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Little Lighthouse of Horror
Game
Game2017
Yooka-Laylee
Developer Playtonic Games
Yooka-Laylee is a 2017 platform game developed by British developer Playtonic Games and published by Team17. Developed by a group of former key personnel from Rare, Yooka-Laylee is a spiritual successor to the Banjo-Kazooie series. The game follows chameleon Yooka and bat Laylee on their quest to retrieve a magical book from an evil corporation. After years of planning to develop a new game, Playtonic Games… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
368 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
63
Fresh
118 positive · 69 negative
95% range 56–70%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 118 | 69 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 42 | 18 | 72 |
| Lemmy * | 5 | 1 | 25 |
| Mastodon * | 4 | 1 | 13 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mostly Positive
2,799 of 3,898 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
64% recommend · 119 yes, 67 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 186 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mostly Positive (4,039 of 5,401 positive).
Many players find it a faithful throwback to classic N64 collectathons like Banjo-Kazooie. [1][2][3] Some reviewers criticize the game for boring dialogue, empty levels, and frustrating design choices. [4][5][6] A few players note that the co-op mode is disappointing, with the second player having a useless role. [7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
I loved playing Banjo-Kazooie (1998), it's one of my favourite games. This game undeniably takes inspiration from that game but falls short in pretty much every conceivable way in trying to be its spiritual successor. It feels like you're constantly interupted by characters speaking, panning camera shots and long transitions when entering/exiting areas. Pretty much all characters (and there's quite a lot) have some …
- [5]
Tried to get into it. Sadly it's more Tooie in design than Kazooie. You traverse through empty feeling maps, only to discover you will need an ability later to get the collectible. The game's pace is really bogged down with design choices that are only there to waste the player's time, making it feel like a chore. Not to mention Yooka-Laylee just feels janky and unpolished all across the board. Hopefully the …
- [1]
This game made me cry like an Anime Fan on Prom Night. This is the Banjo Three we never received…I'm still seeing my therapist after the last BK "game". I can't even describe how happy this game made me. I think a single tear rolled down my cheek while playing this. It's beautiful. I miss Banjo and this will do. Hello Banjo-Threeie!!! "Banjo Kazooie", "Conkers Bad Fur Day" and "Donkey Kong Country", if you liked any …
- [2]
Yooka-Laylee is like finding a long-lost N64 cartridge under your couch, popping it in, and realizing it actually runs at 60 FPS. It’s a love letter to the classic 3D collectathons — think Banjo-Kazooie with a modern coat of paint, a snarkier bat, and a suspiciously smooth chameleon. The worlds are bright, colorful, and full of goofy characters that grunt, squawk, and mumble their way into your heart. Collecting …
- [3]
This game sought out to be a throwback to the legendary 3D platformers of the N64 era, and in my opinion it has achieved that goal splendidly. I'll be revisiting this one in the future I'm sure, just like the 3D platformers of old.
Summarised from 34 of the 342 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Yooka-Laylee sits at 63% positive across 187 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Yooka-Laylee received "mixed or average" reviews on the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, while on the Nintendo Switch it received "generally favourable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received fair approval, being recommended by 57% of critics. Critics generally agreed that the game recaptured the feel of a classic 3D platformer, but were divided over whether this made the game successful or simply made its gameplay and design feel unoriginal and outdated. Its Kickstarter backers were ultimately satisfied with the final product, despite their disappointments with the pre-release demo being delayed and the…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 368 · most liked firstHAPPY NEW YEAR My first video to ever blow up was a very negative review of Yooka-Laylee. I don’t take back anything I said in that video However, its remake Yooka-RePlaylee is absolutely incredible. Amazing what a difference 8 years can make, @playtonicgames.com Watch here, youtu.be/fCL68PT1SW4
positive · AI labelView post →Well this is awkward... Playtonic themselves reached out to me to offer a review code for the new Yooka-Laylee remake And yes they’ve seen my video 😬
neutral · AI labelView post →For as mixed as the reception was Yooka Laylee sold very well. Maybe the Banjo brand isn't strong because it hasn't had a new game in 16 years
neutral · AI labelView post →If 8 years ago you’d told me I’d one day 100% a Yooka-Laylee game, I would’ve called you crazy.
positive · AI labelView post →Booted up Yooka-Laylee for the first time since 2017 Nope. Still do not like it. At all. If they improved things in patches, I couldn’t tell on PS4 Finally played The Impossible Lair, damn what an incredibly better-made game! Immediately smarter, more fun, and a way better soundtrack!
negative · AI labelView post →Just make your game fun to play, man. Forget the pressure of having to "move the genre forward" - most players won't care. I'm currently going through the Yooka-Laylee games and the sense of familiarity makes me feel right at home. It's proof that old-school game design still works well today.
positive · AI labelView post →Just remember, you two - the House always wins! My submission for @playtonicgames.com 's #CapitalBCasinoComp! #Art #Fanart #YookaLaylee
neutral · AI labelView post →- "There you are! Feeling better now? 🦎 - "Yeah yeah just a little scare, come on dude we have an impossible lair to beat!" 🦇 Started playing Yooka Laylee a week ago and damn, super good game!! The more I play the more I dig the gameplay and their world Can't wait to keep playing this weekend! 👀
positive · AI labelView post →So far I like Tomb Raider 3's DLC levels much more than the main game. Then I gotta wait for Feb for the next Steam Deck compatible trilogy... guess I'll finally finish Yooka Laylee in the meantime
neutral · AI labelView post →Yooka-Laylee: A Patient Gamer Review. ## Summary This game is firmly in the collectathon platformer genre of games and seeks to outright revive the soul of Banjo-Kazooie and extract it into a new body. The fresh coat of paint with all new characters and modern graphical styling is an attempt to distance itself from retro aesthetics while keeping some charming aspects. Gone are the convoluted controls and returning are the random chirping noises for dialog. But is the upgrade from collecting…
neutral · AI labelView post →5 DAYS TO GO?! A while ago, we rang up @caddicarus.bsky.social. Then we superglued him down onto the sofa and made him play our game for 1.5h hours. Grab a bevvy and a snack and join us for a comparison video between Yooka-Laylee and Yooka-Replaylee. WATCH HERE ⤵️⤵️ youtu.be/O_g5VRNbPt8
neutral · AI labelView post →Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Switch / Steam) digital release is 90% off on US eShop and Steam: bit.ly/43ThQdI $2.99 matches previous low price Super underrated game!
neutral · AI labelView post →Diddy Kong Racing veterans reveal Super Yooka-Laylee Kart, an arcade racer with a "deep story campaign". www.videogameschronicle.com/news/super-y...
neutral · AI labelView post →Poor Nintendo. First you release Mario Odyssey after Yooka Laylee already proved itself to be the best 3D game of the year, and now you re-release the Galaxy games right before Yooka Laylee comes back. I hope those Mario fans are doing okay. Someone check on them. #YookaSweepee
positive · AI labelView post →Finished Yooka Replaylee Yeah this is the DEFINITIVE Way to play Yooka- Laylee. Only negative thing I can say is I wish there was a few more worlds. But yeah. Charming game for platformer fans.
positive · AI labelView post →A Patient Review of Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair. ## Summary Time The Impossible Lair is a 2D platformer with low complexity and fun characters than has you exploring levels to build up protection to take on a boss level that is available to you right from the start with all the moves unlocked. If you like a more relaxed platformer with decent explorations and puzzles, give this one a shot. However, if you're a platforming regular you should probably just stay away from this one as it…
neutral · AI labelView post →Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is the first game I've beaten this year and I can't sing its praises enough! Don't sleep on this if you loved Donkey Kong Country anywhere near as much as I did.
positive · AI labelView post →Video game dump for the holidays!. Comment below what game you would like to receive. And remember, kindness and manners go a long way. Thank you. **Video games up for grabs** *All keys activated via Steam* --- The Escapists - Duct Tapes are Forever (DLC) The Escapists - Escape Team (DLC) The Escapists - Fhurst Peak Correctional Facility (DLC) Abalone Talisman - The Highland Expansion (DLC) --- **Claimed** ~~Scribblenauts Unlimited~~ ~~Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor GOTY~~…
neutral · AI labelView post →This game made me cry like an Anime Fan on Prom Night. This is the Banjo Three we never received…I'm still seeing my therapist after the last BK "game". I can't even describe how happy this game made me. I think a single tear rolled down my cheek while playing this. It's beautiful. I miss Banjo and this will do. Hello Banjo-Threeie!!! "Banjo Kazooie", "Conkers Bad Fur Day" and "Donkey Kong Country", if you liked any of those games, from the good old times when you were still young and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Playtonic's Super Yooka-Laylee Kart has been officially unveiled, revealing a game that's actually quite a bit more than just a throwback to 1992. A dedicated story campaign! A focus on skill and strategy! And a plethora of customizable rules to allow every local or online race to be unique.
neutral · AI labelView post →I think its really funny people are like RARE DK IS DEAD! Meanwhile I genuinely thought I was seeing Yooka Laylee or Banjo Kazooie when the trailer first started. The character design is definitely less rare but the game is rarer than it's been in a long time.
neutral · AI labelView post →Have $30 exactly to spend on a Switch game! Yet no idea what to get. Any suggestions? I love cozy games like Dreamlight Valley, Cozy Grove and so on. Games like Yooka-Laylee & Mario. Mysteries or open world games with not too much fighting. Also open to playing outside of what I normally do!
neutral · AI labelView post →Did I buy a visual novel or 3D platformer? There is so much boring dialogue you have to go through and no skip button so by the time you get to finally play the game your hands will probably hurt from smashing the spacebar. The maps feel kinda empty but the graphics look nice at the very least. Considering this game has been bundled to hell and many people got it for a pocket change this way, giving it a negative review doesn't feel right. I mean it's not great but there are worse platformers…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don't understand the art direction for the new Yooka Laylee racing game. I don't see the appeal. If they went with hand crafted SNES inspired pixel art or N64 low poly models, I could see the vision. But this wole already made assets, but rendered crunchy and flat look isn't for me.
negative · AI labelView post →A Patient Review of Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair. cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/16411001 > ## Summary Time > The Impossible Lair is a 2D platformer with low complexity and fun characters than has you exploring levels to build up protection to take on a boss level that is available to you right from the start with all the moves unlocked. If you like a more relaxed platformer with decent explorations and puzzles, give this one a shot. However, if you're a platforming…
neutral · AI labelView post →Sure, Playtonic Games may be using AI slop for promotion now, and they fired a bunch of their talented employees, and they never fulfilled their promises to Kickstarter backers of Yooka Laylee. ... I can't think of a "but" actually. Screw them. Wish I never backed the original game.
negative · AI labelView post →Playtonic head Gavin Price appeared on a livestream today to divulge new details on Super Yooka-Laylee Kart! Topics include why the team didn't go down the obvious "Diddy Kong Racing" route, their aspirations for the game's robust story mode, and how they hope to innovate the kart racing genre.
neutral · AI labelView post →The final game I will be playing on Switch 1 is Yooka-Laylee.
neutral · AI labelView post →That’s Yooka-Laylee cleared from the backlog. I’ll be giving this game a 6.5/10. Wanted to give it a higher score, but there are definitely a lot of flaws here. The upcoming remake looks to be a big improvement, and I’ll make sure to pick that up.
neutral · AI labelView post →Chris Sutherland #ChrisSutherland Voice of: Banjo/Kazooie/Clanker/Napper - Banjo Kazooie (N64) Diddy Kong/Banjo/Kruncher/Tricky - Diddy Kong Racing (N64) K. Krool/Diddy - Donkey Kong 64 (N64) Bio: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_S... Other voice credits include Yooka & Laylee from the 2017 game. #Rare
neutral · AI labelView post →Game 295: Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair This game is just pure fun. Exploring the map and all the different levels looking for secrets feels nostalgic and rewarding, especially considering how joyful the duo of protagonist feels to control, and how tight and creative the level design is.
positive · AI labelView post →Yooka-Laylee: A Patient Gamer Review. cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/15468857 > ## Summary > > This game is firmly in the collectathon platformer genre of games and seeks to outright revive the soul of Banjo-Kazooie and extract it into a new body. The fresh coat of paint with all new characters and modern graphical styling is an attempt to distance itself from retro aesthetics while keeping some charming aspects. Gone are the convoluted controls and returning are the random…
neutral · AI labelView post →Crazy hair to play a crazy fun game… that apparently only I stream…. Yooka Laylee! Come hang out! Twitch.tv/harliquinjester
positive · AI labelView post →We finished Yooka-Laylee today! I hadn't played since the game came out in 2017. It was a good time tbh! We even found my name in the backers credits!
positive · AI labelView post →It’s been long enough - I’m ready for a new full 3D Yooka-Laylee game. With enough time and planning, I still think that team could make a banger. We’re overdue for a new big 3D platformer, who else can really deliver at this point?
positive · AI labelView post →Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic confirms layoffs: 'The landscape is shifting, and with it, so must we'.
neutral · AI labelView post →Playtonic has announced Super Yooka-Laylee Kart, an arcade racing adventure it says is built around “high-skill gameplay, tactical rivalries, and revenge-fuelled comebacks”. vgc.news/news/super-y...
neutral · AI labelView post →I loved playing Banjo-Kazooie (1998), it's one of my favourite games. This game undeniably takes inspiration from that game but falls short in pretty much every conceivable way in trying to be its spiritual successor. It feels like you're constantly interupted by characters speaking, panning camera shots and long transitions when entering/exiting areas. Pretty much all characters (and there's quite a lot) have some sort of stupid dialogue which would be fine if it wasn't for the fact that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Redownloaded Yooka-Laylee to compare to Replaylee and yeah, HUGE improvement, visually The controls too, I forgot how BAD OG Laylee controlled until I started trying to move and eugh (and this is AFTER the patches that game got)
negative · AI labelView post →> What do you think of Yooka Laylee? I made a brief video on it! www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc6M... Also, give the Replaylee demo a shot! I still really like the original, but this remake seems like it's shaping up to be everything 2017's game should have been!
positive · AI labelView post →Bought for coop. Found out coop means the second player can basically spectate as a bumble bee
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Another Super Yooka-Laylee Kart livestream from Playtonic further elaborated on how much the game borrows from Diddy Kong Racing, how it's trying to be to kart racers what Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair was to 2D platformers, the reason Vendi can steer a kart without any arms, and much more!
neutral · AI labelView post →Taking psychic pedantic damage every time someone says Super Yooka-Laylee Kart is an SNES-style racer, because the art design is far more Game Boy Advance-era than SNES, 32-bit-looking than 16-bit thanks to what's clearly extra horsepower
negative · AI labelView post →Apparently a new Yooka-Laylee game is coming out. I played a bit of the first one and it was awesome! #Yooka-Laylee #Yooka-Replaylee #Pixelart
positive · AI labelView post →🟥 Video Upload 🟥 I revisited the original Yooka-Laylee after 8 years! Since Replaylee is around the corner, I wanted the original fresh in my mind. How did I feel about the game after 8 years? Let's talk about it. 🔗: youtu.be/taG5dpBr2UE?...
neutral · AI labelView post →5 Upcoming 3D Platformers | 2025. 3D platformers had an incredible year in 2024. That momentum will continue with these five great upcoming 3D platformers! From uncovering the secrets of Yooka-Laylee's remake, a sequel to Demon Turf, and a great frog-themed Kickstarter-funded platformer!
neutral · AI labelView post →Bionic Commando (2009) really is that bad. Listen, I tend to think gamers cry “wolf” too often when it comes to bad games. Yooka-Laylee is pretty good. I like Mass Effect: Andromeda. And Metroid: Other M was highly enjoyable. But you’re right about Bionic Commando (2009). At first, I just thought it was quirky. And the whole grittiness was strange. Specifically, the aspect of his arm being his dead wife—yeah, that’s weird as hell. After four hours of playing this game, I’m waving the…
positive · AI labelView post →A new demo for the arcade action basketball game Dunk Dunk is available today on Steam! Featuring Yooka & Laylee, Playtonic Friends character Elsie has also been announced for the roster... with the promise of more guest appearances to come!
neutral · AI labelView post →Coming out of a surprisingly robust week of DKU game reveals (and clock updates), @thecartoongamer.bsky.social and I answer listener calls on the #Kongversation! Topics include DK Challenge, hopes for Super Yooka-Laylee Kart, the new Donkey Kong figures, and more! www.dkvine.com?p=podcasts&s...
neutral · AI labelView post →Replaylee should be free for owners of Laylee, you know what a disappointment this game was and how much money you guys made off of kickstarter. Shame. Bad.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game has good graphics, however the levels compared to banjo are much bigger, the issue with this is that the levels are bigger but the game play is the same. Slow paced and very confusing. I think if the levels where smaller and better context clues for pages where given, the game would be great.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In co-op, the second player plays as a useless escort
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Yooka-Laylee remaster headed to PS5, Xbox and "Nintendo platforms" - so Switch 2?.
neutral · AI labelView post →YouTubers are unnecessarily harsh to Yooka-Laylee. I didn't have Banjo on N64, growing up, and have no nostalgia for it. Some friends who did seemed to enjoy this game. I don't "hate" YL, but I've now exhausted every angle without being able to have fun or get lost in it. As someone who accidentally plays through platformers in one night out of sheer excitement, that's not an encouraging sign. I tried again on a couple other platforms, even years apart, mostly out of superstition, hence my…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Dunk Dunk is getting a public playtest, with Yooka-Laylee added to the roster for Playtonic's new basketball arcade game. (Steam store page)
neutral · AI labelView post →This is basically them with Yooka-Laylee (the game was exactly what they were asking for but they hated it)
negative · AI labelView post →How to say this... I think I will first give a comparison, then the reason I'm making it. Do you remember (if you're old enough) the time when we switched between 2D and 3D? The good old N64 (or maybe PS1, but I've mostly been on the Nintendo side when I was a hatchling) Old games were hard, but not unnecessarily hard (well, there were such games, but wasn't a good thing). We complain that today, games are way too easy, and your only answer is "we gained experience". It's false. I mean... It's…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The world was their oyster! There was gonna be a revival! The disappointment of Yooka Laylee was behind us! 7 years and just a bunch of merch and nothing close to resembling a game later: Ah shit.
negative · AI labelView post →Some designs I did for a (not real) Yooka-Laylee mobile rhythm game! You “conduct” the songs (and control Yooka & Laylee) by dragging your finger back and forth, and you jump into sheet music instead of books. #playtonic #yooka-laylee
neutral · AI labelView post →* Pizza Possum * Lego games (all of them) * Amazing Frog * Glitch Busters * Disney infinity * Zoo Tycoon * Sackboy * Minecraft (mods!) * Abraca * Lovers in a dangerous space time * Lethal League * Human Fall Flat * Bang on Balls * Palworld * Unravel Two * Windjammers 2 * Team Sonic Racing * Dragon Quest Builders 2 * Royal Revolt Warriors * Warside * Cassette Beasts * Rubber Bandits * Party Animals * Goat Simulator 3 * Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart * NBA2K25 * Beam NG Drive * Slime Rancher 2 * My…
neutral · AI labelView post →
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