Evercade Details How It Modernized Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie
Evercade is modernizing classic Rare-developed platformers Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie for its upcoming double-pack cartridge. Rather than relying on traditional emulation of the original Nintendo 64 versions, developer Blaze Entertainment rebuilt the games from the ground up specifically for the Evercade platform.
Ryan Dekker, a producer and developer at Blaze Entertainment, detailed the approach taken during development in a recent video. The team prioritized preserving the core nature and gameplay of the original games while leveraging the opportunity afforded by creating native ports to implement quality-of-life improvements. This careful balance allows for modernization without fundamentally altering what made these platform-hopping classics beloved by players.
The newly developed ports demonstrate how retro games can be thoughtfully upgraded for modern audiences. By building new versions rather than relying on emulation, Blaze Entertainment has the flexibility to enhance the user experience through improved controls, quality-of-life features, and technical optimizations specific to the Evercade hardware.
The double-pack cartridge will be compatible with Evercade’s handheld systems, continuing the company’s strategy to curate a retro gaming library for its platforms. This release follows Evercade’s earlier launch of the Super Pocket Rare Edition handheld, which bundles 14 classic Rare-developed games alongside support for traditional Evercade cartridges, positioning the company as a destination for fans of ’90s gaming.