Update []:
Dreams creator Eupholace’s absurdly good Banjo-Kazooie fan game went viral on social media this week, and has even attracted attention from series creator Rare.
Writing on X (or Twitter), the UK dev poured praise on the project, describing it as “incredible work”.
Even though Media Molecule has now moved on from Dreams, this story serves as a reminder of the power of its engine – and the sheer creativity and endeavour of its many fans.
Original Story: We've not checked in on Dreams for a while, but it seems the community is still plugging away at the PS4 create-'em-up.
As it so happens, this week saw the release of Banjo-Kazooie: Mumbomania, an unofficial but very good 3D platformer from one of Dreams' best creators, Eupholace.
The game is a short but very well-made 3D platformer featuring Rare's beloved duo. It features many familiar moves from the original games.
The main gimmick here is Mumbo's ability to transform Banjo into various different forms, such as a small rock that can reach new areas, or a cannon that can fire you to hard-to-reach platforms.
There's also a cursor controlled with your controller's gyro, which you can use to have Mumbo pick up collectibles for you or even stun enemies.
It features all that you'd expect of a Banjo game — lots of collectibles like Jiggies and musical notes, gibberish character voices, and googly eyes everywhere.
It's surprisingly fully-featured and controls very nicely. It may only last you an hour or two, but if you're a Banjo fan looking for a fix, it's well worth hopping in.
Obviously we have no idea if Xbox will ever entertain the idea of a new, proper Banjo-Kazooie, but this is a fun reminder of its appeal at the very least.
Eupholace, the creator, previously made Trip's Voyage, which remains one of the best games available in Dreams. It's also a 3D platformer, itself heavily inspired by classics like Mario and Banjo.