2008 Cult Classic Xbox 360 Title Created a Template For Nintendo's Greatest Switch Game
Video games take inspiration from other titles all the time, even if fans don't see it in plain sight. Sometimes, the most unlikely predecessor paves a path for something even greater, and that's exactly what happened with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
The 2023 Switch game is now considered one of the best in the series and an all-time entry in Nintendo's canon. It was everything Breath of the Wild was, but with an even more fleshed-out and advanced world.
The creation tools that allow players to build vehicles to their hearts' desire are one of the first things that come to mind when thinking about the game, but this is a mechanic that was actually popularized by a cult classic Xbox 360 game, not appreciated by the public.
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts didn't go over well with series fans when it came out in 2008. Developer Rare's move from Nintendo consoles to Microsoft hardware meant that the game was developed with a different audience in mind.
Instead of traditional 3D platforming like on the Nintendo 64, the game utilized a build-and-operate approach that turned Banjo's world into a playground for crafting motorized vehicles and completing different objectives that were made easier or more difficult depending on what you were driving.
With almost 20 years in the rearview mirror, some fans on social media are now crediting the density of the building mechanics. Some even think that The Legend of Zelda's vehicle gameplay is inspired by Nuts & Bolts, but it doesn't live up to the Xbox 360 title.
TOTK has an amazingly powerful creation toolset that's utterly let down by a game design that barely incentives engagement with it on any meaningful level.
— André (@AndreSegers) April 30, 2026
Nuts & Bolts integrated its build system into the actual gameplay 10 times better. https://t.co/7BbIwAYjId
This fan bemoans that TOTK doesn't meld the vehicles with the world design as well as Banjo-Kazooie did. Another person thinks that Nuts & Bolts still reigns far superior and believes TOTK has no other legacy beyond the crafting elements.
Kinda funny that it took them 12 years to make this game and its only legacy is the part they ripped off from nuts and bolts https://t.co/9K7UXhu2hG
— Bring Back Banjo (@BringBackBanjoK) April 30, 2026
Both of these games are controversial in their own ways. Tears of the Kingdom is still one of the most critically acclaimed games on the Switch, despite some detractors. Nuts & Bolts is now viewed in a more favorable light than in 2008, but Banjo-Kazooie fans wish for there to be a true sequel to Banjo-Tooie.
Regardless of the opinion on these games, it's wonderful to see such different game universes collide, emulate, and inspire one another even decades after their creation.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 5:42 PM.