Banjo-Tooie hasn't completely discarded the collecting scheme. There are plenty of items that must be found or won and taken to other levels for use. Thankfully there are five time-saving warp pads in each level that facilitate zapping to different areas. This, in conjunction with warp portals that instantly shoot you to the entrance of each level, helps cut down the leg time considerably. Even so, there are plenty of times when the game could use some action.
Most enemies go down with one shot and are placed merely for the sake of annoyance.
There isn't a single game on the Nintendo 64 that looks better or is more detailed than Banjo-Tooie. The lushly textured worlds are gargantuan, and if it weren't for the warp pads it would be easy to get lost. The game engine's drawing distance is just staggering. It's possible to soar up to the heavens and look down upon the entire world being displayed at once. A real-time shadow follows Banjo and Kazooie around at all times, and while walking past torches in caves it will realistically stretch along the wall.