Development of the game started in June 1998, directly after the release of its predecessor. Several new features were cut from the game due to time constraints and limitations of the Nintendo 64 hardware. Upon release, "Banjo-Tooie" received critical acclaim from video game critics, who praised its graphics and the size of its worlds. However, the game's inconsistent frame rate was criticized by some reviewers. In 2009, "Banjo-Tooie" was re-released as an Xbox Live Arcade game for the Xbox 360. The game was also included in the "Rare Replay" video game compilation, released for the Xbox One in 2015.