Yooka-Replaylee Review Overview
What is Yooka-Replaylee?
Yooka-Replaylee is a definitive edition of the 2017 3D platformer, reimagined with expanded worlds, refined controls, and new features. Players explore open-world books, collect Pagies, Quills, and other items, unlock transformations, and complete platforming challenges across vibrant environments.
Yooka-Replaylee features:
⚫︎ Definitive Version of Yooka-Laylee
⚫︎ Expanded 3D World
⚫︎ 100+ Cosmetics
⚫︎ Fast Travel System
⚫︎ Revamped Map
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Steam |
 Switch |
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 PlayStation |
 Xbox |
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| Price | $29.99 | ||||
Yooka-Replaylee Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Entire Moveset is Unlocked Early Rextro’s Arcade Adds Bite-Sized Challenges World is Rewarding to Explore |
Occasional Camera Locking in Weird Angles Collectibles Can Be Overwhelming for Casual Players Story Remains Thin |
Yooka-Replaylee Story - 7/10
The story gains charm from its playful retelling and book-style presentation. Still, it mostly serves as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a driving force. While the humor and characters are fun, the plot never feels essential. It’s enjoyable, but it won’t linger with you like the best platformer stories do.
Yooka-Replaylee Gameplay - 8/10
The core loop of exploration, platforming, and collecting is vastly improved, with worlds feeling denser and more rewarding. Having the full moveset from the start opens up creativity and fluidity in movement, while new features modernize the experience. Yet, some lingering frustrations remind you of its roots. Nearly flawless, but not quite perfect.
Yooka-Replaylee Visuals - 8/10
The full art overhaul makes the worlds pop with life, from reactive grass to improved lighting and polished menus. Characters and environments carry more personality, and everything feels cohesive. Still, the style retains a slightly dated feel compared to cutting-edge platformers. It’s a massive leap forward, but not groundbreaking.
Yooka-Replaylee Audio - 7/10
The orchestrated soundtrack by the Prague Philharmonic is sweeping, nostalgic, and elevates exploration. Sound design adds charm and energy to the world, giving each area character. However, some sound effects feel recycled or lack punch, and occasional audio balancing issues—like music overpowering environmental cues—can undercut immersion. It’s still strong overall, but not flawless.
Yooka-Replaylee Value for Money - 8/10
At $29.99, with 15 hours for the main story and 30 for completionists, the value is excellent. The expanded content, collectibles, and new features justify the price and make it feel like a definitive edition. Still, its niche appeal and some overwhelming collectibles might deter casual players. Great value for fans, but not universally irresistible.
Yooka-Replaylee Overall Score - 76/100
Yooka-Replaylee succeeds as both a love letter to classic platformers and a major refinement of its 2017 release. It offers depth, charm, and plenty of content, while smoothing out most of the original’s rough edges. Yet, lingering quirks, a secondary story, and a few old frustrations hold it back from greatness. It’s a strong, joyful platformer—but not the genre’s crown jewel.
Yooka-Replaylee Review: Turning the Page to a Better Platformer
Golden Age of Casual Platforming
I grew up in the golden age of platformers. Back then, every kid on the block seemed to have a copy of Crash Bandicoot spinning across their screens, or Mario leaping from one world to the next. These games were bright, loud, a little silly, and endlessly inviting. They weren’t just about clearing levels—they were playgrounds of color and imagination, the kind of places you’d get lost in after school until someone called you in for dinner.
Years later, the landscape has shifted. Genres rose and fell, trends changed, but platformers—especially 3D platformers—always carried this nostalgic pull. That’s where Yooka-Laylee entered the picture back in 2017. It wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, but it did try to recapture something lost, the spirit of those collect-a-thon adventures from the late ‘90s and early 2000s. And now, in 2025, we’ve got Yooka-Replaylee, a definitive edition that’s not just a coat of paint slapped on an older game. It’s a reimagining. A doubling down. A second chance at showing just how much potential this buddy-duo of a chameleon and a bat really has.
So without further ado, let’s talk about what makes Yooka-Replaylee tick—and why it just might be the most definitive return to classic 3D platforming we’ve seen in years.
The Tale Inside the Book
At its heart, Yooka-Replaylee is about two unlikely heroes: a green chameleon named Yooka and his loudmouthed bat sidekick, Laylee. They’re not saving the world from some apocalyptic nightmare or hunting down a galaxy-spanning villain. No, this is a much smaller, stranger, and more charming adventure, one that begins inside the pages of a magical book.
The premise hasn’t drastically changed since 2017—you’re still leaping into sprawling worlds hidden within a grand tome—but the way it’s framed this time around makes all the difference. Rather than simply retreading the same beats, Replaylee takes the form of a story being retold by Yooka and Laylee themselves. They’re recalling their big adventure, with the kind of cheeky embellishments you’d expect from characters who can’t quite agree on how everything went down. It’s a clever excuse for why this version feels different from the original, and it gives the entire campaign a sort of playful, self-aware charm.
But here’s the thing, while the story is more fleshed out this time—with a notebook-style presentation, gradual reveals, and even a brand-new ending sequence that offers genuine closure—-it still doesn’t step into the spotlight. It’s seasoning, not the main dish. The narrative is there to give context, to add a wink and a nudge when you least expect it, and to tie your adventure together with a proper bow at the end.
And that brings us to the worlds themselves, vibrant, sprawling sandboxes stuffed to the brim with secrets. Each world feels alive in ways the 2017 release only hinted at, brimming with new characters, props, enemies, and small environmental touches that make you want to poke around every corner. The premise might be lighthearted, but the setting is where Replaylee starts to flex its muscles.
Exploring the Open-World Pages
So what does a typical session of Yooka-Replaylee actually look like? Picture cracking open one of those magical books and diving straight into a sprawling 3D world. The world inside is its own sandbox, bursting with platforms to climb, puzzles to solve, and oddball characters to stumble into. That’s the core loop right there: explore, experiment, collect, and then use what you’ve found to unlock even more of the world.
What really struck me this time around is just how dense these levels feel. In the original release, there were moments where exploration felt a little sparse—you’d find yourself running across stretches of space without much going on. Here, that downtime is gone. Every corner, every ridge, every suspiciously empty-looking platform seems to hold something—an enemy encounter, a hidden collectible, a quirky little challenge that dares you to stop and try it out. It gives the game this constant hum of discovery, like you’re always just a few steps away from a new secret.
And it isn’t just about stuffing more things into the same boxes. The levels themselves have been rebuilt from the ground up, fully expanded right from the start and reworked with new props, enemy types, and challenges. That shift changes the pacing completely. Instead of having to "upgrade" your levels like in the 2017 version, you’re immediately set loose in spaces that feel complete, cohesive, and deliberately arranged to keep you moving.
Exploration, too, is more rewarding thanks to how collectibles have been rethought. Rather than scattering items around like confetti, they’ve been placed with intent. You notice it quickly—the satisfaction of grabbing a hard-to-reach collectible actually feels like an achievement now, rather than just ticking another box. Pair that with the revamped navigation tools, like the new map and collectible tracker, and suddenly wandering these open-book worlds feels less like a chore and more like a proper treasure hunt.
It’s the kind of loop that taps straight into that old-school platformer magic—run, jump, collect, repeat—but with enough modern polish that it rarely feels like you’re just going through the motions. Instead, you’re constantly being nudged forward by curiosity, tempted to peek around the next corner, just in case there’s something waiting there for you. Spoiler, there usually is.
Overhauls, Upgrades, and Additions
One of the biggest changes hits you right from the beginning, Yooka and Laylee now have their entire moveset unlocked from the start. No more grinding through upgrades before you can roll, glide, or launch yourself across wide gaps—you’re simply free to play with the whole toolbox immediately. That decision alone makes exploration feel more fluid. Pair that with sharper animations and a camera that actually listens to you instead of fighting against you, and the game just feels snappier, more modern. The control scheme itself has also been streamlined, which lowers the barrier of entry for newcomers without dulling the depth for veterans.
But perhaps the biggest surprise here is the sheer amount of customization. Tonics, for example, are back and far more interesting this time. There are 35 of them, ranging from subtle gameplay modifiers to silly visual filters. Want to change up your jump physics or add a retro look to your adventure? There’s a tonic for that. And then there are the cosmetics—104 in total—that let you play dress-up with your experience in small but satisfying ways. It’s a level of personalization that makes your journey feel distinctly yours.
Exploration is also far smoother thanks to new navigation tools. A brand-new map and collectibles tracker let you see warp points, NPCs, and Pagie locations at a glance, making it so much easier to keep track of your progress without breaking the flow. And then there’s Mark the Bookmark, a new character who doubles as your fast-travel system. He’s essentially a living checkpoint, making it painless to zip around each world without slogging through backtracking. For a collect-a-thon like this, it’s a massive quality-of-life improvement.
Then there’s Rextro’s Arcade. If you remember the original minigames, you might also remember… well, not loving them. Replaylee ditches them entirely and replaces the arcade with small, contained isometric platforming challenges where you actually play as Rextro himself. It feels like an entirely separate minigame collection tucked inside the main game, breaking up the rhythm of exploration in a way that’s genuinely refreshing.
The same philosophy applies to the visuals, everything’s been redone. Every texture has been reworked, menus and UI polished, and the environments now boast reactive snow, swaying grass, and lighting that makes each level feel more alive. It’s not just technically sharper—it’s atmospherically richer.
And finally, the audio. The soundtrack that once leaned on nostalgia has been given the full orchestral treatment, performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. The result? Sweeping, cinematic flourishes that somehow still capture that Saturday-morning-cartoon energy. It ties the whole experience together, giving each jump and discovery a sense of scale that was missing before.
All of these changes stack together into something bigger than the sum of their parts. It’s not just a facelift, it’s a reinvention that respects the heart of the original while finally delivering on the promise it always had.
Where Replaylee Still Stumbles
Now, I’d love to tell you that Yooka-Replaylee is perfect—that Playtonic waved their magic wand, tidied up every loose screw, and gave us the immaculate platformer we always dreamed of. But that wouldn’t be honest, and it wouldn’t be fair to you. The truth is, even with all the impressive overhauls, Replaylee still carries some of the DNA of its 2017 counterpart—for better and for worse.
The most obvious one? The story. Yes, it’s punchier. Yes, the banter lands better. And yes, there are some clever narrative flourishes that weren’t there before. But at the end of the day, story still takes the backseat to exploration. If you’re coming in hoping for a plot that pulls you along with the momentum of a Saturday morning cartoon or even a narrative spine as strong as Banjo-Tooie’s, you’ll find Replaylee a little thin. It’s serviceable—funny in places, self-aware in others—but you’re not really here for the script.
Then there’s the elephant in the room, collectibles. Playtonic did a remarkable job reworking how they’re distributed, but there are still moments when the sheer volume can feel overwhelming. For diehard completionists, this is nectar from the gods. For more casual players, it can feel like you’re drowning in shiny trinkets with no clear sense of which ones actually matter. The new navigation tools help immensely, but there’s no denying that at times, you’ll sigh at the thought of yet another sweep through an already thoroughly-explored nook.
Lastly, and maybe this is more of a philosophical weakness than a practical one, Replaylee is still very much that kind of platformer. The kind where the camera sometimes decides it knows better than you, the kind where physics aren’t always pristine, the kind where "retro charm" doubles as both a compliment and a warning label. Playtonic didn’t erase its heritage, and that means Replaylee remains just a little rough around the edges. Some will find that endearing. Others will roll their eyes. But it’s worth mentioning because no amount of polish fully disguises what this game fundamentally is—a loving throwback to a very particular era of platformers.
Is Yooka-Replaylee Worth It?
A Platformer for Every Generation
At $29.99, Yooka-Replaylee feels like one of those rare games where the price tag almost undersells what you’re getting. The main campaign clocks in at about 15 hours if you just want to see the credits, and it easily stretches to 30 if you’re the type to chase every Pagie, polish off every challenge, and comb through the books until every corner sparkles. That’s a healthy amount of game for the cost of a night out, and it’s wrapped in a package that’s been lovingly retooled from the ground up.
But here’s the thing, Replaylee isn’t just a nostalgia trip for folks who grew up with Banjo and Kazooie bickering in their ears. This is a platformer designed to pull double duty. On one hand, it’s a love letter to an era of collect-a-thons that older players will instantly recognize, quirks and all. On the other, it’s the kind of colorful, playful, and approachable adventure that makes it a perfect starting point for kids. If you’ve got a younger player in the house, there’s no better way to ease them into the joy (and occasional frustration) of platforming than with Yooka and Laylee. It’s simple enough to welcome beginners, but dense enough that adults won’t feel like they’re babysitting a game.
That’s the magic of Replaylee. It’s not just "a better versio"” of what came before—it’s a genuinely great platformer in its own right. The world is alive and bursting with secrets, the new navigation tools make exploration a joy rather than a chore. Sure, the story won’t knock your socks off, and yes, a few old-school frustrations still peek through, but none of that outweighs the fact that this is Playtonic finally delivering on the promise of their debut.
So, is Yooka-Replaylee worth it? Absolutely. It’s the definitive way to experience Yooka and Laylee’s grand adventure, whether you’re revisiting it with fresh eyes or handing the controller to a new generation. For thirty bucks, you’re not just buying a game—you’re buying a slice of platforming history polished up for today, quirks intact, charm overflowing.
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam |
Switch |
||||
| PlayStation |
Xbox |
||||
| Price | $29.99 | ||||
Yooka-Replaylee FAQ
What Are The Total Number of Collectibles in Yooka-Replaylee?
The following are the list of collectibles:
⚫︎ 300 Paigies
⚫︎ 40 Pagie Puzzle Pieces
⚫︎ 750 Quills
⚫︎ 5 Ghost Writers
⚫︎ 5 Mollycools
⚫︎ 5 Rextro Arcade Tokens
⚫︎ 5 Pirate Treasure
⚫︎ 120 Gems in Kartos Challenge
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Yooka-Replaylee Product Information
 |
|
| Title | YOOKA-REPLAYLEE |
|---|---|
| Release Date | oCTOBER 9, 2025 |
| Developer | Playtonic Games |
| Publisher | PM Studios, Inc., Playtonic Friends |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam), Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Genre | Platformer, Puzzles, Adventure |
| Number of Players | 1 |
| ESRB Rating | E |
| Official Website | Yooka-Replaylee Website |
