 It has been two years since Banjo the bear and Kazooie the breegull (a type of bird) defeated the nasty witch Gruntilda and imprisoned her under a huge green boulder. Banjo, Kazooie, and their friends Bottles and Mumbo Jumbo resumed living happy, carefree lives on Spiral Mountain. One night, as the four sit down at a table in Banjo s house to play cards, a huge rumbling noise comes from outside. The rumbling is actually Gruntilda s sisters: the tall and skinny Mingella, and the short and fat Blobbelda, who have come in their drilling machine to release Grunty from under the rock. Meanwhile, Mumbo Jumbo decides to go out and investigate. Mingella pulls out a magic book, utters a magic spell, and lifts the rock. Gruntilda emerges, but in a totally different condition than before - she decomposed into a skeleton! Mumbo frantically races back to warn the others, but Gruntilda sees him and fires a blast of energy, which hits Banjo s house. Banjo, Kazooie, and Mumbo stumble out from the wreckage, unhurt. Bottles, however, isn t so lucky. After taking a few steps, he falls to the ground; he was killed in the explosion. After the witches escape, Banjo, Kazooie, and Mumbo vow to avenge the death of their friend, and start by stepping into a brand-new world and a brand-new adventure...