Tag: Playtonic Games
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...
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...
News Playtonic Games Isn't Working On A New Banjo-Kazooie Game, Despite The Rumours
"They're rumours."
Ever since Banjo and Kazooie were officially confirmed as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighters last summer, rumours and speculation surrounding new games and remasters for Rare's legendary series have been doing the rounds online. One such rumour suggests that Playtonic, a studio housing plenty of ex-Rare staff, is helping Rare,...
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...
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'
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 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 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 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 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 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...
News Playtonic Handling Wii U Version of Yooka-Laylee, Team17 Porting To PS4 And Xbox One
"We wanted to make sure that Wii U gets the right attention"
It's tempting, in light of the system's declining role in the market and modest userbase, to be rather fearful around third-party Wii U projects. With Yooka-Laylee moving into 2017 it'd be understandable to feel twitchy; yet thankfully this is a Playtonic Games title, with the studio being...
Interview Playtonic On Yooka-Laylee Progress And Its New 2017 Release Window
Going behind the scenes on the exciting platformer
Yooka-Laylee is aiming to bring back the long-forgotten 3D platforming/collectathon genre that helped make developers such as Rare juggernauts of the industry, and is also one of the last shining beacons of hope for long-suffering Wii U owners. We were lucky enough to have a first-hand look at the...
News Playtonic Raises the Curtain to Show Off A Lot of Yooka-Laylee Details
"Today is just the preliminary act"
Yooka-Laylee caused a big stir when it was crowdfunded through Kickstarter, with developer Playtonic Games being formed by a group of experienced former Rare employees. When we went hands on and visited the studio we couldn't help but be excited about its potential. Playtonic Games has been relatively quiet in...
News Playtonic Games Reveals New Character and David Wise Track for Yooka-Laylee
Three new staff also join up
Yooka-Laylee made quite an impact when it was revealed in Spring 2015, with the newly formed Playtonic Studios gaining a lot of attention by virtue of a promising Kickstarter pitch video and the fact that the team was largely comprised of former Rare staff. Already positioned as a spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie,...
News Nintendo UK and Playtonic Games to Host a Special Super Mario Maker Live Broadcast
Yooka-Laylee studio to show off its creations
With Super Mario Maker approaching we can expect a variety of promotional activities from the big N, and Nintendo UK has an upcoming live stream that could be one to watch for retro and eShop fans. It's announced on Instagram that it'll be hosting a live broadcast with Playtonic Games, the team of...
News Yooka-Laylee’s Game Worlds Will Be Contained Within "Magical Books”
A novel idea
Playtonic's spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie and popular Kickstarter project, Yooka-Laylee, aims to recreate the magic of the 3D platform titles of yesteryear with charming characters and classic level design. With development well underway, creative lead Gavin Price has recently discussed the team's approach to level creation in...
News Introducing The Very First Support Character In Yooka-Laylee, Trowzer The Serpent Salesman
A snake wearing trousers
Support characters were very much a staple of 3D platform games during their prime, and it looks like Playtonic Games will continue this tradition with the recent reveal of the first support character in Yooka-Laylee: Trowzer, the serpent salesman. A business-snake whose career never took off, the smug salesman is...
News Yooka-Laylee Hit The $1 Million Point Faster Than Any Other Game In The History Of Kickstarter
On course to be the UK's biggest gaming Kickstarter campaign, too
Playtonic's Yooka-Laylee reached the $1 million marker faster than any other game on Kickstarter, it has been revealed. The campaign smashed its initial funding goal of £175,000 in less than 40 minutes, and by the end of its first full day had
News Yooka-Laylee Character Designer Spills on Creating Playtonic Games' Quirky Heroes
"Big eyes, big teeth, big belly. You can’t go wrong with these traits"
If the core appeal of your game is 3D platforming, there are key ingredients that simply must be included - slick controls, a smooth camera and solid mechanics are naturally part of the recipe. Immediately charming characters are also a must, though - unlike some genres where...
News Yooka-Laylee Sets a New Stretch Goal to Smash, This Time for a Fully Orchestrated Soundtrack
A Rare treat
Yooka-Laylee is proof that combining industry veterans of an iconic development studio with a genre that brings to mind the late '90s is a tonic for success. From that laboured bit of wordplay we segway to Playtonic Games, which has quickly turned from a start-up of excellent developers into a significant Kickstarter success story...
News Yooka-Laylee Double-Jumps Through Final Kickstarter Stretch Goal In Less Than 24 Hours
£1 million in the bag, day one Wii U release assured
Update: Playtonic Games has now announced two new stretch goals on its campaign page. £1.1 million will bring an N64 'shader mode' plus a DK rap + video in the credits, while £1.2 million will add a developer walkthrough and commentary video. At current momentum these will likely be passed in...
News Yooka-Laylee Kickstarter Campaign Smashes Its Funding Goal In Less Than An Hour
Thousands of backers jump in for spiritual Banjo-Kazooie Successor
Playtonic Games, a new studio comprised of ex-Rare developers, has been generating a lot of hype for its first project. We know from speaking to the studio, however, that it'll be absolutely stunned by the reaction to the Kickstarter campaign for its first game - Yooka-Laylee. After...
First Impressions Hands On With Playtonic's Yooka-Laylee
Damien and Thomas share their initial impressions
The cat - or should that be chameleon - is out of the bag. Fledgling UK studio Playtonic Games has lifted the lid on the stars of its début title - Yooka and Laylee - and has sent Rare-loving Nintendo fans into a frenzy of anticipation by confirming that the game will be coming to the Wii U eShop...
News Playtonic's Project Ukulele Becomes Yooka-Laylee, Wii U Release Confirmed
Meet the stars of the spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie
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...