N64 modder continues to put Banjo-Kazooie into classic games, this time with a wonderful Zelda: Wind Waker invasion

Another Banjo-Kazooie mod is taking the beloved bird and bear to the flooded Hyrule of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.

It’s definitely a bummer to see Banjo and Kazooie rotting in Microsoft’s growing IP graveyard, outside of a Super Smash Bros appearance years ago, but at least the iconic platforming mascots have gotten to visit almost every famous N64 location there is thanks to amazing modding efforts in recent years.

Just a couple of weeks ago, KurkoMods announced an upcoming romhack that had Banjo and Kazooie flapping about and yuh-huhing across the multiverse, with levels from Pokemon, Goldeneye, Conker, and Mario all showing up. Now, the same modder just booked the duo a first class ticket to the GameCube generation in Banjo-Kazooie: Bear Waker Deluxe.

An update to an earlier hack from 2019, Banjo-Kazooie: Bear Waker Deluxe has our brainless bear and sassy bird getting up to their signature hijinx on a few islands recreated from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker with the usual jiggies, notes, honeycombs, and Mumbo Tokens to find.

The full walkthrough below shows off even more familiar sights from Wind Waker, like various indoor dungeons and sunny towns. Dear old Mumbo can even turn Banjo into tried and true Zelda items like a bomb this time around, which as Kazooie is quick to note, is “probably just another cheap reskin with no new abilities.” It’s still fun to see them plop around as ball regardless.

If you’d like to see Wind Waker’s cell-shaded islands turned into blocky N64 layouts, all with Banjo-Kazooie’s still-expressive moveset attached, then you can download the mod in the above video’s description.

Phil Spencer says Xbox Game Pass has made small games and retro revivals more viable: “Banjo fans, I hear you.”