Developer Rare is a master at infusing originality into their imitations. This isn't a knock against them. William Shakespeare pulled stories and plots from other writers and crafted masterpieces. Rare is gamedom's Shakespeare, in that regard. Banjo-Kazooie is obviously influenced by Super Mario 64, although it's always unfortunate for a game to be compared to that masterpiece. While Banjo-Kazooie lacks Super Mario 64's magic and ingenuity, it has its own magic that sets it apart from Nintendo's behemoth.