Playtonic Games’ remaster of Yooka-Replaylee makes a striking impression on the Switch 2, ranking among the most notable technical upgrades in the genre. The release reconceives the 2017 original and brings a wide range of graphical enhancements.
On the new hardware the project receives a substantial visual leap: textures, lighting and environments have been overhauled, and finer details — such as more lifelike hair, improved water reflections and increased location fidelity — have been added. While the original Switch ran the game at 900p and 30 fps (dropping to 600p in handheld), the Switch 2 outputs 2160p (upscaled from 1440p) docked and 1080p (upscaled from roughly 900–800p) handheld, maintaining a steady 30 fps.
Playtonic also refreshed animations, physics and enemy behavior, resulting in smoother, more responsive controls. Hitboxes have been recalculated so movement and combat feel more organic. The team rebuilt levels from the ground up to remove the original’s main flaws — repetitive objectives and an overabundance of dialogue.
Stages are now tighter, with new areas and upgraded cutscenes added. Refined controls and fresh abilities bring the game up to modern standards while preserving the soul of classic 3D platformers. In the end, Yooka-Replaylee feels revitalized, calling to mind Rare’s best work from the genre’s golden era.
The game was released digitally on October 9, 2025 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch 2.
Source: iXBT.games