Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a platform game developed by Playtonic Games and published by Team17 in 2019. A spin-off to Yooka-Laylee (2017), the game was released digitally for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on October 8, 2019, followed by a version for Amazon Luna on October 20, 2020.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
- Model
- Yooka-Laylee
- Date
- 2019
- Publisher
- Team17
- Language
- English · French
- Genre
- action-adventure game
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Documentary summary
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a platform game developed by Playtonic Games and published by Team17 in 2019. A spin-off to Yooka-Laylee (2017), the game was released digitally for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on October 8, 2019, followed by a version for Amazon Luna on October 20, 2020.
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wikidata · Q73272920 · wikipedia · Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Title — Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair • Developer — Playtonic Games • Publisher — Team17 • Composer — * Matt Griffin • David Wise • Daniel Murdoch • Grant Kirkhope • Engine — Unity • Platforms — * Nintendo Switch • PlayStation 4 • Windows • Xbox One • Released — Switch, PS4, Windows, Xbox One October 8, 2019 Luna October 20, 2020 • Genre — Platform • Modes — Single-player
Gameplay
Gameplay
The title is a side-scrolling 2D platform game. The player controls Yooka, a male chameleon, and Laylee, a female bat, to complete various levels. In these levels, the objective is to collect quills and T.W.I.T. coins, as well as to free a member of the "Beetalion". The members of the Beetalion each give Yooka and Laylee an extra hit point for use on the final level, the eponymous "Impossible Lair". T.W.I.T. coins are used to unlock further progress on the overworld through Trowzer's "paywalls". Notably, it is possible to enter the final level at any point in the game, though it is heavily encouraged that the player first secure extra hit points by beating the other levels first. The "Tonics" feature from the first game also return. Tonics are potions that can modify the gameplay in numerous ways after being consumed by Yooka. Between levels, an isometric 3D overworld is used for getting around. Characters can be found and spoken to alongside puzzles to solve for quills and tonics.
Development
Development
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair was developed by Playtonic Games, a studio composed of former Rare employees. While the game bears similarities with the Donkey Kong Country series, the team opted not to use the moniker "spiritual successor" to market the game. The game was announced on June 8, 2019, by publisher Team17, and released on October 8, 2019. Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Original Game Soundtrack) was independently released by Playtonic on October 16, 2019, on Bandcamp, with a fully distributed edition under the video game record label Materia Collective. The music was composed by David Wise, Grant Kirkhope, Matt Griffin, and Dan Murdoch.
Accolades
Accolades
The game was nominated for "Control Precision" at the NAVGTR Awards.
History of the object
Dated record
History of the object
The full dated record · 2 entries
2019
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair published.
2019
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is recorded as published in 2019.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- United Kingdom
Named but not plotted · 1
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is associated with United Kingdom.
Country
Reception
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair received generally positive reviews upon release according to review aggregator website Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received strong approval, being recommended by 82% of critics. IGN gave the game a glowing review, calling it an "excellent modernized spin on the 2D platformer". Game Informer also spoke highly, praising the game's great replay value and fresh perspective on the 2D platforming genre. Eurogamers Tom Phillips called the game "a far more polished game than the studio's predecessor", citing the more modern game designs. Despite the game's mainly positive reviews, some journalists found issues with the game's design. Destructoids Brett Makedonski, while having enjoyed the game overall, described the levels and controls as "not innovative" and "good enough". Hayden Dingman of PC World found the game's difficulty too "taxing" to be enjoyable, giving it 3/5 stars.
Context
Primary material
Context
The circumstances in which Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair stands. Issued for Microsoft Windows. Composed by Grant Kirkhope. Composed by David Wise. Recorded as video game. Published by Team17. Classed in the genre action-adventure game. Associated with United Kingdom.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
Citations
References
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reference work
Partially resolvedauthority record
Unverified
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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