Banjo



Banjo is a honey-loving bear and friend of Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong, and Conker the Squirrel. Banjo is one of two friends (the other being Conker) that Diddy Kong contacts via Squawks the Parrot in Diddy Kong Racing. He helps Diddy free Timber's Island from the evil Wizpig. In Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo has low acceleration, high top speed and also has below average handling.

After Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo returned to his home and joined up with his friend, Kazooie, with whom he has gone on several adventures with.

Relation to the Mario series
Banjo is related to the Mario series through cameos and references in Rareware games. As previously mentioned, he appeared in Diddy Kong Racing, connecting him to the Donkey Kong games which are part of the Mario series. In Banjo-Tooie, Mario was also mentioned by Kazooie when Loggo the Toilet was blocked. A recreation of the 8-bit Mario sprite from Super Mario Bros. can be seen in one of the first trailers for Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. Originally, its head is blown off, but the scene was quickly cut from the trailer. In the Club Nintendo comic Super Mario in Aloha Hawaii Banjo's friend Bottles takes Mario to Hawaii. Banjo also appears in the comic series N Gang.

Trivia

 * In Diddy Kong Racing DS, Banjo was replaced by Tiny Kong as a playable character.
 * While Banjo was not in Diddy Kong Racing DS, if the player listens in the selection screen theme he or she can still hear Banjo and Conker's themes play in the background.
 * The game Banjo-Pilot, a Banjo-Kazooie series game, was originally to be Diddy Kong Pilot, the sequel to Diddy Kong Racing.
 * In Diddy Kong Racing Banjo oddly does not appear at the end of the game party the first time Wizpig is defeated like how Bubbler does not show up at the end of the game party after Wizpig is defeated for good.