References in the Banjo-Kazooie series

This list of references in the Banjo-Kazooie series is a list of references to other media, mostly games developed by Rare Ltd., in the Banjo-Kazooie series. For a list of unrelated games referencing the series, see References to the Banjo-Kazooie series.

Banjo-Kazooie

 * In the Mad Monster Mansion basement, there are barrels labeled 1881, referencing the game Atic Atac.
 * In Rusty Bucket Bay, there is a crate with Rare's logo on it.
 * In the Shipmate's Quarters of the Rusty Bucket, there's a picture of Berri, Conker the Squirrel's girlfriend, as she appears in Conker's Pocket Tales. Due to Berri's difference in design in later games, a photo of Conker (using his model from Conker's Bad Fur Day) replaced it in the Xbox Live Arcade version.
 * In the Grunty's Furnace Fun game, among the wrong answers for a question regarding Nabnut's name is "Conker the Squirrel," a reference to the main character from the Conker franchise). Another answer includes Cranky Kong (off the Donkey Kong series).
 * Gnawty from Click Clock Wood is a reference to the enemy found in the Donkey Kong Country games. His design resembles Really Gwanty
 * In the Grunty's Furnace Fun game, one of the questions is about which game Gruntilda first starred in. Other than Banjo-Kazooie, the two wrong answers are "Perfect Grunty" and "Grunty Kong 64." These are references to Rare's other games: Perfect Dark and Donkey Kong 64, respectively.
 * In the Grunty's Furnace Fun game, one of the questions is about which character talks in what tone. On Conga's, the wrong answer is "Funky the Monkey" a reference to Funky Kong from the Donkey Kong Country series.
 * Conga uses Donkey Kong's voice clips from Mario Kart 64.
 * Similarly, Chimpy's voice clips were reused in Donkey Kong 64.

Banjo-Tooie

 * In Bottles' House, Bottles' daughter, Goggles, is seen playing with a Donkey Kong doll.
 * In Goggles' room, she has a poster of Juno from "Jet Force Gemini." There is also a poster of Vela from Jet Force Gemini in another area of the house.
 * Bottles' son, Speccy, wears a hat bearing an upside-down version of the insignia on that of Pokémon's Ash Ketchum.
 * In Mayahem Temple, the face of the idol on top of Targitzan's temple resembles a Tribal from Rare's N64 title Jet Force Gemini.
 * In Jolly Roger's Lagoon, inside the UFO, Kazooie asks the aliens if they are named "Elvis." The name "Elvis" is referring to an alien from "Perfect Dark." When they say that they need help, Kazooie asks if they need to "phone home." It is a famous line from the film, .
 * The lockers in the area with D. Jones' Locker have the names of "Banjo-Tooie" team members. The Davy Jones' Locker is a reference to the popular term.
 * In one of the beds' in the Igglo in the Icy Side of Hailfire Peaks, there is a Perfect Dark logo.
 * Boggy's has a static-screen tv with a picture of Rare's mascot, Mr. Pants, appearing every few seconds. He also appears as a constellation in Witchyworld in the Dodgem Dome lobby.
 * In Hailfire Peaks, Sabreman of "Sabrewulf" makes an appearance.
 * In Grunty Industries, there is a fridge with the logos of Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Perfect Dark, Jet Force Gemini and Donkey Kong. In the XBLA release, "BK" replaced "DK."
 * In Grunty Industries, there are crates labeled "Defective Goods: Ship to Twycross, England." There are also crates labeled "TK-421" and "AA-23." TK-421 is the designation of one of the Stormtroopers from Star Wars: A New Hope, and AA-23 is Princess Leia's detention block in the same movie.
 * Kazooie mentions Mario, Nintendo's mascot, when discussing with Loggo about who could unclog him. This line was changed in the XBLA release, instead of him as "That well-known Italian gentleman." Loggo responds that he probably doesn't do that kind of work anymore.
 * There are two ice cubes, George Ice Cube and Mildred Ice Cube, who appear in Cloud Cuckooland and Hailfire Peaks, respectively. Both names are a reference to the 1970s British sitcom, "Man About the House."
 * In Cloud Cuckooland's central cave, there is a safe named Superstash, who guards a Jiggy. His combination is 1984, which he describes as "a Rare date." Rare was founded in 1984.
 * In the Tower of Tragedy quiz, one wrong answer to a question is "Joanna Dark." She's the main character in Rare's game "Perfect Dark."
 * In the Tower of Tragedy quiz, a question asking 'Which of these is an area in Hailfire Peaks?' has an answer of Crystal Caverns, a reference to Donkey Kong 64.
 * In the Tower of Tragedy quiz, a right answer of Banjo's debut appearance is "Diddy Kong Racing."

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

 * When looking at the information for the part "Spike", Mumbo Jumbo makes a reference to the character "Fudgehog" from the Viva Piñata franchise.
 * A radio in the background plays the song "Windy" from "Conker's Bad Fur Day."
 * Later in the intro, when L.O.G. appears, L.O.G. says he is the creator of all video games, to which Kazooie replies with "Even ones that don't sell very well, like "Ghoulies"?," a reference to the poor sales that "Grabbed by the Ghoulies" had. When Kazooie says they've been in lots of games, L.O.G. replies with, "But not nearly as many as that Italian gentleman.," referring to Mario. Additionally, when Kazooie mentions Ghoulies, a brief snippet of the game's main theme plays.
 * Each world (except Showdown Town and Spiral Mountain) has an intro that references the intro of an old TV show. Nutty Acres references the show Dallas, LOGBOX 720 references Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Banjoland references The Love Boat, Jiggoseum references Dynasty, Terrarium of Terror references Lost in Space, and L.O.G.'s Lost Challenges references The A-Team.
 * A part the player can buy is called a "Papery Pal," which looks like a Lickitoad from "Viva Piñata." In the description of it, Mumbo tells Banjo and Kazooie that "Trouble in Paradise is good game. Mumbo recommend player buy it tomorrow." Trouble in Paradise is the 2nd Viva Piñata game, and was released only two months before Nuts & Bolts.
 * When Banjo and Kazooie head to Klungo's Arcade for the first time, Klungo says that his video game makes him a big star, "bigger star than Massster Chef..." "Massster Chef" is a reference to Master Chief from the Halo franchise.
 * In LOGBOX 720, there are several video game discs in different areas of the world. These discs include Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, It's Mr. Pants, Grabbed By The Ghoulies, and Viva Piñata. In the real world, Mr. Pants only had a video game for the Game Boy Advance.
 * At one point, Banjo mentions that he once was in a race with "a genie and a giant pig," a reference to his first-ever appearance in Diddy Kong Racing (the genie is Taj and the giant pig is Wizpig).
 * In Banjoland, a "Grabbed By The Ghoulies" box is floating in the water and within a trash can. There is also a tall rubbish bin filled to the brim with unsold and returned copies of the game.
 * A reference to Mr. Pants is found in a vehicle part called the "Spirit of Pants", which Mumbo Jumbo describes as a "Rubbish Rare website mascot now rubbish vehicle mascot. Not exactly flying lady on sophisticated cars!"
 * In Spiral Mountain's dumpster, there are keys, a skeleton from Grabbed from the Ghoulies, a character from Viva Pinata, and the Watknot book from Kameo.
 * In L.O.G's game storage room (where Grunty is in the ending cutscene), there are various boxes with pictures the game they have inside. These include: Grabbed by the Ghoulies II, Cake Filler Instinct (a reference to Killer Instinct), Battletoads 2010, Viva Piñata Kart and Banjo Bash Buddies (a reference to Super Smash Bros.) These are more easily seen by going under Spiral Mountain with a glitch.
 * In the intro sequence when Gruntilda threatens to refuse L.O.G.'s challenge, L.O.G. turns Banjo into a Lickitoad and Gruntilda into a Jack O' Lantern both from Viva Piñata.
 * There is a sign in Showdown Town that says Green Fingers Fiddlesworth Garden Emporium. Fiddlesworth is a character from Grabbed by the Ghoulies.
 * There is a sign in Showdown Town that says Ma Soupswill's Ice Cream Parlor. Ma Soupswill is a character from Grabbed by the Ghoulies.
 * In Showdown Town, there is a diner around town; "Mr. Ribs BBQ Ribs" This refers to Ma Soupswill's undead assistant, Mr. Ribs. Mr. Ribs' decapitated head can also be located in the skip bin, next to Banjo's House in Spiral Mountain, (along with a Fudgehog from Viva Pinata.)
 * When constructing a vehicle, using a tray will show it to be filled with miscellaneous items, such as a Lickatoad from Viva Pinata, the arm of a skeleton from Grabbed By The Ghoulies, and even copies of the game itself.
 * Conker the Squirrel and Kameo can be seen in a newspaper article from Showdown Town.
 * A remixed version of the NES Battletoads game's pause theme can be heard during the game's loading screen.
 * A remixed version of the NES Battletoads game's pause theme can be heard during the game's loading screen.