What Stop N' Swop really is
 

Stop N' Swop. Those words have repeated countless times over the past ten years. Some people still wonder, what was Stop N' Swop? Other people feel that they have solved the mystery. Well, I've got a bit of a different opinion on what Stop N' Swop really is, and I'll be sharing it with you tonight.

A brief summary of events is in order. Banjo Kazooie was released. Many players went nuts trying to get the Ice Key or break down the door in Gobi's Valley. Those that completed the game, were shown scenes of Banjo being able to get to the key, enter the Gobi's Valley door and Raise Shark's Food Isle. Hackers were eventually able to collect the key, and before long, codes, when enter would allow a total of 7 objects, 6 eggs, 1 key to be collected. These items appeared on a menu entitled Stop N' Swop and would become famous in the years that followed.

Promised an answer in the sequal Banjo-Tooie, most players were disappointed to find only 3 eggs could be collected and the key. However, no backtracking in levels and small rewards, as well as three missing eggs left players feeling
down. Determined that there had to be more, hackers continued their search through both games. Eventually finding Bottle's Revenge, a hidden multi-player story mode. But, hackers to this day have found little else.

So what went wrong? No one knows for sure. The most supported idea is that hardware changes in the N64 made the idea of swapping carts impossible. Though no official reason has been given. Of course there's still several unanswered questions. How did it work? What did each item do? What rewards would you get. After 10 years of poking, Rare has still kept quiet on these secrets, however, today, I will be offering a different perspective.

What was Stop N' Swop? Stop N' Swop was a special video game feature that was never fully completed. No, Rare must be hiding something, otherwise why wouldn't they come out and just say that! Yes, I've heard people say that before. It's not so much that they want to keep a secret. Honestly, I feel the reason for keeping such a secret is a bit different.

So you ask me, what was Stop N' Swop? Stop N' Swop was then culmination of several months, if not years of hard work by people dedicated to bringing you a quality game, and trying to push the limits of innovation. Often people are quick to bog down Rare with questions regarding what Stop N' Swop was. But it seems no one is willing to look at what Stop N' Swop really is. Stop N' Swap shouldn't be thought of as just some dropped feature, it should be a reminder to gamers. A reminder of how much hard work and dedication is poured into the game they love.

Instead, most people are quick to try and tear that apart, that they fail to recognize the beauty of what it really is. Stop N' Swap is a reminder that even after weeks of hard work, plans don't always work out. However, you have to make the best of what you got and keep plugging. Stop N' Swap may not be a working feature, but it's still a monument to the hard work and dedication that several people put into a video game.

Maybe, if people people took more time to appreciate what Stop N' Swop really is, rather then try to tear it apart, until there's nothing left. Maybe then, more members from Rare might be willing to answer questions. I know that if I spent that much time on something, only to have it torn apart by anyone around, I probably wouldn't be too willing to tell them much about it later on.

A rose may be beautiful, but if I take it apart, all I have is a mess...

tl;dr

Nah, read it really. Nice post, very true. Maybe it WOULD be better that way.

Yeah nice post

Should be stickied (for n00bs to find out what SnS is)

Great post - that's the essence of Community right there.

Wow... Great post!
I'm lost for words...

How about this one:

Stop 'n' Swop really is a publicity stunt for Rare. They tell you it'll be answered in Tooie, that way more people will buy Tooie. Then they say a large secret is revealed in N&B, pure publicity stunt because they know people associate 'a large secret' with SnS. Then when it's not answered in N&B they will say it WILL in the 'next' game, thus getting more and more buyers every time.

That's what SnS was really meant to do, that's also why they keep secret about it.

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Anyways: Good post yami, I agree with you, what I just posted is just having some fun.

Very good! This helps to explain the general SNS story very well, and you defending it as if it were something not to be poked and prodded, but to be marevelled at is beautiful. Thats sorta why i joined and tried to create my "project". Not to ultimately find answers, but to follow in the same foosteps of those who explored the SNS mystery years ago and to come up with new, plausible, non-bulls**t thories. Good work!

Hey Yami... To be honest I usually have thought you've been a jerk in this Theories forum... :o

Bu my mind is changed. This is beautiful. I completely agree, and have thought of what you said, about how Rare really feels about SNS, before, but never really empathized with the Banjo team who created such an awesome thing, only to have it fail because the N64 was upgraded.

For those of you who would say tl;dr, Summary: SNS was a really cool game feature that was, in fact, totally dropped. Why won't Rare talk about it? How much work do you think they put into such an innovation, only to have it torn away fro them because Nintendo changed their consoles? How would you feel? Would you like to talk about it?

It would be better if all of these ridiculous theories stopped showing up, but it would also be much better, if, on the other hand, people like me didn't end our arguments against with, "SNS is dropped, get over it," and instead with, "It sucks for Rare and for us that SNS was dropped."

This ought to be stickied eventually if not soon...

I hadn't really made this for a potential sticky, but if people feel that way. Hit the little exclamation point box in my post, and say you're like to recomend it for one.

*shrugs*

I don't know, not something I trying to make a point of, just something that I randomly thought about last night, thought I should share it.

Well I've felt the same way and never shared it, but now that you did, we can realize what SNS really means to its creators and its fans.

This may sound pretty stupid and n00bish, but what constitutes a ridiculous theory and where do we draw the line? Just a thought before i even try posting mine, lol.:p

Theories like, omg there's these 6 items, and they're the same colors as the stop and swap eggs. Anything claiming items to actually be transferable between both games. Anything that isn't really backed by any type of hacking or factual evidence. Just scan through the locked threads on the first 4 or 5 pages of this forum and you will get an idea.

Ya figured, lol. Any theories i see my self posting until i learn how to hack would be potential rewards/effects of SNS. But im pretty sure everyone is sick of hearing those things XD.

It's not so much they're tired of hearing them, as it is, what is there really to discuss. After 10 years, just about every idea has flown through here, most are just repeats or people trying way too hard. Without having any answers, the whole thing has become somewhat pointless.

What SnS really is:

6 Eggs and an Ice Key

there, that's my two cents.