Most Yooka-Laylee fans will know that the series is a spiritual successor to Rare’s classic collectathon platforming series, Banjo-Kazooie, with Yooka developer Playtonic even formed by ex-Rare staffers. According to ex-Playtonic Games writer Andy Robinson, however, the connection between the two series was, at some point, going to be more than just a spiritual one.
Robinson recently took to Twitter to post, “I’ve been to a boozy UK games media party, AMA.” When a user asked him what his favorite behind-the-scenes story was from when he worked at Playtonic when Yooka-Laylee was in development, he responded, “When Banjo-Kazooie was going to be in it, and then wasn’t.”
When Banjo-Kazooie was going to be in it, and then wasn't https://t.co/hacZCQ57ov
— Andy Robinson (@AndyPlaytonic) November 3, 2022
Sadly, Robinson did not elaborate on this, so we do not know in what capacity the iconic bear and bird would have appeared. However, his response to a related question may at least help fill in some blanks as to why the appearance was scrapped. When asked why Banjo-Kazooie has not returned, Robinson stated that it was because “Their creator isn’t interested” and “The new studio staff has no relationship and wants to do something new.”
1) Their creator isn't interested.
2) The new studio staff has no relationship and wants to do something new. https://t.co/npQoWqZdlU
— Andy Robinson (@AndyPlaytonic) November 3, 2022
It’s a huge shame that the cameo never came to be, as it has been 14 years since the last Banjo-Kazooie release, Nuts & Bolts. With the duo’s most recent appearance as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and the original Banjo-Kazooie available on the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass, Microsoft at least seems much more lenient with who uses the characters these days. With this in mind, perhaps an appearance in a future Yooka-Laylee title isn’t completely out of the question.
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Written by Reece Heather
A lifelong Nintendo fan and a longtime editor at Zelda Universe, Reece will forever be grateful that he somehow dodged the Naughty List of Christmas 1998, when Santa delivered the life-changing gift of a Nintendo 64 with Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, and Mario Kart 64. When he's not playing games, Reece is usually reading Punisher comics, delving helplessly into the weirdest depths of anime and manga, or spending time with his cocker spaniel Gracie -- the goodest girl ever!
