4J Studios' downloadable Xbox 360 port of Rare's Nintendo 64 platformer Banjo Tooie will hit the online Xbox Live Marketplace on April 29, Rare announced today.

The Xbox Live Arcade release delivers enhanced graphics and a smoother framerate over the Nintendo 64 original, along with support for the fabled Stop 'n' Swop feature.

No word yet on pricing, that'll have to wait until the release is a bit closer, but it's worth noting that 4J's downloadable port of the first Banjo game, Banjo Kazooie, is $15.

The downloadable Xbox 360 release of Rare's Banjo Kazooie sequel Banjo Tooie will arrive sometime this April, the studio has revealed, along with the first screenshots.

Ported by 4J Studios, the Xbox Live Arcade rendition of the collection-centric Nintendo 64 platformer will pack enhanced graphics and a smoother framerate, along with Stop 'n' Swop support. Included but never utilized in the initial N64 releases, Stop 'n' Swop will allow players of Banjo Kazooie to bring items into Tooie for as-yet-unknown results.

No price yet for Tooie, though last year's downloadable release of Kazooie sold for $15.

Update: Microsoft has curiously pulled the press release that this story was based on.

Original Story: Rare's Xbox 360 port of its Nintendo 64 platformer Banjo Kazooie will be downloadable through the console's online Xbox Live Arcade beginning Wednesday, November 26, publisher and studio owner Microsoft announced today.

Priced at 1200 Microsoft Points ($15), the game will also be available as a free download to those that pre-order Rare's latest effort, Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (360), which hits retailers on November 11. In addition, pre-ordering folk will gain access to Banjo Kazooie XBLA roughly two weeks before its debut in late November.

The Xbox Live Arcade version of the bird-bear duo's debut adventure will enable players to unlock additional content in Nuts & Bolts through the game's Stop N' Swop feature, which was included in the Nintendo 64 version but never utilized.

A downloadable Xbox Live Arcade release of the Nintendo 64 sequel Banjo Tooie will follow in early 2009, which according to Microsoft, makes the "Xbox 360 the new home of the beloved 'Banjo-Kazooie' franchise."