Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Reviews

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is ranked in the 89th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
IGN Spain
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Oct 13, 2019

Yooka-Laylee and The Impossible Lair manages to surpass its predecessor in almost every aspect. The change to the two dimensions has been great.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8.6 / 10.0
Oct 13, 2019

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a brilliant direction for the young series, effortlessly mixing classic, 2-D platforming with an adventure style overworld without one negatively affecting the other.

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8 / 10
Oct 13, 2019

A polished 2D platformer rich in content and ideas, and show the developer capable of iterating on what they started earlier in their career.

Review in Arabic | Read full review

91 / 100
Oct 12, 2019

With charm, wit, and brimming with positivity, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a fantastic new direction for Playtonics dynamic duo.

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85 / 100
Oct 11, 2019

Excellent 2D-Jump & Run, that dares little new, but combines its individual elements into a very coherent whole.

Review in German | Read full review

8.8 / 10.0
Oct 11, 2019

If I wasn’t a fan of Yooka-Laylee before, Playtonic has converted me. If they continue to deliver experiences like these, I’m all in for Yooka-Laylee. Playtonic has done a fantastic job here.

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6 / 10.0
Oct 11, 2019

Abrupt difficulty spikes and the lack of any interesting gameplay elements turn Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair into a mediocre platformer that really doesn't have anything new to offer.

Review in Persian | Read full review

Liked-a-lot
Oct 10, 2019

Playtonic and Yooka-Laylee are successful in the second attempt and with one dimension less: The search for the Beettalions is a wonderful jump'n'run adventure that can keep up with Donkey Kong Country in its best moments and sets new standards in the genre with a great world map. What a positive surprise!

Review in German | Read full review

8.3 / 10.0
Oct 9, 2019

I highly recommend this title for everyone regardless of age and skill level. It is well worth the initial asking price. Sure, the visuals appeal to a younger demographic. But at its core lies some of the tightest platforming that hasn’t been seen since the days of a few console generations ago. That is something the young of heart will really appreciate.

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B+
Oct 9, 2019

Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair is one of those rare games where the development team makes a substantial change that completely works in its favor. The platforming levels are a blast to play, and each level is colorful and unique. The Lair itself is very challenging, which encourages you to play through all the levels and their variations. If you are a fan of 2.5D platformers, then you really need to add this to your collection.

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Metro GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Oct 9, 2019

A polished, challenging and colourful 2D platform game that recalls the best of Donkey Kong Country on the SNES, even if it doesn't really move beyond it.

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8.5 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2019

Retro games or those that attempt to recapture a certain vintage feel can be a tricky business and there’s no doubt that in such an oversaturated market with abundant choices hitting just the right notes must be tough...

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Recommended
Oct 8, 2019

Playtonic tightens up its nostalgic take on platforming and turns its eyes to the future.

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7 / 10
Oct 8, 2019

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a game for those who adore the genre and want something bright, colourful and full of self-referential puns to end a long day at work. However, you have to be able to overlook some game design and quality-of-life flaws that can make the game frustratingly hard.

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8 / 10
Oct 8, 2019

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a great hommage to the Donkey Kong Country series, mixing its 2D mechanics with a 3D worl map to explore. The last level is alaways accessible to try out, but the collectibles you will find along your journey gives the game a tiny feels of an RPG. With so many secrets to fond accross both the levels and the environment, there are plenty interesting things to look out in PlayTonic's second game.

Review in French | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2019
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair - Easy Allies Review video thumbnail
8 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2019

Dare I say it, the Switch version is the best way to play a game that is well worth your time - even in the currently crowded market.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 7, 2019
Yooka-Laylee and The Impossible Lair Review video thumbnail
8 / 10
Oct 7, 2019

Blessed with the charm, wit, and fun factor you’d expect from such a talented group of creators, this should be a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

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87 / 100
Oct 7, 2019

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a great platform game that seeks to please Donkey Kong Country fans. It's a relatively long, challenging title with a lot of collectibles and some special stages. The overworld has some very interesting puzzles. However, the camera has some problems and the damage system is like the one in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and it isn't very good.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review