The composer for Banjo-Kazooie, Grant Kirkhope, decided to play one of his classic tunes in order to promote Yooka-Laylee…and he did it on a kazoo and a ukulele. Very clever.
Yooka-Laylee is the recently funded spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie, being developed by Playtonic — a studio headed by ex Rare Ltd developers, Kirkhope included. At the time of this writing, the Yooka-Laylee Kickstarter campaign has raised over 1.7 million dollars, and has accrued over 32 thousand backers. It’s safe to say that quite a lot of people want to see a revival of the 3D platformers of days past.
Kirkhope is doing his part in raising awareness of the project in his usual quirky manner. He’s released a video of himself playing the Spiral Mountain theme from Banjo-Kazooie on a ukulele and kazoo. If taken out of context, any frame of this performance would look like Kirkhope had lost his marbles. The classic theme being played by its original composer is nonetheless endearing.
Kirkhope will be a composer on Yooka-Laylee along with other Rare veteran songwriters. The stretch goal of 1.1 million pounds sterling — which has already been met — will see a “rap + video written by Grant Kirkhope,” no doubt a reference to the opening rap song in Donkey Kong 64, which Kirkhope also wrote.
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