News Articles
Monday20th Nov 2023
Video What's Going On At Playtonic, The Studio Behind Yooka-Laylee?
A Rare find
It was almost 10 years ago that a group of former Rare developers got together and established Playtonic Games. This was a team consisting of many of the minds behind Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong Country, and other such classics, so when their first title, Yooka-Laylee was released in 2017, we were relieved to see that level of creativity...
Monday11th Apr 2022
News Playtonic Celebrates 5 Years of Yooka-Laylee, Teases Some "Surprises"
What could it be..?
It's been 5 whole years since Playtonic's Yooka-Laylee launched (albeit Switch owners needed to wait a bit longer) and the publisher is looking to celebrate the milestone throughout the day, even teasing some "surprises". We'll be sure to keep an eye on Playtonic's feed and update on anything worthwhile, but we're absolutely...
Wednesday23rd Mar 2022
News 'Yooka-Laylee' Creator Playtonic Expands With Second Studio
"We want to broaden our reach, without going too far"
Playtonic Games, the studio behind the Yooka-Laylee series, has opened a second office in the UK town of Leamington Spa. Playtonic – which was founded in 2015 by former Rare staffers – recently gained investment from the Chinese giant Tencent. It has released two games so far,
Tuesday22nd Jun 2021
News Yooka-Laylee Is Getting Its Own Tabletop Game And A Brand New Soundtrack
Part of Limited Run's Game Decks set
Playtonic Games has announced that Yooka-Laylee will soon be treated to its very own tabletop game courtesy of Limited Run Games' Game Decks series. The "chaotic" game has two to four players jumping into a new adventure with Yooka, Laylee, and a whole host of characters and collectables inspired by the video...
Friday12th Feb 2021
News Yooka-Laylee Studio Playtonic Celebrates Six Years In The Biz With New Publishing Label
"Playtonic Friends had been brewing as a serious ambition for a while"
Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic turns six this year – and is marking the occasion by showing off a brand-new logo and by launching a new publishing label which aims to bring some of the world's best Indie games to market. Playtonic Friends is the name of the new label, and it...
Monday8th Feb 2021
News Yooka-Laylee Developer Playtonic Games Teases New Reveal Coming "Soon"
"We know you're wondering what we have cooking"
Playtonic Games, the UK-based developer behind Yooka-Laylee and Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, has teased a new reveal that should be headed our way "soon". The studio took to social media today to offer some kind words to fans and to promise that a reveal is on the way. "We'd like to give...
Wednesday18th Nov 2020
News Yooka-Laylee Teams Up With GungHo's Volta-X For A New Collab
Update: Now live
Update: The Yooka-Laylee x Volta-X collab is now live! GungHo Online Entertainment America has shared all the details you need: Introducing the playable crewmate, Yooka (with sidekick Laylee on his back) and a new story mission. You can now experience new, character-specific skills and abilities once the loveable duo join your...
Saturday17th Oct 2020
Video The Best Nintendo Switch Games You've Probably Never Heard Of (Part 2)
Well, maybe...
Have you played every single Switch game in existence? Of course not! Do you know who has, though? Our very lovely senior video producer Alex Olney. Oh, wait, no he hasn't...but that's not stopped him from putting together this list of games you've "probably" never heard of (part 2). If you're wondering about the first part, you can...
Friday9th Oct 2020
News Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Celebrates Its First Birthday With A Tasty 60% Discount
And there's a new comic strip!
Can you believe it's been a whole year since the launch of Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair on Switch? Well, Team17 and Playtonic Games can, because they've offered up a lovely discount to celebrate. Right now, and up until 11th October, Switch owners can buy the game from the eShop at a very welcome 60% off. That...
Wednesday5th Aug 2020
And we would go bananas for a new entry
If there's one series we would love to see make a return, it's gotta be Donkey Kong Country. The last mainline outing was the release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on the Wii U in 2014, and it was then enhanced for the Switch in 2018. So, who is willing to help out on a new Donkey Kong Country game?...
Thursday21st May 2020
News Still On The Fence About Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair? Now's The Time To Strike
It's currently on sale with 33% off in all regions
We really liked Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair. Playtonic dropped the full-3D approach of the original for a purer 2.5D look, and, in our book, came up with something of a spiritual successor to the Donkey Kong Country series (yes, we know that series is ongoing, but this was made by the many...
Sunday12th Apr 2020
News Yooka-Laylee Is Now Three Years Old
Happy Birthday!
Can you believe it? Playtonic's unlikely duo Yooka-Laylee is now three years old! The original game of the same name was first released on the 11th of April 2017 after a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign. And although it never saw the light of day on Nintendo's Wii U, it did eventually show up on the Switch. To celebrate this...
Thursday9th Apr 2020
News Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair Update Makes The Final Stage Easier To Beat
And it's completely optional
The folks over at Playtonic Games have unleashed several announcements for the Yooka-Laylee series of games, including an important update for Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair. The first announcement regards Impossible Lair's erm... impossible lair, with a new update allowing players to dial down the difficulty if...
Friday13th Mar 2020
The perfect (Play)tonic
In these trying times we could all do with a some relief - a little pick-me-up to get us through the day. When we're feeling blue, throwing on some classic Rareware tunes from the likes of Donkey Kong Country and Banjo-Kazooie perks us up no end. As luck would have it, both composers behind those winners feature on the...
Thursday30th Jan 2020
Reminder Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair Demo Is Now Available On Switch
Try before you buy
Update (Thu 30th Jan, 2020): As promised, a free demo for Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair is available to download on Switch as of today. If you haven't tried this one out yet, what are you waiting for? Original Article (Mon 20th Jan, 2020 14:45 GMT): When we reviewed Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair back in October...
Wednesday6th Nov 2019
News No, Playtonic Games Isn't Making A New Banjo-Kazooie Or Joining Microsoft
Playtonic shares official statement
Over the past few days, you may have stumbled across rumours and speculation suggesting that Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic Games is either working on a new Banjo-Kazooie title, or that it has been acquired by Microsoft. Neither of these things are true. The rumours appear to have started soon after it was...
Friday18th Oct 2019
News Yooka-Laylee Dev Playtonic Is Open To Making A Mario Kart-Like Racer Or Splatoon-Like Shooter
"Really, we could work on any kind of game"
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is out right now on Switch, with the folks over at Playtonic Games doing a cracking job of tickling our nostalgia bone. The game reminds us of Donkey Kong Country, Banjo-Kazooie and even Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle all mushed into one, and it'
Thursday10th Oct 2019
Nintendo Download 10th October (Europe)
Overwatch! The Witcher 3! Yooka-Laylee!
The latest Nintendo Download update for Europe has arrived, and it's bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy! Switch Retail - New Releases: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete...
Video Digital Foundry Thinks Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair Runs Pretty Great On Switch
Find out how the Switch version compares
Earlier this week, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair arrived on the Switch, so how does it hold up compared to other versions? As usual, Digital Foundry has released a technical comparison and we're happy to report it's good news for anyone who has picked up a Nintendo copy. The Switch version runs at a...
Wednesday9th Oct 2019
News Escape 'The Impossible Layer' In Playtonic's New Yooka-Laylee-Inspired Mario Maker 2 Course
Celebrating Impossible Lair's launch
Having released Yooka-Laylee and The Impossible Lair to great reviews just yesterday, we'd like to think the good folks over at Playtonic Games are sitting with their feet up, relaxing after shipping one of them there vidya games. Of course, as with all devs who have just shipped a game, they're probably still...
Monday7th Oct 2019
Video Playtonic On Why Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair Is Worth Your Time And Money
Straight from the chameleon's mouth
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair launches tomorrow, and we've already decided that it's well worth your time. However, what would the lovely folks at Playtonic say if they were making one last, desperate plea to get you to part with your cash? Ponder this question no longer, as we've enlisted those very same...
Thursday3rd Oct 2019
Nintendo Download 3rd October (North America)
Yooka-Laylee, Neo Cab and Alliance Alive HD Remastered!
The latest Nintendo Download update for North America has arrived, and it's bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy! Nintendo Switch: Yooka-Laylee and the...
Sunday29th Sep 2019
Video 16 Exciting New Games Coming To Nintendo Switch In October
Some are even spooky!
The spooky season is upon us and it promises to be more action-packed than ever – with 16 exciting releases coming to the Nintendo Switch. While the big one for the month of October is arguably Luigi's Mansion 3, there'll be plenty of other games to enjoy before then. So, without further ado, here's the full list of games you...
Tuesday3rd Sep 2019
Or buy it separately at a later date
Yesterday brought with it the fantastic news that Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is headed to Nintendo Switch on 8th October, meaning we only have just over a month to wait. Taking a deeper dive into the game's eShop page reveals some new facts, however. The game will include more than 60 'To
Monday2nd Sep 2019
News Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair Leaps Onto Nintendo Switch On October 8th
eShop page reveals exact date
Update (4:15PM, 2nd Sept): The game's eShop page reveals that the release date for Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is October 8th 2019. Best get saving those pennies! Original story (15th August): Heads up, folks! It looks like we'll finally be able to get our hands on the upcoming Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible...
Tuesday27th Aug 2019
News Treat Your Ears To A Yooka-Laylee Playlist Featuring David Wise, Grant Kirkhope And More
The sounds of Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is only a couple of months away from launching on Nintendo Switch and it looks set to be a treat in more ways than one. Yes, there are the new transforming levels and a whole new approach to the Yooka-Laylee formula in general, but there's also a stellar set of...
Thursday15th Aug 2019
News Play An Unannounced Team17 Game At PAX West Later This Month
And try out the new Overcooked 2 DLC
As we get closer to PAX West 2019 at the end of this month, more developers and publishers are beginning to reveal their game line-up for the big event. The latest company to share its plans is Team17. All up, it will have seven titles on display – including one yet to be announced release. If you visit...
Tuesday23rd Jul 2019
Video New Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair Trailer Shows Off Alternate Levels
Update: New 60fps trailer released
Update (23rd July, 3:20pm): Developer PlaytonicGames has uploaded a new version of the trailer to truly show off its 60fps gameplay. That's right, the new Yooka-Laylee title will run at 60fps on Switch. We've swapped out the old trailer and inserted the new one below. Original Article: Team17 has released a...
Sunday9th Jun 2019
News Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair Isn't A Direct Sequel To The First Game
It's a "fresh take"
A few days ago, Playtonic Games revealed its new title to the world. The 2.5D game is called Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair and is a follow-up to the original 2017 3D platformer. Is it a direct sequel, though? Apparently not. An FAQ on Playtonic's
Friday7th Jun 2019
News Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair Is Playtonic's Next Game, And It's Coming To Switch
Physical version coming thanks to Sold Out
Team17 and Playtonic Games have today announced a sequel to the popular 3D platformer Yooka-Laylee – and it's coming this year. Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair follows on from the events of the first game, but it's not a 3D platformer this time around; instead, it mixes 2.5D levels with a Zelda-like...
