Yooka-Replaylee Preview: A slice of platforming heaven

3D platformers are not nearly as popular as they used to be. Sure, we do see new introductions to the genre, but typically speaking they are much less common than they were 15-20 years ago. It's because of this that Playtonic's Yooka-Laylee felt like a breath of fresh air back in 2017 when it arrived and delivered a charming adventure perfect for all ages. Jump to the present and the same developer is getting ready to ship Yooka-Replaylee, the definitive version of that lovely original game.

For anyone who reads the word "definitive" and begins to wonder if this is simply a remaster that touches up the graphics and improves performance, let me elaborate and dispel any confusion. Yes, Yooka-Replaylee does look better, runs smoother, and feels brand new from an audio-visual perspective, but it's also got plenty of additional tricks up its sleeves, including new challenges to overcome, puzzles to solve, mechanics to master, secrets to find, and more. So, it's both an authentic remaster but also a welcome and refreshing update.

I would know this because I've had the chance to play through a short demo of the upcoming game, chipping away at the beginning of the adventure, where we see the titular pair coming across the most powerful book in the universe before finding themselves at the centre of a nefarious plot that's the brainchild of villain Capital B. It's the same daft but intriguing plot that was presented almost a decade ago, and it still feels relevant, humorous, and fun in 2025.

Those who love 3D platformers will only need five minutes in Yooka-Replaylee to fall in love with this game. The level design is top-notch and packed with plenty of enemies to battle, secrets to uncover, and objects to interact with. There are environmental puzzles that require minor ingenuity to solve, plentiful options to platform to reach new areas, a handful of abilities to master, and all while being set in a world filled with colour and charisma. But this was also the case with the original, so how have things changed?

Playtonic has looked at the 2017 game and pinpointed the areas that it lacked. When exploring each level, there are now Super Mario-like coins to collect along the way, which can apparently be spent at a "sentient vending machine". Not that I'd know, as the place to spend coins was not in the preview build. Beyond this, the controls and gameplay mechanics have been touched up and refined, making movement and combining actions all the more fluid. This, matched up with an animations overhaul, mean that Yooka and Laylee both fit into the world more intuitively than ever before.

As the demo build was only short, I can't comment on the new world map feature, nor the extent of the improved and even new in-game challenges, as the former wasn't included and the latter I only got a brief taste of. What I can say is that the now orchestral score does not disappoint, delivering great and memorable music perfect for the platforming at hand.

It's because of all of these areas that Yooka-Replaylee is shaping up to be a truly worthy and exciting addition to the 3D platformer space. This isn't just a run-of-the-mill remaster, it's a loving update to an already solid base, catapulting it to new heights and making it more desirable and entertaining than ever before. If you never had the chance to check out the original, I'd advise you to wait for this enhanced alternative, as it will probably surprise you.