Sabreman

"I come from a golden age where wolves were kings..."

- Sabreman

Sabreman was originally the main character of the Sabreman series games released by Ultimate Play The Game, although since then has made cameos in several of Rareware's games. In 2004, Sabreman starred once again in his own game for the Game Boy Advance titled Sabre Wulf.

Sabreman's appearance in Banjo-Tooie was not much more than as a minor character. Banjo and Kazooie discover his frozen body on the icy side of Hailfire Peaks clutching a familiar-shaped treasure. But just trying to heat up his frozen self will not work because he is dead. The first step in rescuing this lost explorer is to use Mumbo Jumbo to bring him back to life; however, this still leaves poor Sabreman cold in the snow, requiring you to heat him up with Fire Eggs, Hatch or Dragon Kazooie. Then Banjo must use the Taxi Pack to bring him back to the fire side of Hailfire Peaks. Once all is done and well, Sabreman will give the pair a Jiggy that he had stashed in his tent and hit the hay, where he sleeps perpetually for the remainder of the game.

Notably, while Sabreman sleeps, he talks in his sleep and says "I wonder what adventures await me...maybe I'll ride a dolphin." As at the time, Rare was still part of Nintendo and their next game console had been going by the codename of "Dolphin," many players speculated that Rare was using this as foreshadowing for a future next-gen Sabreman title. If this title ever existed, it's never been leaked and Sabreman's future game was released on the Game Boy Advance instead. A later next-gen Sabreman title, Sabreman Stampede, was a reworked version of Donkey Kong Racing, a title Rare had been working on for Nintendo until their purchase by Microsoft. Sadly, while beta footage of the game leaked in 2008 showing the game was now a full-fledged platforming adventure, the game was quietly canceled in 2007. The only "next-gen" appearance of Sabreman was in the 2009 Banjo-Tooie port for the Xbox Live Arcade.

However, Sabreman does make a small cameo in the background of the Jolly Roger's Lagoon course from Banjo-Pilot.

Quotes
Mumbo: Mumbo think seen crazy old man before perhaps? Sabreman: It's quite possible. I come from a golden age where wolves were kings... The name's Sabreman. Adventuring is my game... or, at least, was my game. Mumbo: What Cableman doing in ice block? Sabreman: That cursed Sabre Wulf chased me all the way here, where I was frozen in my tracks by the ice dragon... I'm rather cold, could you see your way to warming me up? Mumbo: Mumbo not do that, but know bear that might...
 * Sabreman: Many thanks, young sir! Why, I've been frozen in there since 1984.

Banjo: Glad to help an old hero. Sabreman: Being frozen for so long has tired me. I need a cup of tea and 40 winks. Could yo possibly help me out one more time? Kazooie: Of course. This sounds like a job for you, Banjo! Sabreman: Can you carry me back to my tent? It's over on the fiery side of the mountain... If it hasn't burnt down by now.
 * Sabreman: That's so much better!

Banjo: It's probably worthless anyway. Sabreman: My treasure is still here too! You may have it, kind sir. It's a fine golden jigsaw piece. No use to me - I'm hanging up my boots.
 * Sabreman: My tent! My equipment! It's just as I left it all those years ago!


 * Zzz... I wonder what adventures await me...maybe I'll ride a dolphin.
 * Zzz... Bears in their own adventure... Pah!

Trivia

 * What Sabreman is actually seen clutching while frozen is a piece of the Wulf Amulet from Sabre Wulf, in particular the upper left fragment of it. In that game, the main goal was to find four pieces of the relic in order to escape from a jungle.