We, like most '90s gamers, have plenty of fond memories of Rare games on the N64, including Diddy Kong Racing, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Donkey Kong 64 (when we forget how punishing it was), and, of course, Banjo Kazooie. But when Microsoft purchased Rare in 2002, the developer's offerings began going downhill (with the notable exception of Viva Pinata), and they haven't quite been the same since.
Now a new rumor (from an anonymous tipster, so take this one with an extra-large grain of salt) has claimed that Nintendo is looking to buy Rare from Nintendo, all toward the goal of reviving the Banjo Kazooie franchise for a new generation of consoles. Of course, they'd get all of Rare's other stellar properties as well.
Furthermore, the rumor claims that Retro Studios, developers of Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns, have been hard at work for some time on a new Banjo Kazooie title, and that Nintendo's been negotiating with Microsoft for the franchise all along.
Could Nintendo be approaching another golden age, bringing back its best franchises from the days of the N64 for the Wii U? Tell us what you think in the comments or on Twitter.
[via Zelda Informer via reddit]
