Playtonic Games has finally lifted the lid on its new game, revealing its final title: Yooka-Laylee. Previously referred to as Project Ukulele, the game is being pitched as the spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie and even shares the same dual-character set-up. Yooka is a chameleon who can roll to attack enemies, while Laylee is a bat who is able to lift both characters into the sky, allowing you to cross wide spaces.
The development of the game is being supported by a Kickstarter campaign which goes live tomorrow, and Playtonic has confirmed to IGN that the Wii U eShop is an included platform; the crowdfunding campaign will offer backers the game at £10 / $15.
We were lucky enough to visit Playtonic's offices and will be posting some hands-on impressions of the game tomorrow, in addition to an exclusive interview. In the meantime, say hello to Yooka and Laylee.
[source ign.com]
Comments 122
Wow! I am really liking the character design!
I thought that Laylee would be a parrot, but still I'm liking the character designs and I'm hoping to see more in the coming months.
Nice! Hopefully this will just be Banjo-Kazooie but HD and with new characters
Loved rare back in the day, will definitely get involved in the Kickstarter.... For the Wii U version obviously.
Chameleon and bat doesn't roll off the tongue like bear and bird, but I will hope that the iconic rhyming prose won't be deterred!
I am going to guess that Laylee is the Lizard as the name sounds female and the lizard looks to have a feminine look.
Edit
I actually read it.... lol It's going to be hard now for me to see it the other way around...
I will be backing this tomorrow
Edit 2
Are those the C-Buttons they are collecting?
Backers getting it for that price seems like it will be a 30$ game. If the content is there and they still have that Banjo Kazooie magic then I'm on board.
I'm sure I'll warm to the characters so long as the game is good. For £10 count me in, but please do a 3DS version!
First few screenshots look kind of stale... Characters seem to lack personality.... But knowing how talented the developers are, I'm very hopeful for this game. Keeping an eye on this project as it moves forward, hopefully after the kickstarter campaign begins the project will get the upgrade it deserves!
Hmm, interesting. Hope they have most of the game complete and we don't have to wait 2 years more for it... (mighty no.9)
They're not shy about advertising this game's inspiration, are they?
Looks great and sounds like it is completely worth supporting. Consider that they have my vote.
Definitely keeping an eye on this duo.
I already want them in Smash Bros.
Cross buy please Wii U/3ds
I'll be backing this tomorrow! Can't wait for the interview.
If they are just launching a Kickstarter then does that mean development has just barely started? If that's the case I wouldn't expect it until late 2016 early '17.
That's pretty awesome. I pledged, and now I especially can't wait for this! Loving the character design.
Microsoft is crying right now
Squee! I wanna play this so much! ; u; <3
Looks very interesting. Definitely keeping an eye on this.
This definitely looks promising. Will definitely be keeping a look out for it.
@3dsgeek333
This game is targeted for Xbox One as well, but I get what you're saying. Rare is back!
Oh i get it, if you say Yooka-Laylee it sounds like Ukelele, I'll buy it just for that
First time I will back a Kickstarter!
I'll wait and see for the kickstarter, but I might back this one, especially if they have a physical copy reward for $30 or less.
Just watch this become a driving / vehicle customisation game.
Heck yes, a true action adventure platformer. Brings me back to the N64 era where the market was almost too saturated with platformers. ( Glover, super Mario 64, Gecko, Banjo Kazooie, Conker, Donkey Kong 64, spyro, crash, etc). Well this is positive and exciting news all the way around. A new game, not made by Nintendo, that's both unique and exclusive, and will ultimately capture part of that special niche Nintendo consoles used to thrive with.
Chameleons and bats, this game is automatically awesome.
$15? I think I'll throw them some money.
@Reznor52 Never mind, I've quickly realized that this unfortunately is not exclusive to just the wii u.
Yeah, I'm sold. Absolutely love the character designs!
Remember children, if you're not prepared to lose the investment, don't back it, your money has no protection. We've seen the consequences of ignoring this advice.
After the Mighty NO 9 nonsense I told myself I wasn't going to kickstart games anymore and now this one shows up. I might have to do it one more time.
okay new smash ballot vote! these guys look great!
DASSIT KIDS, HOP ON THE HYPE TRAIN!!!
screw call of duty! i'll take this anyday!
Love the character designs.
@ikki5 The coins are inspired by the Playtonic logo!
@CanisWolfred Don't get my hopes up for a physical version. It looks great from what I have seen, I will definitely be backing this.
@Ryno I've never done a kickstarter before but am considering this one. I also havent played Banjo Kazoie but I just find it refreshing somebody is doing homage to an old game and not making it 8bit. My nostaligia only goes back to 32bit. (Yes I know this is homage to a 64bit N64 game, I gotta work w/ what I got.)
Exciting!
That bat looks like Spyro!
I just watched the gameplay, looks pretty solid for what they created in such a short amount of time.
The main character designs are... a bit underwhelming imo. Still looks promising. Love the game title. Hopefully they won't be too reliant on Banjo nostalgia.
Its probably going to be only on the e-shop, but if you back it on kickstarter maybe they'll send you a physical copy.
@Octane aww, I liked the C-Buttons. lol
Not exactly a fan of the bat's giant red bulbous nose, but then again real bats' noses are a horror so...
HM~ ....
I'm having a nerdgasm right now, this looks like it can be pure gold my freinds .... PURE GOLD!! ^^
Isnt that Stich and Rango! MAYBE Stich and Gieko...
Interested. But not backing the kickstarter. Like Mighty number 9 i'll wait until the complete finished game is in store shelves/the e-shop before making my purchase decision.
I already prefer these characters for Smash over the actual Banjo Kazooie.
@andjahiam It's Gex the Gecko!
And i'm also gonna kickstarter support this! (For Wii U obviously)
Are they males or females?
That's some mighty character designs, not half bad for these heroes, and I wonder if Laylee can play the ukulele, or maybe swing it around to hit enemies, like a shovel!?!
No wonder they'll be fighting off baddies, the chameleon has the wrong eyes! But I like the look anyway.
@Moon They actually hinted they would consider a Unity-based New 3DS version based on the success of the kickstarter.
Hah i was skeptical about a successor to banjo kazzoie, but off this initial impression I'm blown away at how promising it can be. very interested.
Did they buy the rights to Spyro or something.
My money is ready.
I've been playing DK64, and it made me yearn even more for new collect-a-thons. Definitely backing it the minute it launches.
The characters are looking nice.
I shall be backing this.
i guess you could make something original but then you wouldn't be a "quirky retro throwback" i guess
Of course, I'm going to buy it. I loved Bajo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie. However, I'd prefer another bear and another bird. These new characters look like they belong to Kaptain K. Rool's army.
On one hand I think this game will be good and I want to play it, but on the other I can't help but feel somewhat put off by all the nods to Banjo-Kazooie and the games/characters ridiculously awful 'punny' names.
Make a game that stands on its own merits rather than something that appears on the surface to be a tongue in cheek parody of the Banjo games.
Sounds like Mighty No. 9 all over again. This will probably be popular for a good month before it starts descending into crap.
Yes.
Wow. I was never a fan of Banjo-Kazooie, but this seems like something I can get on board with.
cute enough characters, I hope it has more than just nostalgic gameplay, but really does something that blends the new and old.
Pretty sure I'll be backing this... If I do, that'll be the first time I've ever participated in crowdfunding.
This looks like it could potentially be very fun to play, and I'm always glad to see more 3D adventure platformer games. I will definitly have a good look at the kickstarter page once that's up.
I'm surprised they basically did parallel Banjo. When I expected spiritual successor I didn't expect to see Banjo-Kazooie 4 but with a different skin. Even the music in that little vine Playtonic posted sounds exactly like Banjo music down with that Xylophone noise. I'm very excited for this, I highly doubt the gameplay will be "dated" or any of that. Pls make WiiU physical version.
As someone who constantly corrects people's pronunciation of "Ukulele," I'm rather disappointed in the name of this game...
I love the name already, but the design leaves much to be desired compared to Banjo and Kazooie. Banjo wore yellow shorts, a claw necklace and a backpack, which Kazooie also wore most of the time. xD
I will say that a range of abilities come to mind for our chameleon and bat duo. Yooka could camouflage himself for similar purposes to Chunky's "Gorilla Gone" ability in DK64, and Laylee could screech in dark areas to see the surrounding area similar to the Echo Visor in Metroid Prime 2.
I'm already excited to see more of what these two can do! Let's hope putting clothes on is one of them!
Now that I think about it, we haven't heard anything about Lobodestroyo or A Hat in Time in a while. I remember reading that Lobodestroyo was set for a late 2014/early 2015 release, and Hat in Time recently got a Beta release. This is the time for the developers of said games to speak up and remind people that Playtonic isn't the only one making a 3D platformer.
I love the characters, way more than my mother ever loved me. sorry for the drama, my life has been filled with too many soap operas it's kinda rubbing off on me.
Yooka-laylee for smash
I'll have a look at this. I'm not a kickstarter fan in general but there's been a few excellent games as a result of it so far (ie Shovel Knight) and this seems like the sort of thing it'd be worth me investing in Banjo Kazooie is pretty much my all time favourite game
People acting like this game is the next mario64 when all they saw is 2 screens x'D
I'm not keen on giving money to game production but it'll be interesting to see how this turns out.
Rare were the only dev I would accept dodgy puns and jokes from back in the day. i think that mantle has now been passed to Playtonic!
I'm glad I was wrong about this one not hitting Wii U. I'll back it on KS.
They look generic and also look like they lacking personality...
the bat's nose better give him special powers to make up for how hideous it looks. The name is terribly cheesy.
Definitely excited for the gameplay though!
Looks pretty good to me! I could definitely use a game in the vein of Banjo Kazooie for my Wii U!
These designs are pretty awful and lacking, but I'm sure the game itself should be very good. Not backing anything yet, but count me interested!
Even the name has the spiritual feeling of Banjo-Kazooie. I applaud PlayTronic for trying to bring back the golden era of 3D platforming.
Apparently Warren Buffet decided to celebrate the announcement by playing the uklele... Sure would be nice if he could contribute a few million dollars to fund Playtonic's games!
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/warren-buffett-and-his-ukulele-the-greatest-hits-2015-04-30
Already looka amazing there. I hope there's a physical copy.
@PlywoodStick
I see what you did there...
Banjo Threeie with a new coat of paint.
I can't stand that bats nose. On the pic I thought (hoped) it was a floating cherry item. But if the game is tight I might look passed it and buy it.
Hm, still has that typical Rare googly-eyed character design and over saturated art style that I don't like.
Wonder what creature the baddie will be..... a dastardly wizard dragon?
@Grimlock_King I agree...I don't wanna sound like a Hollywood plastic surgeon, but that bat's nose is just too big. I wish they would make it smaller.
I hope they update the designs a bit. That chameleon should have a scarf, and that bats nose is too red. But that's just me.
@Figaro
That's what they are shooting for because it is commonly pronounced incorrectly but the actual word for the instrument is pronounced 'ook-oo-lay-lay.'
But as for the game I am super excited!
Somebody get a picture of the logo up there...it looks eerily familiar
Yooka-Laylee for Smash!!!
Oh ya. Another Kickstarter to fund.
I'm so glad it's a reptile as the main character.
I originally conceptualized a banjo successor staring a baby t-rex and pterasaur.
This may be the first Kickstarter I back. I love seeing the talented former Rare devs reunite. And I like the idea of seeing this game on my PS4 or Wii U (probably the PS4 version if it has a platinum trophy... Im a sucker for those)
YES! YES! YES!!
GOING TO BACK THIS WITH ALL OF MY MONEY!
Interesting characters there. Hopefully, we get some gameplay footage.
The character designs reeeeeally aren't doing it for me, based on these pics.
Trading feathers and fur for, uh, plastic and plastic, in purple and green no less, is a bum deal. And that thing on the bat's face, I... I think it might be cancerous.
Hmmm, doesn´t look that interested yet. Still, i'm interested in colorful 3d platformers, but only when i can see something like a finished game, right now I cant see much to get excited about.
@Fath
1. They cannot use BK - they don't own the characters.
2. There are real-life bats with noses like that. Not to the cartoony extent seen here, since y'know it's a cartoon.
I am all for this but um I dont like that red nose.
Aside from the third chapter in the Shadowrun games, I have only backed books (mainly Silence in the Library). This is too much of an unknown for me to cough up cash without playing, as I was never a big fan of that type of 3D platformers on the 64.
Looking forward to the interview.
This looks like this will be the first game on Kickstarter I back. That is, unless the Wii U stretch goal is last which I doubt because Playtonic were getting tons of requests for the now Yooka Laylee on Wii U.
I know the answers in the next interview: "bluarg blargh bluerw blur".
Looking forward to Kanjo-Bazooie!
Character design is very cool, except for the clown nose for the bat. The fact that it's a chameleon opens a lot of gameplay mechanic possibilities.
I love how they kept the design close to Banjo's and Kazooie's design. So far, the game looks great. The over world is HUGE from what I see. Cannot wait!
OMG exciting! I'm definitely backing this game! I've been missing Banjo-Kazooie since they started with the N64 virtual console.
Sweet! Definitely getting this!
Show us the interview already D:
@LunaticPandora
1) Of course they don't have the character rights. It's pretty hard to miss that little detail.
2) You can't say "because real life" and "well, it's a cartoon" in the same argument. Besides, the creators are beholden to neither. And if they were trying to be anatomically fair in their character design, the chameleon's eyes would be giving the bat's nose a run for it's money (a running nose, heh) as an eyesore (heh, eyesore).
It really baffles me what everyone sees in these characters (the characters specifically, not the game or the dream team making it) as they've got just no appeal to me.
@PlywoodStick Quality
@Fath
Actually, you can. A big part of cartoons is exaggerating real life. The entire reason they picked a chameleon and a bat was to utilize their unique traits for gameplay purposes, in an obviously exaggerated cartoon style.
Its not about being anatomically correct, its about whats pleasing to the eye and the traits they want to focus on. For Laylee its her nose, for Yooka its likely his tongue or camouflage. The big red nose also contrasts with the mostly green Yooka, helping Laylee stand out more.
@Zombie_Barioth That nose is the very opposite of pleasing to the eye, though. Arguing "it looks stupid because looking stupid is what cartoons are all about" is an insult to cartoons.
Sorry I'm being so cranky; this is going to have to be an agree to disagree thing between me and the rest of the world, it seems.
@Fath
No worries. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say. I doubt your alone there though.
To me it works, I guess because its balanced by the rest of her facial features being as well, and the purple comlementing the red of her nose. I'm no expert, but they did a good job, and something about their style makes them feel unique and stand out.
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