Banjo-Kazooie Recompilation

About

Banjo: Recompiled uses N64: Recompiled to statically recompile Banjo-Kazooie into a native port, with RT64 as the rendering engine. It adds enhancements and extensive mod support, and runs on Windows, Linux, Steam Deck and macOS. The repository and its releases contain no game assets.

How it differs from the original

Adds high framerate, widescreen and ultrawide support, an optional dual analog camera, and an option to keep notes after leaving a level or dying. Mod and texture pack support is built in, and the duplicate Mumbo token IDs of the original game are fixed.

Getting started

Supply your own copy of the North American 1.0 version of the game in the main menu and start playing; assets load from that copy with no separate extraction or build step. Only that one ROM is accepted, ROMs in other formats are converted if it is the correct one, and it is not an emulator. Prebuilt binaries are in the project's releases, including a Linux binary and a Flatpak for the Steam Deck.

Known issues & limitations

• MSI Afterburner, Wallpaper Engine, and similar software can cause performance problems and prevent correct rendering; disabling them is recommended.
• Overlays such as MSI Afterburner and software such as Wallpaper Engine can cause performance issues that stop the game rendering correctly.

What you need to run it

Features

• In-game menus let you configure gameplay, graphics, input mappings, and audio; menus work with mouse, controller, or keyboard.
• The game can run at different framerates, including the original framerate, without changing gameplay.
• Community mods and texture packs can add or change game content; mods can be toggled and some configured in the mod menu.
• An optional dual-analog setting uses the right stick for camera control.
• An optional setting keeps notes when leaving a level or dying; it can be turned off to restore the N64 note score mechanic.
• A Linux binary and Flatpak are available, including for Steam Deck.

How to install

1. Download a prebuilt binary from the Releases section; building is not required to play.
2. Provide your North American 1.0 game copy in the main menu, then start playing; no separate asset extraction is needed.
3. To play on Steam Deck, extract the Linux build, add the executable to Steam from desktop mode, then return to Gaming mode and configure controls.
4. To install a mod, drag its files onto the game window before starting, or use Install Mods in the mod menu.

Controls

• With dual-analog control enabled, the right analog stick controls the camera.
• The menus can be operated with a mouse, controller, or keyboard.

Additional notes

Decompilation relation

The port is not based on decompiled source code, but it uses headers and some functions from the Banjo-Kazooie decompilation project for its patches and enhancements.

Portable mode

Placing a file named portable.txt next to the executable keeps saves, configs and mods in the same folder.

Planned feature

Ray tracing via RT64 is listed as a planned feature.

FAQ

What is Banjo-Kazooie Recompilation?

Banjo-Kazooie Recompilation is an open-source recompilation of Banjo-Kazooie. The original game's compiled code translated into a native program for a new platform, usually a PC port. The original game ran on N64.

Do I need the original game files to run Banjo-Kazooie Recompilation?

Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy.

Where is the savefile stored?

Windows: `%LOCALAPPDATA%\BanjoRecompiled\saves`; Linux: `~/.config/BanjoRecompiled/saves`; macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/BanjoRecompiled/saves`.

How do I choose a different ROM?

You can't: only the US 1.0 N64 release is accepted. Other formats than .z64 are automatically converted if they are the correct ROM; this is not an emulator and cannot run arbitrary ROMs.

Does note saving collect notes during Bottles' puzzles and prevent 100% completion?

No. Notes are not saved during demos.