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Banjo-Kazooie will be playable on Switch next month

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Starting next month, Nintendo Switch owners who have subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack will be able to play yet another retro classic. Developer Rare’s iconic Banjo-Kazooie will be coming to the console as an addition to the service in January 2022.

Banjo’s on a mission to rescue his sister from the envious wicked witch Gruntilda!

Foil her selfish plan to snatch the beauty from Tooty in Banjo-Kazooie, available to #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members in January! #Nintendo64 pic.twitter.com/pvPD4aRvwr

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) December 10, 2021

Announced in a post on Twitter from the Nintendo of America account, it’s not clear exactly when Banjo-Kazooie will be available for Expansion Pack subscribers. It’s not too much of a surprise that the platformer is being added, though, as it’s one of the most recognizable titles in the Nintendo 64’s library. Another classic, Paper Mario, was also recently added to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack’s library of games.

Banjo-Kazooie will be added to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack’s catalog in sometime in January. A specific date for the game’s arrival has not been revealed. However, with Paper Mario‘s addition this month and Banjo-Kazooie coming to the service next month, it seems like Nintendo is aiming to add games on a monthly basis.

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is an upgraded version of Nintendo’s basic online service, giving players access to a growing catalog of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games for a bit more cash than they’d spend on the basic version. Along with access to Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, users who subscribe to Nintendo’s premium online service will get access to some DLC for Nintendo’s first-party games. At the moment, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack users will also get access to Animal Crossing: New Horizons‘ Happy Home Paradise expansion.

Otto Kratky
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…
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