There has long been a debate over where the iconic video game Banjo-Kazooie got its name, and it looks like today that debate has been settled. Grant Kirkhope, who created the beloved soundtrack for the Banjo-Kazooie series, has confirmed on Twitter that the games are actually named after the grandson of the then president of Nintendo.
Banjo-Kazooie is named after its two leading characters, a bear named Banjo, and a bird who rides on his back named Kazooie. For a long time, fans speculated that the characters were named after musical instruments, pointing to how integral Kirkhope's score is to the game as evidence. The importance of the music is underscored in this description of how Banjo-Kazooie's intro sequence came together.
It turns out this is not the case. Today on Twitter, Kirkhope confirmed that the characters are actually named after the family of the then president of Nintendo, Hiroshi Yamauchi. Hiroshi's grandson was called Banjo Yamauchi and his son was named Katsuhito Yamauchi, or "Katsuhi" for short. When the names were combined they became "Banjo Katsuhi," which Rare would later change to Banjo and Kazooie.
The story of how this name came about was originally posted by Video Games Chronicle, which Kirkhope responded to today on Twitter, saying, "It's true!!!!" and confirming the story. While there are rumors of a new Banjo-Kazooie game, Kirkhope did not comment on them.
Banjo-Kazooie started off as a Nintendo game, so it makes sense that the title would pay homage to the studio. However, in 2002, the game's developer, Rare, was acquired by Microsoft. The later Banjo games would come out as Xbox exclusives, not available on any Nintendo platforms, but Banjo and Kazooie's names were left untouched. Thankfully for Nintendo fans, there is now talk of Rare games returning to Nintendo platforms.
Gamers who didn't play any of the original Banjo-Kazooie games may recognize the characters from their recent inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. While Banjo is a fan-favorite character, they haven't made a huge splash on the meta. However, fans of the game did find an easter egg related to Kirkhope's score.
Banjo-Kazooie is available for N64 and Xbox.