Modders release native PC port of Banjo-Kazooie with ultrawide support

Pcgamer reports that a team of modders led by Wiseguy has quietly released Banjo: Recompiled, a native PC port of the original Banjo-Kazooie, accompanied by a trailer on YouTube and the port and source code published on GitHub.

The port runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac but requires players to supply their own game files (plug the ROM in). The release adds higher framerates, widescreen and ultrawide aspect-ratio support, an extensive options menu for remapping controls and switching to a dual-analog camera, and a Rare Replay-style option to keep collected notes when leaving a level or dying. The article says the build is visually crisp, shows little input lag, and can offer a superior experience to emulation while demanding less from your computer.

The package also includes a built-in mod menu with support for prominent mods shown in the trailer, such as Mark Kurko’s Jiggies of Time, the Nostalgia 64 mashup, and an HD texture pack from GhostlyDark. The piece notes that other decompiled N64 projects exist and suggests it may only be a matter of time before more native ports appear, while reminding readers that many classic games are currently unavailable by normal means.

Key Topics

Tech, Banjo-kazooie, Wiseguy, Github, Rare