Chris Sutherland (programmer)
Chris Sutherland | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 1, 1956 England |
| Occupation(s) | Voice actor, video game programmer |
| Years active | 1989- |
| Employer | Rare |
| Known for | Killer Instinct |
Chris Sutherland (born February 1, 1956)[1] is an English voice actor and video game programmer. He is best known for voicing Banjo, Kazooie, Diddy Kong and the announcer of Killer Instinct and Killer Instinct 2 platform games for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).[2][3]
Biography
In 1989, Sutherland joined the British video game company Rare as a programmer for The Amazing Spider-Man video game on the Game Boy console.[4][5] Later, he was responsible for implementing the graphics and found reducing the characters' frames of animation challenging in Donkey Kong Country, a video game published in 1994[6]. He served as the head programmer for its sequel, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, both of which were published for the SNES.[7]
He eventually left Rare in 2014 and became one of the founding members of Playtonic Games, alongside Steve Hurst, Steve Mayles, Gavin Price, Jens Restemeier, and Mark Stevenson.[5][8]
As a voice actor, Sutherland has voiced Diddy Kong, Krunch and Taj the Genie in Diddy Kong Racing for the Nintendo 64 console, as well as Banjo and Kazooie, the main characters of the eponymous franchise, in all of their appearances.[9]
Additionally, he was the announcer for Killer Instinct and Killer Instinct 2, which were launched in 1994 and 1996, respectively. In 2013, he reprised his role as the announcer for the reboot of Killer Instinct for the Xbox One.[2]
Filmography
Video games
| Year | Title | Console | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Battletoads | Arcade | Announcer | Voice Role |
| Killer Instinct | SNES | |||
| 1996 | Killer Instinct | |||
| 1997 | Diddy Kong Racing | N64 | Diddy Kong, Banjo, Krunch, Taj the Genie | |
| 1998 | Banjo-Kazooie | Banjo, Kazooie | ||
| 1999 | Donkey Kong 64 | Diddy Kong, Lanky Kong, Chunky Kong, King K. Rool, Krusha | ||
| 2000 | Perfect Dark | Daniel Carrington, Trent Easton, DataDyne Guards | ||
| 2002 | Star Fox Adventures | GameCube | SnowHorn Tribe | |
| 2003 | Donkey Kong Country | GBA | Diddy Kong, King K. Rool, Kritter, Krusha, Gnawty | |
| 2004 | Donkey Kong Country 2 | Diddy Kong, King K. Rool | ||
| 2013 | Killer Instinct | Xbox One | Announcer | |
| 2021 | Terrain of Magical Expertise | PC | Spirit Gate |
References
- ^ @vas_90s (January 7, 2021). "Today's Voice Artist Spotlight: Chris Sutherland" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Sarkar, Samit (2013-08-23). "Killer Instinct to offer classic announcer, costumes and music". Polygon. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ Stuart, Keith (2015-03-13). "Rare talent: inside the studio building Banjo-Kazooie's spiritual successor". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ Stone, Tom (2016-11-11). "Ex-Rare legend Chris Sutherland gives us the lowdown on Banjo-Kazooie and Yooka-Laylee". Games Radar. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ a b McFerran, Damien (2022-11-08). "Sacred Spaces: Rare's Manor Farm HQ - Nintendo's '90s Hit Factory". Time Extension. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ DF Retro: Donkey Kong Country + Killer Instinct - A 16-Bit CG Revolution! (YouTube). Digital Foundry. 16 December 2017. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Chris Sutherland on MobyGames". MobyGames. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ Handrahan, Matthew (2015-02-11). "Rare veterans form Playtonic Games". Games Industry. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ Ogden, Gavin (2008-05-14). "Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts - interview". Games Radar. Retrieved 2024-06-17.