Tag: Yooka-Laylee
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...
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,
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...
Book Review Flicking Through The Vibrant World Of Yooka-Laylee And The Kracklestone
Over a hundred pagies long
The spiritual successor to the legendary bear and bird besties, Yooka-Laylee, nearly shook the earth when they were revealed through a Kickstarter project by Playtonic Games, the brand new studio made up of ex-Rare developers. Since the original reveal back in 2015, the team has managed to put out not just one, but two...
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...
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...
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...
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...
News Playtonic Releasing A "Little Patch" For Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair On 30th January
"no Beettalion were harmed"
One of the best platformers released last year was Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair. Although the game launched in a perfectly playable state, the developer Playtonic has since been working on a "little" patch for it that includes multiple bug fixes and general changes. This update has already been released on Steam...
"What’s changed? So far as I can tell, not a lot!"
Earlier this week, Playtonic Games announced that veteran character artist Ed Bryan was joining the team behind Yooka-Laylee on a full-time basis. The ex-Rare man has been away from the games industry since leaving Rare eight years ago, but now reenters the fray as Playtonic enjoys the success of...
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...
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...
Review Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair (Switch) - A Delicious Mix Of Donkey Kong And Zelda
Lair today, Kong tomorrow
It’s possible to beat Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair in under half an hour. Now, hold on a minute. Before you make a beeline for Amazon to start pricing pitchforks (it’s about £25 for a good one, if you’re asking), let us clarify. We said it’s possible. But there’s no way you’ll be able to manage it right...
Exclusive Check Out Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair's Most Amusing New Tonic
"We've got a bit of a reputation for putting googly eyes on everything"
Yesterday, we reported on the news that the upcoming Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair will employ over 60 'tonics' to change the way the game looks and plays. Tonics were a part of the original Yooka-Laylee, too, and it's great to see them return in this new title.
Feature Yooka-Laylee Devs Make Super Mario Maker 2 Courses
Play four levels from Playtonic Games!
Next up in our Super Nindie Maker 2 series, we're lucky enough to have a bumper offering from Playtonic Games. Following on from the opening gambit courtesy of Shovel Knight designer Mike Herbster, the developers behind Yooka-Laylee and its upcoming 2.5D sequel Yooka-Laylee and The Impossible Lair have cooked
News Playtonic Devs Recall The Trials And Errors Of Making Yooka-Laylee
"We all knew where the issues were."
Playtonic Games - the studio grown primarily from ex-Rare staff - struck gold with its idea to crowd fund a Banjo-Kazooie-style collectathon revival via Kickstarter. Raising over £2 million for 3D platformer Yooka-Laylee, the devs were hugely successful in tapping nostalgia for the kind of game that had fallen...
Feature Yooka-Laylee's Audio Identity Is More Than Just Famous Ex-Rare Composers And Soggy Socks
"There’s quite a lot of pressure on us to start matching Dave and Grant"
When you think Rare and video game music, then chances are two names will spring instantly to mind: David Wise and Grant Kirkhope. These two massively influential composers are behind some of the company's greatest soundtracks and are now in huge demand as freelance...
Feature We Don’t Want To Be Shackled To Our Rare Past, Says Yooka-Laylee Studio Playtonic
"Everything we do from this point on is a brand-new concept for us"
A lot has happened since we last had the good fortune to visit Playtonic Games. The previous time we popped by the studio's offices outside the rural English town of Burton-on-Trent (acclaimed actor Paddy Considine was born and still lives there, fact fans), the team was still in...
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
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...
News Yooka-Laylee Dev Playtonic Games Teases New Game Reveal
And we won't have long to wait
Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic Games looks set to share details on its next game as soon as tomorrow, according to a cheeky tease. Lovingly crafted from some of the creative talent behind games like Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country, Yooka-Laylee is currently the first and only game from the UK-based studio...
News The Next Yooka-Laylee Adventure Will Be A Crowd-Funded Graphic Novel
Kickstarter runs until 16th November
Yooka-Laylee started out life on Kickstarter and went on to become the fastest video game project to hit $1 million on the crowd-funding platform. Following their first outing on the Switch and multiple other systems, the bat and chameleon are now ready for their next adventure. The only catch is it'll take on...
News Looks Like Playtonic Is Ready To Reveal Its Next Game
Plus "extra content" for Yooka-Laylee
UK studio Playtonic has broken its silence to celebrate the first birthday of Yooka-Laylee, as well as hint that it's about to lift the lid on its next project. In a recent blog post, Playtonic said: Yes, hands up, we’ve been a bit quiet for a while. But we promise it’s because we’ve been far too busy...
News Digital Foundry Heaps Praise On Yooka-Laylee Switch Port
A "superb" conversion
Yooka-Laylee finally arrives on Switch today, and as you'll know if you've already consulted our review, it was worth the wait. Playtonic has personally handled conversion duties this time around (Team17 ported the PS4 and Xbox One editions earlier in the year) and the developer has taken an inordinate amount of care in...
A rare game
In a post-Super Mario Odyssey world, the bar has been set even higher for 3D platformers. How, then, can a game like Yooka-Laylee stack up - a game so firmly focused on the past rather than the future? Though it may not quite hit the heights of some contemporaries, Yooka-Laylee still stands as a fantastic modern take on 3D platforming...
News This Playtonic Art Could Be The Closest We'll Get To Seeing Banjo-Kazooie And Switch Together
Former Rare artists celebrate their Nintendo past
To celebrate the long-awaited release of Yooka-Laylee on Switch, Playtonic's artists have been paying tribute to their past connection with Nintendo. As you know, Playtonic's core team is made up of former Rare staffers who worked on some of the company's most famous NES, SNES and N64 era titles...
Video Yooka Laylee Runs Surprisingly Well on Switch Compared to the Xbox One Version
Quite the looker, against the odds
Yooka-Laylee is finally making its way to Switch, but the big question on literally some people's minds is 'how does it look?' and 'how well does it run?'. Well thankfully we can say that on the whole the Switch version holds up surprisingly positively compared to the Xbox One version. There are some notable...
News Yooka-Laylee's Nintendo Switch eShop Price Is Revealed
Same as the Steam version, but more expensive than PS4
Yooka-Laylee will cost £34.99 (likely converting to $39.99USD / €39.99) when it launches on the eShop next week. That's in-line with the Steam and Xbox One versions of the game, but is above what physical copies are changing hands for in stores and online. The price of the digital...
Feature Yooka-Laylee Jumps Onto Switch in December - We Learn All About It
Resolution, unique features and hopes for the future
Yooka-Laylee was one of the most high profile and successful Kickstarter campaigns of 2016, but its path to Nintendo systems has been a little troubled. The planned Wii U version eventually bit the dust, with confirmation coming after it was already suspected, and the game had a mixed critical...
News Playtonic Games is Working on Unity Issues for Yooka-Laylee on Switch
"We understand the frustration that it’s taken so long"
Yooka-Laylee arrived back in April across PC and various systems, but it's had a longer route to Nintendo hardware. The Wii U version somewhat predictably bit the dust, and since then it's been a wait for the title to make its way to the Switch. Playtonic has given various updates, and...
News Fashionable Buddy Duos Can Now Purchase These Fetching Yooka-Laylee T-Shirts
Start grabbing those Pagies!
While we still wait for the fine folks at Team17 and Playtonic Games to lovingly prepare the ultimate Switch edition of Yooka-Laylee for us, we can now at least look the part. Insert Coin Clothing has put together some charming t-shirts designs based around the game, which will ensure that you remain at the height...
News Playtonic Gives Update On Yooka-Laylee For Switch
Studio needs to be 100% confident before giving a release date
With the prospect of taking it anywhere, some have held off on purchasing Yooka-Laylee as they wait for it to be released on the Switch. Developer Playtonic Games has now given a little insight into how far along it is, saying that the "final issues" are being worked out. This news comes...
News Playtonic Outlines Yooka-Laylee Improvements and Switch Version Progress
On a roll
Yooka-Laylee is now settled into a variety of platforms, but the release hasn't been without its critics. Playtonic has been keen to address complaints and work towards improvements, however, and has been developing a bumper update to resolve some issues. In the latest blog post from the studio it's confirmed that the major update is...
News Playtonic Writer Reflects on Yooka-Laylee’s Performance
"We delivered what we promised to our fans and backers."
Yooka-Laylee was admittedly a bit of a disappointment when it launched last month; given the pedigree of the developers working on the project, many were expecting a home run, but instead were met with something much more middling. The game is still due out on the Switch—in an improved...
News Yooka-Laylee Could Be Much Improved By The Time The Switch Version Arrives
Playtonic working "with speed" towards Switch port
It's fair to say that Yooka-Laylee didn't exactly live up to the monumental expectations placed upon it by critics and fans alike, garnering mixed reviews last month when it landed on non-Nintendo platforms. Our sister site Push Square awarded the PS4 version 6 out of a possible 10, concluding that...
Round Up Yooka-Laylee's Scores Are In, And Critics Appear Divided
A return to form or a step backwards?
Yooka-Laylee isn't out on the Nintendo Switch yet, but it launches on other platforms very soon - so soon, in fact, that reviews have just gone live. As one of Kickstarter's most successful video game campaigns there was a lot of expectation surrounding this title, the debut of Playtonic Games - a studio made...
News The Yooka-Laylee Rap Tries to be the Best and Worst Thing All at Once
The spirit of the DK rap lives on
The DK Rap is iconic, well known for being pretty awful while also being loved by plenty of retro gamers. It was typical Rare, and so the freshly revealed Yooka-Laylee rap is perhaps 'typical Playtonic'. It's no secret that many of the leading developers in the Playtonic team have lucrative histories at Rare, and...
Random A Fan Has Created a 2D Yooka-Laylee For SNES
Call yourself a fan?
It never ceases to amaze how far fans will go to show their love for a video game, even one that has yet to be released. Yooka-Laylee is due for launch in 2 weeks time on various platforms - thought not quite Switch yet - and to celebrate one super fan has managed to replicate the upcoming game for the Super Nintendo. Twitter...
News Playtonic on the Development Progress of Yooka-Laylee on Switch
"We're working directly with Nintendo"
It's rather hard to believe, but Yooka-Laylee is only a couple weeks away from its grand debut. The Kickstarter project aims to bring the dream of the collect-a-thon platformer back to the forefront, and based on all that's been revealed so far, it seems that Playtonic has done an excellent job of creating a...
News Playtonic Removes JonTron's Voice from Yooka-Laylee
Due to controversial comments
In just a few weeks, Yooka-Laylee will finally release on all platforms with the exception of the Switch port, which still hasn't received a date. The game was a Kickstarter success—one fueled by countless fans—and popular YouTuber JonTron was prominent among them. Back in 2015, Playtonic invited JonTron to voice a...
Hands On Striking a Chord with Yooka-Laylee
UPDATE: Switch version reconfirmed, coming "very soon"
UPDATE: Mere moments after we published this feature, it was confirmed during the Nindie Direct that the Switch version of Yooka-Laylee will be launching "very soon" and will feature all of the game's multiplayer modes. ORIGINAL STORY: The employees over at Playtonic have been through a lot to...
News Yooka-Laylee Formally Confirmed for Switch Along With Wii U Backer Options
"We continue to work closely with Nintendo"
There was understandable disappointment late last year when it was confirmed that Yooka-Laylee is no longer coming to the Wii U. Playtonic Games did give a strong indication that it would bring the title to Nintendo Switch, though the wording wasn't quite ironclad. It now seems to be a firm proposition,...
News Playtonic Games Adds Two More Former Rare Devs to its Ranks
"Super Scheduler and Handheld Hancho"
Playtonic Games - which is currently working on finalising Yooka-Laylee for launch - has published a blog post announcing that two former Rare designers have joined the ranks at the studio. Throughout the development of Yooka-Laylee the studio has been picking up various former Rare employees, including coders...
News Yooka-Laylee's Wii U Cancellation is Only Due to Technical Challenges, Not the System's Woes
"We can assure you this was a hard decision for everyone"
Earlier today there was the disappointing news that Yooka-Laylee is no longer coming to Wii U. When the game was first revealed Playtonic Games emphasized the importance of Nintendo hardware to the game, with a number of backers opting for the Wii U iteration in the Kickstarter campaign. The...
News Yooka-Laylee Rattles Away From Wii U Release
Are you happy with the switch to Switch?
In a move which isn't necessarily surprising, it has now been confirmed that the much anticipated Yooka-Laylee will not longer be getting a Wii U release. In a recent blog post on the Playtonic Games site, the reasoning for this is explained. The Playtonic team is sad to confirm that despite our best...
Rumour Yooka-Laylee Might Be Released in April
Not long now
Playtonic's highly anticipated collectathon, Yooka-Laylee, is expected to launch sometime early next year, though the exact time has not been specified. Considering that we're rapidly closing in on the launch window, one would expect a release date to be forthcoming, but it seems that a few online storefronts may have accidentally let...
News Yooka-Laylee Will Be Getting a Boxed Release
Yesssss…
In just a few short months, Yooka-Laylee will be available on all the major console platforms, but the wait couldn't feel any longer. The highly anticipated 3D platformer aims to scratch an itch that's been mostly left untouched since the days of the Nintendo 64, and it looks like it'll be quite the adventure. Recently, it was announced...
Video Fresh Yooka-Laylee Footage Emerges From EGX 2016
We also speak to Chris Sutherland about the Wii U version
Those of you in the UK will know that EGX 2016 - the UK's biggest gaming show - took place last weekend and there were plenty of lovely games to gawk at. Sadly Nintendo sat it out this year, so there wasn't a lot for us to report on specifically, but we did get some hands-on time with...
News Shovel Knight Confirmed for Surprise Role in Yooka-Laylee
We dig it
Shovel Knight is a stand-out game on Wii U and 3DS, and the hero sure gets around. The character's had a handful of fun cameos confirmed to date, and has now secured what may be his most high-profile gig yet. It's been confirmed that Shovel Knight will appear in Yooka-Laylee, showing off some some chunky armour in the 3D world. You can...
News Yooka-Laylee To Make Playable Debut At EGX 2016
Hands-on with the dynamic duo
Highly anticipated 3D adventure Yooka-Laylee will be playable by the public at this year's EGX event in the UK, it has been revealed. Created by a team of former Rare staffers and published by veteran firm Team 17, Yooka-Laylee is a 3D platformer which takes inspiration from the likes of Banjo-Kazooie and the Donkey...
