Suddenly, Banjo and Kazooie are now in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. They were announced back during E3, but the manner in which Sakurai talked about them made them feel far away. Now, after a stacked Nintendo Direct, the bear-and-bird duo are here.
So how do they play? Decently. Nothing in their kit makes them seem as drastically overpowered as Hero and Joker did at launch. Instead, Banjo and Kazooie are a solid all-around fighter that will depend on the player to draw out their true potential.
Banjo-Kazooie's Moveset
All of the duo's special moves rely on Kazooie doing her bird thing. Normally, she hides in Banjo's backpack. But for attacks she pops out to fly, lay eggs, and protect Banjo with her wings. It kind of makes you wonder why Banjo's name goes first. Maybe Kazooie needs a better agent.
It all starts with the Neutral B. This makes Kazooie spit out an egg. The projectile does moderate damage and makes the enemy flinch. Holding the button down will cause Banjo to hold Kazooie like a gun. You can fire more eggs this way and even move while doing so. Only don't do this. The gun makes Banjo pretty clunky and doesn't give much of an advantage. You're better off peppering foes with the basic shot.
The Side B is Wonder Wing. This powerful dash has priority over most opposing attacks and delivers a great amount of knock back. It makes for a great KO move and recovery move. It does have several weaknesses, however. First is that it's limited to five uses per stock. There's no way to recover uses without KOing yourself. Second, opponents can easily shield it and grab you out of it. It's a lot like Falcon Punch or Skull Bask. It packs a lot of power, but throwing it out willy-nilly will only make you predictable and therefore vulnerable. Save this move to use as a surprise.
Up B is a recovery move. Banjo creates a Shock Spring Pad That Kazooie jumps off of. Holding the command down will make the duo jump higher. This differs from most recovery moves in that it doesn't render you immobile. You're free to jump or dodge after. This is the first indicator of one of Banjo-Kazooie's greatest strengths: their recovery.
Finally, the Down B will probably be the Banjo and Kazooie's most useful move. It's called Rear Egg, and Kazooie poops out an egg as the name implies. It's no ordinary egg, though. It's a grenade. Like other bomb projectiles, you and the opponent can pick it up and throw it before it explodes. The thing is, it has a short fuse and a weird bounce pattern. It won't be as easy for opponents to use Rear Egg against you as they could with Link's bombs or Bowser Jr's wind-up toy. You, however, should get into the habit of picking it up and using it fast. Creative grenade use can lead to some devastating set-ups.
Learn To Catch That Grenade
Since Banjo and Kazooie are relatively new to the scene, their greatest combos and KO moves have yet to be discovered. The most reliable KO tactic right now is that Down B grenade. If that earlier video did not convince you of its powers, then have another one:
As you can see, the popular set-up right now is catching the grenade, throwing it down as the opponent recovers from off stage, and then following up with an immediate aerial or Wonder Wing. You'll definitely have to practice that sequence, because it requires moment-to-moment prediction and reaction of an opponent's intentions. Start with going into training mode and working on that quick grenade catch.
KO Strategies And Set-Ups
Aside from the grenades, grabs are your friend. Up throw can give you an opportunity to aerial at lower percents, while the down throw buries opponents in the ground at low percents. Don't get too crazy with the down throw, though. Opponents can mash buttons and escape easily. If you have the opponent at a very high percentage and are going for the kill, back throw might be a better option.
Then there's tilts and smashes. The down tilt deserves mention for being a great poke. The up tilt packs a nice punch. Banjo and Kazooie's side smash is infamous for its brutal animation of Banjo smacking Kazooie into the ground. It's strong alright, but also comes out slow. There's no real easy KOs here. You'll have to set up a side smash proper or risk getting smashed yourself. Same goes for Wonder Wing, the other staple KO move.
Finally, one thing about aerials: they're best used after a throw. Banjo and Kazooie have a lot of great recovery options thanks to their Up B and Side B. But their ability to engage in the air isn't as stellar. They're at their best engaging on the ground. Throw out eggs to harass opponents, grab them when they leave an opening, and have a grenade ready for when they try to land. When you're more confident with using the grenades, you can use them to edge-guard. When you're really confident, you can throw in a surprise Wonder Wing to secure the KO.
Banjo and Kazooie don't have the style of Joker or the wow factor of Hero. They're just a solid Smash duo with a very useful Down B. Play the basics well and learn how to be creative with those grenades. You'll be sending foes to meet Gruntilda in no time.
Source: Reddit