UPDATE: Kickstarter is live, funded, and up until Tuesday, June 16th! Let's hit some stretch goals!


PlayTonic site link

Go check it out! There's only a couple nuggets of info (and a mysterious piece of art), but apparently Edge will be releasing a new issue on Thursday with the first look at this new game, "Project Ukelele." My guess is some sort of Hawaiian-themed 3D platformer? I'm down.


If you’ve made it this far towards our fine internet abode, then you’ve probably worked out that we’re a new game developer, formed by some blokes who did those games you may or may not have liked as a nipper.

However, if you’ve stumbled here by accident in search of non-sexual relationship advice, allow us to explain what on Earth is going on…

Playtonic’s the name, and fun games, unique characters and absolutely-frickin-amazing worlds to explore are our game. Or at least they will be, once we eventually get around to releasing our first project instead of faffing around on WordPress.

Ahem. Currently we’re a sextet of artists, programmers and designers – sort of like The Pussycat Dolls with computer science degress – with one thing in common; we were all once core member of famous UK studio Rare, where we helmed franchises such as Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong Country and Viva Piñata.

We’ve got the bloke who programmed Donkey Kong Country, the character designer behind Banjo and Kazooie, and the artist who made your console fit to burst with lavish environments across a decade’s worth of adventure games.

Together, our all-star ensemble is aiming to build its debut game, ‘Project Ukulele’, into a worthy spiritual successor to those fondly remembered platforming adventures we built in the past.

By now, you might be thinking, ‘hold on mate, didn’t you make similar claims after drinking too many shandies in the pub in 2012, you muppet?’ Perhaps. But this time it’s real! We’re making a real, proper, actual game. Look: we even managed to trick convince Edge magazine to do us some pages!

You can read all about our venture and see the first artwork for our game in Edge issue 277, which is on sale from February 12.

So what’s next? Well first of all you need to know that our journey is at an early stage – we’ve barely left the Shire and Sean Bean’s still an alright guy.

Over the coming months we’ll reveal more about our project and future growth plans, and we very much intend to get you involved and listen to your views on our game’s direction. You’ll ultimately shape the destination of our project and we plan to continue exchanging sweet glances across cyberspace at you until we get there.

So go on then – follow us on Twitter, slap your thumbs up on our Facebook and sign up for updates. ‘ Cos it’s time to get this wagon rolling…


(well, it definitely has Rare's quirky sense of humor and unusual vernacular)

What do you think?

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@DrFinkelstein
I bet they'll reach even the loftiest goals, but it will still piss me off if it's, say, an Xbone project with Wii U stretchgoal thrown in somewhere. Just for example.

@TriforceBun
Looks/Sounds plausible to me. I'd welcome that.

@Mop it up
They're not exactly Nintendo quality, but they're good enough for me, for a project like this. I think even Banjo and Kazooie are a bit B-tier when it comes to design; I just accepted them initially since they appealed more to me than the likes of Crash and Spyro, and went on to actually like them because of the cheesy Rare jokes. I have a soft spot for Kazooie's surly banter with NPCs.

Posted by

r_hjort

on: 05/01/15, 00:46

@TriforceBun Doesn't it sort of have to be that way? They won't put the bat's name first.

Posted by

Zero

on: 05/01/15, 00:51

@r_hjort

From what I understand, the game is a PC project first and foremost. The PS4/XO/WU versions are all Stretch Goals.

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 05/01/15, 01:12

Game looks cool! I wish them well!

Posted by

deathly_hallows

on: 05/01/15, 06:26

Now that I've had more time to absorb this info...

...I'm still excited! It's actually been a long time since we've had a great free-roaming platformer (by my count, Galaxy 2 was the last one like that and even it was more streamlined than the N64 platformers), and I'm really in the mood for a strong, well-designed collectathon again. Jam it full of actual awesome unlockables like music and art and I'll be down like a clown, Charlie Brown.

The main characters look pretty good. It's kind of a standard Rare design, but they're cute. I do think Yooka's body and limbs are a little boxy (and not in a stylish way); I think her design could flow a bit better, but her head/face area looks good and I like the pseudo-"glove" effect with her hands.

Posted by

TriforceBun

on: 05/01/15, 06:38

I'm surprised they're so generic looking. Nothing makes them actually stand out. I kinda think they could use bandages like Sonic Boom....

No but seriously I think the lizard in particular (chameleon?) could do with...something. Banjo at least had some clothes and a backpack. The Bat is a bit better but something about it feels off as well.

Oh well, no biggie.


Wii U plz.

Posted by

carlosrox

on: 05/01/15, 11:18

@GameDadGrant
I know they've talked about a PC version all along because Unity, but that scenario would still be some bullshit, in my opinion.

Posted by

r_hjort

on: 05/01/15, 11:50

Small sampling (via a Vine "video") of the game's music. And when I say 'small' I mean it. But it definitely gives off those Banjo-Kazooie vibes.

Kirkhope on dem xylophones!

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 05/01/15, 16:38

@GameDadGrant

I love it!

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 05/01/15, 16:59

@GameDadGrant
Sounds like a B-K outtake. Promising!

Posted by

r_hjort

on: 05/01/15, 17:12

And the Kickstarter is up:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/playtonic/yooka-laylee-a-3d-platformer-rare-vival

Posted by

V_s

on: 05/01/15, 19:04

Edited:

05/01/15, 19:04

@V_s

Those music samples make me REALLY happy!

Posted by

Abdooooo

on: 05/01/15, 19:07

REGARDING PLATFORMS: Day One releases for PS4, Xbone, and Wii U are all included in the project's final stretch goal. If the game is funded but doesn't reach that, they will all be released later, as they are ready.

If funded, Yooka-Laylee will be released for Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Wii U. However, the exact release timing and scope of each version will be determined by the success of this Kickstarter campaign and specifically, our stretch goals.

We’d love to be able to guarantee a simultaneous, day-one release on all platforms in order to satisfy every Yooka-Laylee backer. In order to do this we’ll need to significantly expand our resources and budget, and if we can reach the funding number required we’d be excited to do so.

Posted by

nate38

on: 05/01/15, 19:11

Edited:

05/01/15, 19:13

Holy smokes, look at that number rise! Ten minutes and 100k!!

Time to take a good look at this campaign. I'll probably jump in at the console version level.

EDIT: I am now 0% sure that Yooka is a girl and Laylee is a boy.

Posted by

TriforceBun

on: 05/01/15, 19:12

Edited:

05/01/15, 19:15

Ya, their funding goal is a joke! This is going to get funded within the hour!

Posted by

Abdooooo

on: 05/01/15, 19:13

This will have no problem hitting £1 million... Hope they have more stretch goals thought out.

I think they'll pass Inafune and Schafer. This genre has broad international appeal and has been missing for far too long.

Posted by

Hinph

on: 05/01/15, 19:20

Edited:

05/01/15, 19:25

Backed for consoles. For three months along, it already looks very promising.

Posted by

ludist210

on: 05/01/15, 19:26

Edited:

05/01/15, 19:26

TriforceBun said:

EDIT: I am now 0% sure that Yooka is a girl and Laylee is a boy.

Haha, your logic was sound though. "Yooka" sounds kind of feminine, and his character model looks kind of feminine (at least compared to Laylee), and "Laylee" could go either way on sound of the name and character model.

But I'm fine with it either way. Plus, you know if there's going to be a fart move, that most likely has to go to the chameleon character, and they're extremely unlikely to give the girl the fart move.

I've got to say, I'm glad to read that their collectibles are still a work in progress. My biggest disappointment with the reveal was the look of those play coin things, so if they're going to be revamped or replaced with some other collectible, I think I'd be happy with that.

EDIT:

@Hinph

They did say that they wanted to do amiibo support if at all possible, and that's not listed anywhere on the Kickstarter right now, so that may be an indication that they have additional stretch goals planned if they can meet everything listed so far.

Posted by

V_s

on: 05/01/15, 19:29

Edited:

05/01/15, 19:31

I backed this at the Console plus digital package. I didn't at first, only opting for the game, but those music samples are legendary.

This thing hit halfway to its initial goal in 16 minutes. 33 minutes in and it's only $35,000 away. I hope this fully funds to the million by next week. I wanna know I'll be playing Wii U alongside the Steam crowd.

I hope there are more stretch goals also. This kind of game, these game composers and designers, they've been missing from my life. For far... too... long...

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 05/01/15, 19:32

I figure a lot is still work in progress. The fact that a small group of people can put something like this together in 3 months is so great. This is the reason why I am optimistic about the future of gaming despite all the big publishers losing their way and collapsing.

Posted by

Hinph

on: 05/01/15, 19:33