Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

Genre: Platformer

Players: 1

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Review:

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a Platformer that follows on the heels of 2017’s Yooka-Laylee. However, while that game was a 3D Platformer that was clearly intended as a spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie, this game is a family-friendly 2D Platformer that has more in common with the Donkey Kong Country games.

On the Nintendo Switch, that’s practically inviting a comparison to Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, a game that I consider one of a select few “must-have” titles on the Switch (in my review, I gave it an A+ score, one of only six games so far to receive that honor). So please understand what I mean that, while I don’t think Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair reaches quite the same heights as Tropical Freeze, I nevertheless still believe it to be more than worthy to be compared to that excellent game.

First, it bears mention that the presentation here is absolutely top-notch – this is unquestionably one of the best-looking games of this year, with colorful, detailed environments, wonderful animation, great lighting and atmospheric effects… again, while I would give Tropical Freeze the edge, this is still one of the prettiest 2D Platformers that any videogame system has ever seen.

The sound and music are phenomenal as well, with an excellent score by Donkey Kong Country and Banjo-Kazooie composers David Wise and Grant Kirkhope. Again, while not quite on par with Tropical Freeze, this game’s soundtrack is still wonderful. And as for the sounds, this game is full of all sorts of amusing little details, most notably the squeals of your enemies as you bump them off.

For the gameplay itself, this is classic platforming right out of something like the old Donkey Kong Country games, with fairly simple controls and solid level designs. And while, again, I think Tropical Freeze’s level designs are far superior, at least in the gameplay area I have to give one win to Impossible Lair – the controls in this game feel much tighter and more responsive.

However, Impossible Lair doesn’t just leave it at that, as the game incorporates an overworld map that’s a huge part of the game, and requires a good amount of exploration and puzzle-solving. While I’d feared that this would prove to be an annoying hindrance to keep players from the meat of the game, in actuality the change in pace that these sections offer is a delightful and welcome addition, and I’d say that I ended up enjoying this part of the game nearly as much as the traditional platforming.

Impossible Lair also cleverly provides players with two versions of each level, where figuring out how to unlock the alternate version in the overworld map is part of the challenge, and where playing through the alternate version provides an entirely different experience, with one level freezing over to become a Winter wonderland, and another being submerged in water, just as a few examples. While this is a clever idea, I felt that it had one problem – it makes it so that you’re never quite sure if that part of a level that looks like you should be able to reach it hides a secret entrance somewhere in the version of the level you’re playing, or if it’s completely inaccessible and can only be reached in the other version of the level. I wouldn’t say this ruins the idea, but it is a problem that was noticeable in multiple places.

I worry that sometimes when I point out the flaws in a great game, I sound overly-negative. And I also know that some people were disappointed in the first Yooka-Laylee game – I personally gave it a B grade, as I felt that while it was a solid game, it drew largely from a formula had aged a bit poorly. However, that’s not an issue at all here, as Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible lair not only shows that the Donkey Kong Country formula still works well to this day, but it also brings a few new ideas into the fold as well. While it rarely reaches the same levels of excellence as Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, fans of platformers should absolutely consider this a must-have, as it’s nearly as good, and brings its own ideas to the table. Despite all of my little complaints, this is an amazing game well worth playing.

tl;dr – Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a family-friendly 2D Platformer in the style of the Donkey Kong Country games. While it never quite reaches the excellence of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, it is nevertheless a fantastic entry in the genre, with amazing graphics and sound, and solid gameplay. It even adds a few original ideas of its own, such as a wonderful overworld area with lots of puzzles and exploration, and alternate versions of every level that provide a completely different experience. While it’s not without its faults, it is still one of the best Platforming experiences on the Switch, and well worth playing.

Grade: A

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2019 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Game for Kids and Casual Players, Best Music, Best Sound Design, Best Platformer

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