The Banjo-Kazooie series offer an abundance of diverse as well as captivating environments for players to explore. Each installment in the franchise features a unique set of themed worlds that are dispersed in the game’s overworld, which can only be accessed after fulfilling the criteria. In Banjo-Kazooie, players must seek out and acquire sufficient quantities of Jiggies, that are used to fill the puzzle borders inside Gruntilda’s Lair, thus unlocking new worlds. In Banjo-Tooie, players must once again gather Jiggies, but this time, they need them to gain entry into the Jiggywiggy Temple and complete a picture challenge to access new worlds within the Isle O’ Hags. Similarly in Banjo-Kazooie Grunty’s Revenge, Jiggies are also necessary to unlock new worlds, but with a variation in that there is no picture challenge to overcome before the player can move on to the next world. Instead, the player simply consults Master Jiggywiggy, who will grant them access to the Crystal Jiggy and thus enable them to unlock the next world in Spiral Mountain. In the game Banjo-Kazooie Nuts and Bolts, Jiggies have a similar approach. Collecting sufficient quantities of Jiggies rewards players with a globe in Showdown Town from L.O.G., which can be placed on the podium to unlock a new world. Additionally, completing Jiggy-Challenges within a given time will yield either Musical Notes, Jiggies, or T.T. Trophies as a reward. Unlike the game’s predecessors Jiggies can no longer be found throughout the worlds, requiring players to either complete Jiggy Challenges, collect four T.T. Trophies or pull on a Jig-O-Vend hidden in Showdown Town.
» Yooka-Laylee Series
Yooka-Laylee was developed by a group of several former key personnel from Rare, resulting in a game that shares similar gameplay mechanics with Banjo-Kazooie. While all the worlds in the Banjo-Kazooie game were located inside Gruntilda’s Lair, the worlds in Yooka-Laylee are located within Hivory Towers, the headquarters of the game’s antagonists. Also, what makes the process of unlocking a world in Yooka-Laylee different is the fact that it does not require completion of a puzzle border or a moving picture challenge. Instead, players must stand on a podium located in front of the world’s entrance and utilize a certain number of Pagies to gain access. These Grand Tomes, colloquially referred to as big books, transport players to different themed worlds where they can explore, gather various collectibles, and progress through the game. Upon unlocking a world, players will activate the expansion feature that enables them to use a specific number of Pagies in order to enhance and expand the current Grand Tome. These enhancements add new sections and elements to a world, creating a more immersive gameplay experience. Pagies can be found in various locations, such as Hivory Towers, worlds, or as rewards from interacting with other supportive characters. Furthermore, in Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, Pagies have a different use than in the previous game. Instead of unlocking Grand Tomes, they are scattered around the game’s main hub, Royal Stingdom, where they serve as environmental modifiers. For instance, players can use Pagies to raise platforms or overcome other obstacles, granting them access to unreachable sections where they can find additional collectibles and enter new Grand Tomes. However, players must first complete the challenge of a Pagie such as reaching a goal in time, defeating all enemies or collecting all collectibles, before Pagies will use their power.