Playtonic hints at Nintendo Switch 2 release for Yooka-Replaylee with its latest trailer

A devious use of the eyes emoji

News By Rhys Wood published 25 October 2024

Yooka-Replaylee, the upcoming remake/overhaul of Playtonic's original 3D platformer, Yooka-Laylee, seems like it'll be heading to Nintendo Switch 2.

The developer caused a bit of a stir on X / Twitter, posting a new trailer for the upcoming game accompanied by the following text: "As well as PC, Yooka-Replaylee WILL be on PS5, Xbox Series and... Nintendo."

The word "Nintendo" is swiftly followed by a very cheeky use of the eyes emoji. The end of the trailer replicates this by placing a cartoonish pair of eyes on top of the Nintendo logo.

Yooka-Replaylee has store pages on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC where folks can wishlist the game and read up on its new features. Curiously, though, this isn't the case on Nintendo Switch. Either Playtonic is ditching the original Switch entirely for this release, or it's simply waiting for Nintendo to announce its new hardware before saying anything more concrete.

In case you're unfamiliar, Yooka-Replaylee is a complete overhaul of the original Yooka-Laylee which launched back in 2017 off the back of a successful Kickstarter campaign. A spiritual successor to the Banjo-Kazooie series, it was largely developed by former Rare staff.

Unfortunately, Yooka-Laylee wasn't particularly well-received. While that N64-era Rare style of humor was fully intact, many players felt its levels to be largely lifeless and uninteresting. A side-scrolling sequel, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, was released two years later. Largely inspired by Donkey Kong Country (and again made by many of the same devs), it fared much better and actually received critical acclaim at launch.

Hopefully, then, Yooka-Replaylee can present a much-improved version of the original game. The new release will boast improved visuals, performance, and resolution, alongside a new world map, new challenges, and plenty of quality-of-life additions that all point to a much more enjoyable experience overall.

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