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[[File:Rare2015.png|thumb|150px|Rare logo since June 14th, 2015.]]
[[File:Rare logo.png|thumb|200px|Current logo (2015-present).]]
'''Rare, Ltd.''' (formerly known as '''Rareware''') is the video game company that created the [[Banjo-Kazooie series]]. They also created many other series, such as ''Perfect Dark'', ''Donkey Kong Country'', and ''Viva Piñata''. They began an exclusive publishing agreement with Nintendo in 1994, which lasted until Rare was purchased by Microsoft in 2002.
'''Rare Ltd.''' (formerly trade-named '''Rareware''') is a British video game developer that created the ''[[Banjo-Kazooie (series)|Banjo-Kazooie]]'' series. They are also best known for developing some other games, including ''[[mariowiki:Donkey Kong Country|Donkey Kong Country]]'' and ''[[rarewiki:GoldenEye 007|GoldenEye 007]]''.


Rare is located in Twycross, Leicestershire, UK. It has developed many games for Nintendo's gaming consoles, including Battletoads, Donkey Kong Country (and its sequels), Killer Instinct, [[Banjo-Kazooie]], [[Banjo-Tooie]], Blast Corps, GoldenEye 007, Perfect Dark, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Diddy Kong Racing, Donkey Kong 64, Jet Force Gemini, Star Fox Adventures, Diddy Kong Racing DS, and most recently, Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise.  
==History==
One of Rare's most critically acclaimed and popular series was the Donkey Kong Country series on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, due to its use of pre-framed 3D graphics on a largely 2D console. Rare then released several critically acclaimed platform games for the Nintendo 64, such as Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, Banjo-Tooie and Conker's Bad Fur Day.
The origins can be traced back to 1982 when Tim and Chris Stamper founded ''Ultimate Play the Game''. The studio saw early success on personal computers like the ZX Spectrum with titles like ''[[rarewiki:Jetpac|Jetpac]]'', ''[[rarewiki:Atic Atac|Atic Atac]]'', ''[[rarewiki:Sabre Wulf|Sabre Wulf]]'', and ''[[rarewiki:Knight Lore|Knight Lore]]''. One day, the team decided to focus on the international market. They created a subsidiary called Rare in 1985 to reverse engineer the Famicom hardware to learn its inner workings, something that [[Nintendo]] had previously claimed to be an impossibility. After impressing Nintendo with its tech demos, Rare was granted unlimited budget for developing Nintendo Entertainment System games. At this time, the team decided to sell the Ultimate Play the Game brand to U.S. Gold, and the entire company was renamed to Rare. A string of successful NES releases followed, including ''[[rarewiki:R.C. Pro-Am|R.C. Pro-Am]]'', ''[[rarewiki:Snake Rattle 'n' Roll|Snake Rattle 'n' Roll]]'', and ''[[rarewiki:Battletoads (1991 video game)|Battletoads]]'', and several licensed games.


==Staff departures==
In 1994, Rare acquired several SGI computers and used them to create a boxing game tech demo, which eventually became ''[[rarewiki:Killer Instinct|Killer Instinct]]''. Nintendo was so impressed with this demo that they would purchase a 49% stake in the company, making Rare a second-party developer. Nintendo would entrust Rare with making several ''Donkey Kong'' titles, including the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series, the ''Donkey Kong Land'' series, ''[[Diddy Kong Racing]]'', and ''[[mariowiki:Donkey Kong 64|Donkey Kong 64]]''. Banjo made his debut appearance in ''Diddy Kong Racing'', and a couple of months later, in 1998, ''[[Banjo-Kazooie]]'' was released for the [[Nintendo 64]]. In 2000, Rare released a sequel titled ''[[Banjo-Tooie]]''.  
[[File:Rareware.png|thumb|left|Rare's old logo]]
Key members of the GoldenEye development team left Rare soon after beginning work on Perfect Dark. Head of software Martin Hollis was the first to leave in 1998, working at Nintendo of America on the GameCube, and in 2000 he started his own company, Zoonami. Other members, such as David Doak, left soon after Hollis and formed Free Radical Design.


However, prior to both of these events, Rare had already publicly lost staff from other teams. In 1997 a small number of employees (Oliver Davies, Oliver Norton, Steve Patrick, Jeff Stafford, Christopher Gage, and Adrian Smith) left and formed a new studio to be known as Eighth Wonder. They were signed with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (who made sure this defection was well publicised in the games press) and were all set to develop a new PlayStation game. There were high hopes that this would produce an amazing game; provisionally titled "Popcorn". EDGE magazine even profiled the project, showing a game that looked like a 3D version of Bomberman. However, despite being shown by SCEE at the 1998 ECTS, the game was never released. Eighth Wonder are believed to have experienced a number of internal problems and, by 1999, the studio no longer existed.
On September 23, 2002, Rare released ''[[lylatwiki:Star Fox Adventures|Star Fox Adventures]]'', which was their last game as a second party developer for Nintendo. One day later, [[Microsoft]] bought out the entirety of Rare. As a first-party developer for Microsoft, Rare would make games exclusively for the Xbox line and PCs. Some of their early titles for the Xbox line of consoles include ''[[rarewiki:Grabbed by the Ghoulies|Grabbed by the Ghoulies]]'', ''[[conkerwiki:Conker: Live & Reloaded|Conker: Live & Reloaded]]'', ''[[rarewiki:Kameo: Elements of Power|Kameo: Elements of Power]]'', and ''[[rarewiki:Viva Piñata|Viva Piñata]]''. Rare would also collaborate with Nintendo and [[THQ]] to publish a few games for Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. Two ''Banjo-Kazooie'' titles, ''[[Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge]]'' and ''[[Banjo-Pilot]]'', were released for the Game Boy Advance during the years 2003 and 2005 respectively. In 2008, Rare released a sequel to ''Banjo-Tooie'', titled ''[[Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts]]''. Shortly after its release, ''[[Banjo-Kazooie (Xbox Live Arcade)|Banjo-Kazooie]]'' and ''[[Banjo-Tooie (Xbox Live Arcade)|Banjo-Tooie]]'' were re-released as Xbox Live Arcade titles.


===Microsoft era===
In the 2010s, Rare created a few ''[[rarewiki:Kinect Sports|Kinect Sports]]'' titles. For the second half of the decade, they spent a majority of their time developing the online multiplayer title ''[[rarewiki:Sea of Thieves|Sea of Thieves]]'' and releasing updates for the title. In 2015, Rare released the compilation title ''[[Rare Replay]]'' for Xbox One, and among the games it included are the Xbox Live Arcade releases of both ''Banjo-Kazooie'' and ''Banjo-Tooie'' as well as ''Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts''.
[[File:329px-Rare_logo.svg.png|thumb|2010 Rare logo.]]Up from the end of 2000, people from Activision and Microsoft visited Rare. In November 2001, Microsoft trademarked It's Mr. Pants, a game that was released three years later. In September 2002, the Stamper brothers sold their 51% interest in Rare to Microsoft; following this, Nintendo sold their 49% stake in the company as well. Microsoft paid a total of $375 million for the company. Because of this, Rare is now a first-party developer for Microsoft's Xbox and its successors. This left Donkey Kong Racing, which was due to be released for the Nintendo GameCube, unreleased. The trademarks of the characters from the games that Rare made for Nintendo consoles (such as Conker of Conker's Bad Fur Day and Banjo of the Banjo-Kazooie series) were retained by Rare through Microsoft (apart from intellectual properties originally developed by Nintendo, including Donkey Kong and Star Fox). Despite the acquisition, Rare still developed games for Game Boy Advance, and now develops for the Nintendo DS, as Microsoft is currently not participating in the hand-held video game console market. Rare has never developed for Sony platforms.  
In 2002, Star Fox Adventures became the only Rare game released on the Nintendo GameCube with an average Metacritic score of 82/100. Rare's first Xbox game, Grabbed by the Ghoulies, was a beat 'em up action game.
In August 2003, Rare and Microsoft made a deal with THQ for Rare to publish games for the Game Boy Advance, which, as of December 2004, have included Sabre Wulf, a game based on its Ultimate character, [[Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge]], a "midquel" to the two Nintendo 64 games, and It's Mr. Pants!, a puzzle game that was originally developed as "Donkey Kong: Coconut Crackers", and featured the company's unofficial mascot. January 2005 saw the completion of this deal, with the release of [[Banjo Pilot]] (which, before being acquired by Microsoft, was in development as ''Diddy Kong Pilot"). Rare also ported and extended the Donkey Kong Country series, which was published by Nintendo.''


[[File:RareLogo.jpg|210px|right|Rare's logo since 2003.]]
==In-game appearances==
At E3 in May 2004, Microsoft's Ken Lobb stated that Rare had obtained Nintendo DS development kits and was working on two games for the Nintendo DS.[5] Shortly after, Microsoft issued a statement saying that the company and its studios had no plans for Nintendo DS development. However, on 8 July 2005, Rare posted job openings for Nintendo DS development on its official website, and stated that it was "creating key DS titles". The first of these games is Diddy Kong Racing DS, an online-capable port of [[Diddy Kong Racing]].  
*In ''[[Banjo-Kazooie]]'', Rare Ltd.'s logo appears on both a crate and a flag in [[Rusty Bucket Bay]].
In 2005, Rare released Conker: Live and Reloaded, a remake of the N64's Conker's Bad Fur Day with updated graphics and sound to suit the Xbox and a reworked multiplayer option. Previously due to be known as Conker: Live and Uncut. The game has an average Metacritic score of 78/100.  
*In ''[[Banjo-Tooie]]'', Rare Ltd.'s logo appears on [[Mr. Fit]]'s suit and shoes. In the [[Banjo-Tooie (Xbox Live Arcade)|Xbox Live Arcade port]], once the final [[Mystery Egg]] is hatched in [[Heggy's Egg Shed]], [[Heggy]] also mentions a "very special Heggy egg award" that "might be useful... one day." [[Kazooie]] then mentions that "at least that means [they'll] get to see [their] 20th birthdays," but [[Banjo]] replies by saying that "surely Rare will make the next game faster than that."
Rare made something of a resurgence when Microsoft's Xbox 360 console was released in late 2005. Two of the Xbox 360's launch games were developed by Rare, Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero, with Viva Piñata released the next year. The third Banjo-Kazooie game, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, was released in November 2008.  
*In ''[[Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts]]'', Rare Ltd.'s logo can be seen in some boxes and containers in [[Showdown Town]]. It can also be seen on the sole of Mr. Fit's shoes.
Now Rare is primarily focused on Microsoft's Xbox Kinect peripheral, releasing the sports mingame collection Kinect Sports as one of the device's flagship launch titles in November 2010. On January 2, 2007, Rare founders Chris and Tim Stamper left the company to "pursue other opportunities".[6] Previous lead designer Gregg Mayles reviews as Creative Director. Mark Betteridge became Studio Director at the company, but was later replaced himself by Scott Henson from Microsoft Games Studios in 2010. The company's logo was also changed in 2010 to be more abstract, featuring a negative space Rare "R" shape in various brightly coloured polygons and the company's name written in grey, rounded text.
*In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', Rare Ltd.'s logo appears on Banjo's backpack.


During the E3 2015 at the Microsoft Press Conference Rare announced, along with ''Rare Replay'' - a Collection with 30 classic Rare Games - also a Pirate MMO ''Sea of Thieves, ''a new Logo, resembling the 1994 incarnation.
==Gallery==
{{other wikis|ConkerWiki=1|RareWiki=1|SuperMarioWiki=1|Wikipedia=Rare (company)|LylatWiki=Rare}}
<gallery>
BanjoKazooieRarewareLogo.jpg|Artwork of [[Banjo]] and [[Kazooie]] with the Rareware logo from ''Banjo-Kazooie''
BK Jinjos Rare logo.png|Artwork of two [[Jinjo]]s with the Rareware logo from ''Banjo-Kazooie''
B-K Group with Rareware.png|Artwork of Banjo, Kazooie, [[Mumbo Jumbo]], [[Gruntilda]] and a Jinjo with the Rareware logo from ''Banjo-Kazooie''
Rareware logo.jpg|Rareware logo (1994-2003)
Rare logo 2003.png|Rare logo (2003-2010)
</gallery>


== Media-shy nature ==
[[Category:Rare|*]]
During the Ultimate Play the Game years, the company gained an international reputation for being media shy. The company itself being understaffed, did not commit themselves to trade shows and only granted interviews once their current project was completed. Tim Stamper said in a CRASH interview that the only time off they had during the Ultimate years was two Christmas mornings. They worked all seven days a week, and the only hours in which they did not work were 2:00-8:00 am.[7]
[[Category:Video game companies]]
Rare released a VHS tape that could be obtained via mail-in request with the purchase of Donkey Kong Country. The video details the game's creation and shows the animal models Rare used. At the end of the video, the host and some others are seen playing Killer Instinct. They quickly look at the cameraman before pushing him out a door and closing it as the video ends.
In the early 1990s, Gamesmaster was one of Channel 4's biggest shows and was wanting to profile what went on inside Rare's. However, Bad Influence, a rival show—aimed for a much younger audience—was also keen to film a piece on the company. In not wanting the hassle of having two separate TV crews come and visit, Rare's management came up with a plan. They would grant a filming request only to the Yorkshire Television production team that made Bad Influence, on the provision that the show would then provide Gamesmaster with selective clips of what they filmed. Further clips would also be used to cut together the aforementioned promotional VHS tape.
The plan, however, backfired, when Gamesmaster's producers took offense in losing out to a rival show. Dominik Diamond was always known as a provocateur and as such insisted in vocalising his irritation in the way the show had been shunned by describing Tim and Chris Stamper as the "Physically unattractive Stamper brothers" in his voice-over. Since the broadcast of this episode to an audience of three million viewers, Rare turned their back completely on the broadcast media.
Web video shows have been granted access in recent years, such as Eurogamer in November 2006,[8] The 1UP Show[9] and GameSpot UK's Start Select in May 2008.
 
== Games for Wii's Virtual Console ==
Three games developed by Rare have been released on Nintendo's Virtual Console service. They are the three Donkey Kong Country games originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System from 1994 to 1996.
Rare stated on their website, "...it's ultimately Nintendo's decision what gets released (on VC). Beyond the DKC games, we don’t have anything in the pipeline at the moment, but that doesn't mean it won't happen in future."[citation needed]
 
== Games for Xbox Live Arcade ==
 
Jetpac (released by Ultimate Play the Game in 1983) was released for Xbox Live Arcade on March 28, 2007 as Jetpac Refuelled. In this release, the game was updated with overhauled high-definition graphics and also included Xbox supplements (leader-boards, achievements).
GoldenEye 007 was set for release, Microsoft approached Nintendo with a deal that would allow the game to be released on both Xbox Live Arcade and Nintendo's Virtual Console, but Nintendo refused this offer.
Both Banjo-Kazooie Nintendo 64 games were released on the Xbox Live Marketplace including sharper graphics, access to leaderboards over Xbox Live and achievement support. With this release, Stop 'N' Swop connected [[Banjo-Kazooie (Xbox Live Arcade)]] with [[Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts]] and [[Banjo-Tooie (Xbox Live Arcade)]].
 
 
{{wikipedia|Rare}}
[[Category:Copyright]]
[[Category:Banjo-Kazooie Wiki]]
[[Category:Banjo-Kazooie Box-art and Logos]]
[[Category:Companies]]

Latest revision as of 01:24, December 7, 2023

Current logo (2015-present).

Rare Ltd. (formerly trade-named Rareware) is a British video game developer that created the Banjo-Kazooie series. They are also best known for developing some other games, including Donkey Kong Country and GoldenEye 007.

History[edit]

The origins can be traced back to 1982 when Tim and Chris Stamper founded Ultimate Play the Game. The studio saw early success on personal computers like the ZX Spectrum with titles like Jetpac, Atic Atac, Sabre Wulf, and Knight Lore. One day, the team decided to focus on the international market. They created a subsidiary called Rare in 1985 to reverse engineer the Famicom hardware to learn its inner workings, something that Nintendo had previously claimed to be an impossibility. After impressing Nintendo with its tech demos, Rare was granted unlimited budget for developing Nintendo Entertainment System games. At this time, the team decided to sell the Ultimate Play the Game brand to U.S. Gold, and the entire company was renamed to Rare. A string of successful NES releases followed, including R.C. Pro-Am, Snake Rattle 'n' Roll, and Battletoads, and several licensed games.

In 1994, Rare acquired several SGI computers and used them to create a boxing game tech demo, which eventually became Killer Instinct. Nintendo was so impressed with this demo that they would purchase a 49% stake in the company, making Rare a second-party developer. Nintendo would entrust Rare with making several Donkey Kong titles, including the Donkey Kong Country series, the Donkey Kong Land series, Diddy Kong Racing, and Donkey Kong 64. Banjo made his debut appearance in Diddy Kong Racing, and a couple of months later, in 1998, Banjo-Kazooie was released for the Nintendo 64. In 2000, Rare released a sequel titled Banjo-Tooie.

On September 23, 2002, Rare released Star Fox Adventures, which was their last game as a second party developer for Nintendo. One day later, Microsoft bought out the entirety of Rare. As a first-party developer for Microsoft, Rare would make games exclusively for the Xbox line and PCs. Some of their early titles for the Xbox line of consoles include Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Conker: Live & Reloaded, Kameo: Elements of Power, and Viva Piñata. Rare would also collaborate with Nintendo and THQ to publish a few games for Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. Two Banjo-Kazooie titles, Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge and Banjo-Pilot, were released for the Game Boy Advance during the years 2003 and 2005 respectively. In 2008, Rare released a sequel to Banjo-Tooie, titled Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. Shortly after its release, Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie were re-released as Xbox Live Arcade titles.

In the 2010s, Rare created a few Kinect Sports titles. For the second half of the decade, they spent a majority of their time developing the online multiplayer title Sea of Thieves and releasing updates for the title. In 2015, Rare released the compilation title Rare Replay for Xbox One, and among the games it included are the Xbox Live Arcade releases of both Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie as well as Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

In-game appearances[edit]

Gallery[edit]

Rare Ltd. on other wikis:
Conker Wiki favicon.png
Lylat Wiki favicon.png
Rare Wiki favicon.png
Super Mario Wiki favicon.png
Wikipedia icon.png

  • Artwork of Banjo and Kazooie with the Rareware logo from Banjo-Kazooie

  • Artwork of two Jinjos with the Rareware logo from Banjo-Kazooie

  • Artwork of Banjo, Kazooie, Mumbo Jumbo, Gruntilda and a Jinjo with the Rareware logo from Banjo-Kazooie

  • Rareware logo (1994-2003)

  • Rare logo (2003-2010)

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