastic episode!

[@Sera12105]

why did "ITS A MUSCLE BANJO" get me

[@keithtorgersen9664]

“I wanna be, the very best, like no one ever was…”

[@theperfectbusiness8903]

I feel like this is an important question that nobody thought about. In Banjo's house... *WHERE IS THE FUCKING BATHROOM!!!!!!*

[@rezahydra]

I think it’s time to go back to the topic of Banjo considering the news.

[@frogface861]

Banjo's Punches, the move I forgot he has the second I learn and/or are reminded of it. Rolling is more effective and Kazooie is the better fighter overall. Spiral Mountain is a pretty good Tutorial area tbh even if the World Hub that is Gruntilda's Lair was more fun.

[@drog0nxv]

If only he knew he would be back better.

[@OrbitalFrog_]

Spiral mountain is not danger free, and I’m not just talking about the combat molehill. There are carrots that will hop towards you if they see you

[@wariolandgoldpiramid]

I think an ever better tutorial level is the first level of Wario Land 4.

[@DesigningFor]

It's certainly not bad. It shows off every action well, and it doesn't waste any time teaching mechanics. It having an easy-to-find secret also shows off the core conceit of treasure hunting pretty well, and I like that it ends with a boss to give you a little bit of action before you hit the game proper. It's a bit straightforward for me to call it a favorite, but I think it does its job admirably enough.

[@davezdragon]

The swimming in the first game is a lot harder for me. I have little to no control over it, and I keep running out of air way too fast.

[@Rihcterwilker]

You're just bad at the game.

[@Rislear]

wtf, Castlevania 64 is a great game 0:49

[@rezahydra]

Looks like I’m the second person here after the reveal

[@large_hadron_colander8301]

RIP pkmn Z

[@spingebill9962]

Banjo kazooie is better then mario 64 change my mind.