Jinjos are a species of mystical creatures that can be found in every game of the Banjo-Kazooie franchise. Despite their tiny size, these creatures possess a remarkable level of intelligence and come in different colors. While it’s not fully explained, Jinjos are known to possess some magical abilities, including the power of flight, which allows them to fly through the air with ease. Another noteworthy power these little creatures have is their ability to survive and thrive in various harsh environments. These creatures can be found in underwater environments and other dangerous places. Additionally, Jinjos are adept at breathing underwater, allowing them to explore even the deepest parts of the sea. In Banjo-Tooie, players were given a glimpse into the secret lives of the Jinjos when it was revealed that they live in a small village ruled by King Jingaling, a giant yellow Jinjo that towers over the other Jinjos. The games also introduced the Minjos, who are known to disguise themselves as Jinjos and hit players when they attempt to collect them. Throughout the Banjo-Kazooie series, Gruntilda Winkybunion hid five Jinjos of varying colors in each world, likely as punishment for their disobedience. Once players obtained all five Jinjos, they will be rewarded with a golden Jiggy, which serves as an important piece of the puzzle. However, if players miss a Jinjo and leaves the world, they will have to find all the Jinjos again as their positions reset. In the re-released version of Banjo-Kazooie, Jinjos stay collected once they are found by players, much like Musical Notes. However, players can still collect them again for an extra life, which is a useful tool to have as they continue on their journey. Overall, Jinjos are a fascinating and important part of the Banjo-Kazooie series. In addition, their powerful abilities, intelligent nature, and distinctive appearance have made them a beloved and one of the most popular creatures in the series.
» Jinjos in Banjo-Tooie
In Banjo-Tooie, the Jinjos of Jinjo Village faced a grave threat when the Hag One drilling machine plowed through their village. This unfortunate event killed the grey Jinjos, and damaged the red family’s house, leading to all the Jinjos fleeing their homes. King Jingaling, the big yellow Jinjo of the village, pleaded with Banjo and Kazooie to return the Jinjos to their respective homes in time for the upcoming kickball tournament with the moles. However, the mission of finding them was no easy feat, as there were nine differently colored Jinjo families, scattered throughout all of the game’s playable worlds, including Spiral Mountain and the game’s hub world Isle O’ Hags. Unlike in the original game Banjo-Kazooie, where players had to find five Jinjos of varying colors in each world, in Banjo-Tooie, players had to find all Jinjos of a certain color’s family before receiving that family’s Jiggy heirloom. Furthermore, the locations of the Jinjos were random and changed with every save file, making it tricky for the protagonists to find them. This unpredictability also meant that Banjo and Kazooie had a chance of finding the Black Jinjo family before unlocking the third world in the game, Witchyworld, although the chances of this happening were slim. Once a Jinjo was rescued, it returned to its family’s house found in Jinjo Village rather than resetting upon the player’s departure from the section. If any Jinjos were still missing, a slow, melancholic version of Jinjo Village’s theme would play inside the house. In contrast, completed families had a happier more upbeat tune. Beside of that, it’s important to note that the White Jinjo family contained only one member, which was commonly found in Mayahem Temple, while the Black Jinjo family is the largest one with nine family members. It’s worth mentioning that there was also a tenth house in the Jinjo village that apparently belonged to the Grey Jinjo family. Sadly, this family did not make an appearance in the game as their house was demolished by Gruntilda’s Hag One on its way to the Cauldron Keep. Also players of the franchise assume that the Grey Jinjos were a family of ten members. Furthermore, an easy way to differentiate Jinjos from Minjos was to remember which Jinjo families were completed. Additionally, hitting a Jinjo from a distance, for instance Kazooie’s Clockwork Eggs, was another way to distinguish between Jinjos and Minjos. If the creature took damage from an egg or other damaging source, players knew it wasn’t a Jinjo. Finally, Kazooie’s Hatch ability was instrumental in hatching the yellow mystery egg from the Stop ‘n’ Swop series inside Heggy’s Egg Shed, which enabled players to unlock Jinjo as a playable character for the FPS-style Breegull Blaster shootout matches in Multiplayer Mode. Also, he was the smallest and fastest playable character, but also the most vulnerable, having only four health points. A single hit from an explosive egg such as Grenade or Proximity Eggs was enough to defeat him.
» Jinjos in Banjo-Kazooie Grunty's Revenge
In the handheld game Banjo-Kazooie Grunty’s Revenge, the vibrant and mystical creatures face yet another peril as the malicious Gruntilda Winkybunion forces them out of their homes, leaving the Jinjo Oracle, a colossal stone statue resembling a Jinjo, alone and vulnerable. Here is where Banjo and Kazooie step in to save the day once more. As the game’s protagonists, they have to traverse through Spiral Mountain, the game’s hub world, and its five distinct worlds to locate the five Jinjos in each world and come to the aid of the Jinjo Oracle. As the Jinjo Oracle is immobile she relies on the Jinjos to provide Banjo and Kazooie with additional hints and secrets about the sections she can not explore. Once the duo successfully retrieves a Jinjo, the Jinjo Oracle offers them valuable advice on finding additional Jinjos or acquiring Jiggies in that specific world. After finding and collecting all five Jinjos in a world, the Jinjo Oracle rewards Banjo and Kazooie with a Jiggy and provides them with essential information about the following world found within Spiral Mountain. It is worth noting that each of the game’s playable worlds has a unique set of Jinjos to be rescued, each with their own vibrant hue. Interestingly, Banjo-Kazooie Grunty’s Revenge is so far the only game in the series that requires the rescue of members of the grey Jinjo family.
» Jinjos in Banjo-Kazooie Nuts & Bolts
In Banjo-Kazooie Nuts and Bolts, the beloved Jinjos make a triumphant return, but this time, they require more than just being located and collected. Each Jinjo presents a unique challenge that adds an exciting twist to the traditional collectible hunt. Players have to complete tasks such as reaching a designated speed or rolling a certain distance without having the vehicle’s engine to receive a Jinjo Token. These Jinjo Tokens come in different colors that match the corresponding Jinjo and can be utilized to play in King Jingaling’s Bingo Palace, a vibrant entertainment center located in Showdown Town next to Klungo’s Arcade. By completing a row on the card board with the different colored Jinjo Tokens, players are able to obtain additional vehicle parts, such as the Boot-In-A-Box. Unfortunately, six Jinjos are locked up in cages scattered throughout the game’s hub world, Showdown Town. In order to free the Jinjos, players must find the cages, and use the Magic Wrench given by Lord of Games to rotate the lever near the cage and open it. Once freed players must transport the Jinjos back to their rightful homes in Banjo and Kazooie’s trolley to be rewarded with another Jinjo Token. However, rescuing the Jinjos is not without its challenges, as a new puzzle element is incorporated into the process. After returning a Jinjo to his home players have to find a Minjo in Showdown Town and transport him to an empty cage to replace the freed Jinjo, which will earn them some Musical Notes from Pikelet, who works at the Police Station.
» Additional Information
QUOTES
✤ Gruntilda has imprisoned five of us Jinjos on each world, free us all to get a Jiggy!
✤ I’ve lost my most prized possession! Have you seen it anywhere?
✤ Help me, Banjo! I’m innocent! I’m not cut out for the prison!
✤ If only everybody around here was so quick to obey my random rules!
✤ I regret to say I only have this rather common Token to offer as a reward …
