According to developer Gregg Mayles, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts was actually the third attempt at creating 'Banjo-Threeie', the third installment in the main line of the franchise. The first attempt was supposedly Banjo X, an unfinished build for the original Xbox which featured some new assets and items. The second attempt, was a re-make of Banjo-Kazooie with some twists, and would have possibly featured Gruntilda following the duo around different worlds and trying to outdo them.

Infamously, the ending cutscene of Banjo-Tooie has series antagonist Gruntilda threaten "Just you wait until Banjo-Threeie!". Contrary to popular belief, the lead designer for the Banjo-Kazooie series, Gregg Mayles has stated on Twitter that a direct sequel to Tooie was never planned for development, and that the supposed "tease" was merely a joke, playing on how the word "Threeie" would be unpronounceable in British English.