Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Switch) Review

Towards the end of last year, there were plenty of games I was playing back to back, slowly chipping away at each of them. One of those games I can’t stop thinking about and it’s honestly one of the biggest surprises in gaming for me of recent memory. I actually wrote off the first Yooka-Laylee, since I was seeing so much disappointment from longtime Rare fans who were eager for the Banjo-Kazooie legacy to carry on. I actually still haven’t played it. Yet, at PAX West last year I was reminded about Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair and it only took a few moments of playtime for me to fall in love with this Donkey Kong Country-like platformer.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair was one of the few games I bought on launch day at the end of last year. From that point on, I’ve been having the most chill evenings full of almost child-like wonderment and magic. This game does so much right. The visuals are stellar, the characters are well animated, the level design is masterful and each one feels different, the music is an incredible feat from top to bottom. Then, at the center is this almost insurmountable task that is always in the back of one’s mind, the titular Impossible Lair, a disruptive level of brutality that can be tackled at any point in the game.  

From our conversation with Gavin Price of Playtonic, we learned that the Impossible Lair wasn’t at the center of their initial designs. Amazingly, this final level perfectly plays into the other levels in one of the most brilliant approaches to game design I’ve seen. At the end of each level and hidden throughout the world are the captured Beetalion, which are similar to the Super Mario 64 stars. The big twist here is that every Beetalion member saved grants an extra hit in the Impossible Lair, a huge boon that is teased in the game’s introduction which lets players get into the Impossible Lair with a few bees to show just how tough it is. This masterful setup reminds me of Mega Man X where players fight the super-strong Vile only to see Vile outmatched by Zero. Recovering from a beating, X is told by Zero that one day X will be stronger than him, creating an instant motivation for the player both mechanically and narratively. 

Beating a stage and saving a member of the Beetalion feels like a celebration and it never gets old.

The journey to save as many bees needed to clear the final stage is a roller coaster of well-designed levels, each with their own music and feelings. My favorite levels were the more curious stages that focused mostly on exploring an area. Since this is an echo of what was done in Donkey Kong Country, many of the stages are filled with little secrets and each stage has five coins to discover that can unlock more stages. Each level also has a parallel stage that can be entered once certain conditions in the overworld are met, such as rerouting water to flood an area. That overworld almost feels like it’s own game, playing more like a top-down Zelda with lots of puzzles and secrets which can lead to fun Tonics that add buffs, make things more challenging, or just change how the game looks. 

Despite its cute charms, there are segments of this game that are just tough. Thankfully, the stages are broken up with plenty of checkpoints and after so many failures, the game gives the option to skip to the next checkpoint. While I hated to admit defeat, this mechanic kept me from getting too frustrated and my journey was continuous and enjoyable. Those that enjoy mastering a game’s nuances will find a lot to love in Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair. The classic roll from DKC is present, meaning players can roll off an edge and jump midair for some really slick weaving through danger. Yooka can also pick up objects with her tongue to carry things around in her mouth. This is extremely funny because her sound effects sound like there’s something in her mouth, muffling her hups when she jumps. 

Everything about Yooka and Laylee as characters is considered and detailed.

Rather than both characters having separate abilities, Yooka and Laylee boost each other. Much like DKC, players can be hit twice. The first time, Yooka flies away but can be brought back by hitting special bells sprinkled throughout the level. Not having Laylee cuts down the amount of moves Yooka can do. With Laylee active, the pair can slam into the ground to reach new areas or hover for a bit to adjust landings. Playing with just Yooka just makes things tougher and it’s awesome to see their teamwork being driven home in such a deliberate way. 

This game was so obviously well-considered. I love all the little details, jokes, and funny characters. I couldn’t help but smile at the end of each level as they all end with this super catchy kazoo song that sounds like a small chorus of happy bees. I also loved seeing how each stage would be shaped when finding the alternate version; they’re all so creative and interesting. 

Even though there were definitely moments of frustration in my adventure, especially on the stages that had Yooka and Laylee running from dangerous lasers, my playthrough was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had on my Switch and the performance playing handheld or docked was stable and crisp. I felt pretty similar when playing A Hat in Time, another platformer that just makes me smile.  

It takes a lot of patience and practice to overcome the Impossible Lair.

Where things take a u-turn is in the Impossible Lair, a level designed to disorient, confuse, anger, and challenge players to the absolute limit. It’s nowhere near say Kaizo Mario hacks but it is tough and trying to get all the achievements is even more brutal. I attempted the Impossible Lair after I had about 20 or so bees, thinking I could push through with determined force. That’s before I learned that there are no checkpoints in the Impossible Lair, it all has to be done in one go, and doing a run takes every bit of a half-hour or more. Needless to say, I learned not to underestimate the machinations of Capital B. Thankfully, this gave me the motivation to see what levels I had missed, gather all of the bees, snag some funny tonics, and just see more of this colorful world. Once every bee was saved, I stood at the entrance to the Impossible Lair for a long time, eager to prove myself but also afraid to see the journey end. 

Unfortunately, even with all of the bees protecting me, I can only get about halfway through the Impossible Lair. It is one of the most challenging levels I’ve faced in a 2D platformer outside of Kaizo levels in Super Mario Maker. This level is almost like a separate game and while I love the design of it being there as a motivation, I almost wish it was optional or at the very least have some sort of new scene after getting all the bees for some kind of closure. For now, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair will sit on my Switch taunting me, and while I may load it up to grab a few coins I’ve missed, I don’t know if I want to make the commitment to grind through the final level. I’m sure that beating the Impossible Lair is a tremendous achievement that unloads hours of pent-up energy in a catharsis comparable to any super challenge but it may be one that I ignore for months, if not years. 

This ugly mug taunts Yooka and Laylee after every failed attempt of the Impossible Lair.

Despite my fear of the Impossible Lair, I absolutely love this game. There’s a lot that can be done with Yooka and Laylee and I’m excited to see if their next game will include them or go for something different. Either way, it looks like Playtonic Games are making strides in their game development and I’m eager to play more of their magical worlds.

For more information on Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, check out the official website. A digital copy was purchased by the reviewer. Screenshots were taken using the Switch’s capture functions or by taking stills of captured footage. 

SCORES

GAMEPLAY - 9/10

VISUALS - 8/10

SOUND - 10/10

CONTROLS - 9/10

REPLAY VALUE - 9/10

OVERALL - 9/10