Cheats and Secrets
Yooka-Laylee is brimming with secrets to be explored and worlds to be broken. Below are a few cheats and secrets hidden within the folds of the game.
The Toybox Secret
Back when Yooka-Laylee was in development, backers could gain access to an alpha build called the Toybox, where you could explore a barebones world as Yooka and Laylee - with the only NPC being a little INEPT robot. However, there was a secret message given if you collected everything in the Toybox - upon release, look to the pirate ship for a secret.
Once you reach the world Galleon Galaxy, be sure to expand the world using extra Pagies. Once expanded, enter the world to spy a large pirate ship floating on one of the islands. Next to the island, there's a tiny island with a single palm tree and flat rock. If you use the Buddy Slam on this rock, a cutscene will trigger as a UFO flies through the world, and deposits the same friendly INEPT robot from the Toybox onto the ship.
Currently, the robot appears to have nothing worthwhile to say - only that it is loading exposition. As of January 2018, the robot appears to be at 75% completion of loading its exposition.
Final Boss Glitch
It's no secret that Yooka-Laylees roots are found in classic Nintendo 64-era mascot platformers. The game draws inspiration from Donkey Kong 64, Super Mario 64, and its predecessor: Banjo-Kazooie.
From platforming to its score, Yooka-Laylee emits a strong sense of nostalgia. It also calls back to the secrecy of these games. Hidden objects like the Pirate Treasure tucked away in each its vastly different worlds remind players of the peak of these collectathons.
One new secret has recently been found in Yooka-Laylee. Players must make their way through each world collecting Pagies, eventually reaching the final boss. At this point, the game discloses that 100 Pagies are required to enter the final boss room.
That is, until Youtube user MilsTailsPrower found an exploit:
By using the Buddy Slam ability to glitch through a wall, the player can then perform Flappy Flight to fly all the way to the entrance of Capital B's Office.
If you're looking to break the speedrunning record or simply stick it to the Capital B, this exploit will save hours of your time.
Pirate Treasure
For those looking to track down every single item not bolted down in Yooka-Laylee, be sure to locate every Pirate Treasure. Collecting these items is the only way to unlock each tonic, pop the respective trophy/achievement, and fully 100% the game.