Playtonic takes a new path with a new kart racing game called Super Yooka-Laylee Kart. We had the chance to demo the game during Summer Game Fest, and so far it’s a beautiful visual game with delightful pixel designs and intriguing gameplay modes to race on.

Challenge Accepted

Super Yooka-Laylee Kart draws visual and gameplay inspiration from the classic Super Mario Kart on the Super Nintendo while also evoking nostalgia for the classic Nintendo 64 racing game, Diddy Kong Racing. These kart games carry over some ideas, like the ability to grab coins to boost your speed. But this time coins can be used in between races, such as for purchasing powerful perks for upcoming races.

It’s not just a speed and turn type of game. Drifting and additional skillsets will be required for competitive play. Players can expect various racing challenges, along with online races featuring rollback netcode and up to eight-player local split-screen racing. The game will also feature a deep story campaign. It’s certainly shaping up to be fun and challenging kart racing. You can customize racing by turning off all character visibility and only seeing your kart’s shadow and drifting smoke.

While the character roster is small during the demo run, expect more to come. We inquired about the possibility of including crossover indie characters, such as Mina from Mina the Hollower, but were informed that no information could be shared regarding them.

Visually Too Good

The game uses pixel sprites for both characters and environments, combined with modern lighting and 3D effects to create a more modern feel. Some stages are colorful and well-lit, but some racing areas can be distracting. Players may be mesmerized by the visuals, but unless they have memorized the course, it can be difficult to know when to turn. The cherry-blossom trees spread across the area, obscuring the tight curve that follows them.

A Playtonic representative informed me that the feature is being added, even though a mini-map was not available during the demo run. The addition would assist players, as I struggled against the NPCs and the representative during the demo. Regardless, I was still enjoying what I was experiencing and looking forward to more updates to the gameplay.

Overall, I’m excited for Super Yooka-Laylee Kart’s development and what’s in store for the indie kart racing game.

Super Yooka-Laylee Kart is set to launch for PC (Steam) but expect console versions to announce closer to its launch. A release date is not yet set during this time. Fans can visit the game’s official website for more information and wishlist the game now on Steam. We appreciate Playtonic and the Day of the Devs team for giving us the opportunity to test drive the game at the Summer Game Fest.