As a Banjo and Kazooie main, I feel like I should say something in their behalf.
This was my most wanted character since Smash
64, to the point that when I unlocked the first four unlockable characters, I was disappointed to find Ness and Jigglypuff instead of Banjo and Kazooie. Still I understood as they were new characters. But then Melee happened and I was a little annoyed, but understood quickly when it was announced Rare was purchased by Microsoft. As a dedicated Nintendo fanboy I was crushed. Not only were we losing Banjo, but Rare as well who at that point was on a hot streak of making my favorite games.
I was devastated.
Needless to say when they were announced in 2019, it was cathartic, much like when Steve from
Blues Clues posted that video that went viral a week or so ago. It just felt like getting some closure on Banjo as an official Nintendo icon and legend. It is much easier to be at peace with Rare leaving in 2002, especially with their game coming to the Nintendo Switch Online.
As for how they play?
I think someone else really put it into words best, but I will try my hand at it:
This character, frustratingly, gets mischaracterized due to a few reasons.
Number one, despite being designed as a easy to use all-arounder like a Mario, they are subtlety more complicated than that due to the nature of the projectiles and how they move. They are actually quite fluid if you know how to use them. So when people first pick them up, they feel clunky, so people stop playing them, and it is hard to get into them at first.
Number two, people spam Wonderwing because they don’t know how to play them. Wonderwing is a great move if used intelligently, and not like PK Fire.
So over time, I put in the work, and frankly love that they aren’t played as much as the other DLC because many people don’t know how to play against someone who actually knows how to use Banjo. And so, for me, they have became my true main.