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Spoiler warning!
This article contains plot spoilers for Yooka-Laylee and/or Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair.

Play-Tonics, also referred to as Tonics, are unlockable game modifiers in the Yooka-Laylee series that allow Yooka and Laylee to upgrade themselves by enhancing their stats and abilities. The tonics can also provide different entertaining graphical effects to the game.

In Yooka-Laylee, the player can obtain these Play-Tonics from Vendi, who is found in every world, and multiple times throughout Hivory Towers. Only one Play-Tonic upgrade can be used at a time. All of the tonics unlocked on one save file will be found on others, which can provide the player with an additional challenge or early access to powerful tonics at the beginning of a new playthrough.

Tonics reappear in Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair and have a bigger presence overall. Non-cosmetic tonics can help the player, or provide a more difficult challenge, and the player is allowed to equip 3 tonics at once. Equipping tonics that help the player may reduce the number of quills received in the level, while tonics that hinder the player's ability may increase the number of quills received in a level. Tonics may be found in the overworld, in plain sight, or in challenging locations. Most tonics are completely hidden underground and can only be revealed if the player Buddy Slams the exact location. These locations can be hinted for the cost of quills by several Plankers who are close by. There are 66 tonics in total in Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair.

Name Origin[]

Play-Tonics were named after the company developing the game Yooka-Laylee, Playtonic Games.

The official definition of a tonic is a type of carbonated water beverage, fitting in with the potion theme.

Appearance[]

In the official artwork of Vendi, one tonic can be found on top of Vendi's tongue. The tonic contains a pink fluid within a transparent glass erlenmeyer flask.

Another tonic appears in a cutscene before the final boss: Capital B. In the scene, Capital B pulls out a non-transparent pink erlenmeyer flask to make himself bigger. The shape of the tonic is much smoother than the tonics that Vendi provides in the official artwork of Vendi, and in the cutscene, it's shown that it contains a purple liquid inside.

In the Impossible Lair, Play-Tonics appear as items and finally have an appearance. They are dark blue fluids in erlenmeyer flasks not unlike the one in Vendi's picture, and have 3 gold triangular chips of gold inside, making them resemble the Playtonic Games logo. In the Trophy images, the fluids in the Play-Tonics are shown to come in many colors besides dark blue, these colors include pink, peach, lime green, a lighter shade of dark blue, indigo, red, green, purple, orange, yellow, light blue, olive, gold (Most likely the Golden Try Tonic) and black. (Most likely either the Shadow Stingdom Tonic or the Shadow Puppets Tonic)

All Tonics[]

Yooka-Laylee[]

Tonics Official Description More Info Requirement
Wellard "Gain +1 Butterfly health slot!" Increases the player's max health by 1 Butterfly. Collect 5 Pagies.
Baller "Roll move uses less power!" Reduces the energy used by the Reptile Roll by 50% (0.2 energy used per second instead of 0.4), allowing the duo to use it twice as long. Defeat 100 enemies

.

Super Slam "Gain a more powerful Buddy Slam!" Buddy Slam creates a shockwave, dealing 1 damage to all nearby enemies, and 8 damage to the enemy directly hit by the Buddy Slam. The shock wave can penetrate armor from Corplet Drones, Bizzy Bees, and the static body of the Corplet Marine. It also briefly stuns Inept Corplet Security bots, but it doesn't disable their shield. Stun 30 enemies with the Sonar Shot ability.
Bruiser "Gain extra health from Butterflies!" When Yooka eats a butterfly using the Slurp Shot ability, the player regains 2 Butterfly Energy instead of 1. Collect 10 Pagies in Hivory Towers.
Livewire "Power Meter regenerates faster!" The Power Meter refills energy in 5 seconds after not using any energy ability, rather than 15 seconds. Beat Rextro's high score on 3 Arcade Machines.
Fallproof "No damage when falling from great heights!" Prevents the player from taking any fall damage. Fall damage will normally damage the player by 3 Butterfly Health Slots. Collect 10 Ghost Writers.
Hoarder "Collect quills with Yooka's Lizard Lash!" Allows the player to collect quills using the Lizard Lash ability. Collect 300 quills.
Salmon "Hold your breath longer underwater!" Increases the time that the duo can hold their breath underwater by 25%, increasing their breath time from 30 seconds to 40 seconds. Defeat 10 underwater enemies (Corplet Marines).
Hunter "Sense when rare items are near!" When the duo are near a rare collectible (Power Extenders, Butterfly Boosters, Mollycools) a whistle will sound in the direction of the collectible. The last 30 quills and Casino Tokens in a world will also be detected. Collect 2 Butterfly Boosters or 2 Power Extenders.
Loaded "More ammo from Berry Bushes!" Abilities gained from the Berry Bushes last 33% longer, extending the abilities' duration time from 20 seconds to 30 seconds. Collect 15 Ghost Writers.
Peekaboo "Yooka's invisibility move lasts longer!" Reduces energy used by the Camo Cloak by 50% (0.5 energy used per second instead of 1), allowing the duo to use it twice as long. Defeat 10 Corplet Security enemies.
Butterthree "Massively reduce your health for a tough challenge!" Reduces the player's Butterfly Health to 3. Finish the Yooka-Laylee story by defeating Capital B (Boss).
Helium "This tonic is a secret!" Increases the pitch of character's voices. Finish the Yooka-Laylee story by defeating Capital B (Boss).
Athlete "This tonic is a secret!" Increases the Power Meter's max energy by a value of 3. Finish the Yooka-Laylee story by defeating Capital B (Boss).
64-Bit "Go retro!" Changes the graphics to 64-bit style graphics, as well as swapping out the duo's model with a lower-poly model. Own the game (automatically unlocked despite in-game progress).
Pants "This tonic is a secret!" Give Yooka blue tight shorts. Collect every Pagie in the game.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair[]

Tonics Location Official Description More Info Cost Quill Multiplier
Catchee Received after talking to Vendi. "Laylee panics less and sticks around longer when she has been lost. Who needs Laylee Bells, anyway?" Upon getting hit, Laylee flies less sporadically, and she spends more time on screen before disappearing. 0 -0.1
Thick Skin Behind a hidden path, North-West of chapter 6. "Yooka spends much more time invincible when he takes a hit. Not quite a bee shield, but close enough." Yooka gains more Invincibility Frames. 350 -0.2
More Checkmates Inside an underground cave South-East of Vendi and a Planker. "Adds more Checkmates to the chapter. Dr. Puzz had "a few" spares lying around." Extra checkmates in the stage. 250 -0.2
Less Checkmates On a shelf in The One Book's room. Roll against the wall to drop it. "Removes all but one Checkmate from the chapter. Even Checkmates need a holiday now and then." The level has only one checkmate in its middle. 250 +1
TickTockTickTock! On a walkway to the right of Hivory Towers. Requires all beetallion members to access. "Smash speedrunning records by speeding up time for the entire chapter. Just remember to- Oh, you've already left." Everything moves incredibly quickly. 500 0
Tick... Tock... On a walkway to the left of Hivory Towers. Requires some beetallion members to access. "Prolong the enjoyment by slowing down time for the entire chapter. Who doesn't enjoy a leisurely stroll through a troubled Stingdom?" Everything moves incredibly slowly. 500 0
Slow Mo On a ledge, South of the lake with levels 12 and 13. To access, complete a Pagie challenge near the fifth Paywall. "Press (BXboxOne/Circle PS4) to slow down time briefly. It has 3 uses per chapter, so pick your (Slow) moments carefully." Yooka can slow everything down for a short time up to three times by pressing

(BXboxOne/Circle PS4).

1000 -0.3
Tri-Twirl Elevated, West of level 4. To access, water a flower to access the high brick walkway nearby. "When in the air, press and hold

(XXboxOne/Square PS4) to perform a Triple Twirl and gracefully glide to the ground. Yooka says it's flying, Laylee calls it falling with style."

The Twirl Jump is powered up to spin three times and slow down Yooka and Laylee's descents. 600 -0.3
Super Buddy Slam Unlock all 4 tonics in the shortcut cave. "When in the air, press and hold

(LBXboxOne/L1 PS4) to perform a charged Buddy Slam that deals massive damage. It even makes all floating Quills drop to the floor -Handy!"

Before doing the Buddy Slam, Laylee fattens herself up to give it more power and knock down floating Quills. 750 -0.2
Super Sonar Hinted at by a Planker near level 6:

In a cagie in a small forest grove. Buddy Slam in front of the cagie to get the key.

"Press (BXboxOne/Circle PS4) to emit a massive sonar blast that kills all visible enemies. It can only be used once per chapter, because who likes to win all the time?!" Laylee can do a one-time screen nuke with her Sonar 'Splosion by pressing

(BXboxOne/Circle PS4).

1500 -0.2
Tough-Twirl West of a Planker in a cave found in the beach area. Planker gives complex directions to its location. "Powers up the Twirl Jump, making it deal damage. Take that, Flying Jerks!" The Twirl Jump can attack enemies. 500 -0.4
Torpedo Hinted at by a Planker near level 16:

Found on a small island in the South-West part of the ocean. Buddy slam the Northern section.

"Powers up the Underwater Dash, making it deal damage. Take that, Ineptopi! Ineptopuses...? Whatever!" The Underwater Dash can attack enemies. 500 -0.4
Googly Eyes Next to the river leading to Level 5. "Googly Eyes have possessed every enemy! hey can take one extra hit, but at least they look more amusing." All the enemies are wearing Googly Eyes that give them an extra hit point. 750 +0.5
Broken Controller Hiding behind The Great Rampo. Requires that you bomb him to access. "Up is down, left is right,

(AXboxOne/Cross PS4) is

(XXboxOne/Square PS4) and

(RBXboxOne/R1 PS4) is

(LBXboxOne/L1 PS4). What has happened to your controller?!"

The controls invert to the opposing buttons.

The word Controller in the name and description changes depending on what system the game is being played on (for instance, on Switch it will call them Joy-Cons™️).

500 +0.3
Run Faster Inside a cave behind the waterfall in the lake at levels 12 and 13. Position the crate next to the waterfall before freezing to access. "Yooka runs a little faster. Don't forget to stretch." Yooka runs faster. 150 -0.1
Run Even Faster Behind a fake wall in the far East of the hidden area. Bomb the wall to open it. "Yooka runs a lot faster. Hold on tight!" Yooka runs even faster. 500 -0.2
Roll Faster Inside a cave behind the waterfall by levels 12 and 13. Must not be frozen to get this tonic. "Yooka rolls a little faster. Handy for a quick burst of speed." Yooka rolls faster. 150 -0.1
Roll Even Faster Hinted at by Planker near level 20:

In a cave behind a fragile wall, West of level 20.

"Yooka rolls a lot faster. The Meanyions will never see this coming!" Yooka rolls even faster. 500 -0.2
Spider-Cham Inside the shortcut cave.

Entrance: Behind a stone wall near level 2. Requires some beetallion members rescued to access the berry bush nearby.

"Yooka climbs ropes and netting more quickly. Does whatever a spider can... Almost." Yooka climbs faster.

The description is a reference to the lyrics of the original 1967 Spider-Man cartoon theme song.

350 -0.3
H2Go Inside the shortcut cave.

Entrance: Behind a stone wall, South of level 9.

"Yooka swims faster, thanks to lessons from a friendly swordfish." Yooka swims faster.

The description references Engaurde.

350 -0.3
Snow Problem Inside the shortcut cave.

Entrance: Behind some brambles next to the lake containing levels 12 and 13.

"Yooka no longer skids around on ice. His toes are still pretty cold though. Can chameleons get frostbite?" Yooka keeps his traction on icy floors. 350 -0.3
Sounds Like Secrets On a shelf inside the house in the canyon. Roll into the adjacent wall to drop it. "All secrets emit a faint sound that only Laylee can hear, thanks to her comically huge ears." Laylee's ears are bigger and secrets make sounds when Yooka is near. 750 -0.2
Secret Sonar Hinted at by a Planker near level 16:

Buddy Slam a spot in the Western area of the beach a few times.

"Press (BXboxOne/Circle PS4) to emit a sonar blast that reveals any nearby secret areas. Laylee's "angelic" voice can be put to great use once again. Laylee can press

(BXboxOne/Circle PS4) to squeak out sonar blasts that reveal secret rooms.

750 -0.2
T.W.I.T. Coin Banker Next to Vendi. Requires a Pagie challenge to unlock. "No longer lose T.W.I.T. Coins when Yooka dies. Trowzer's favorite tonic. Nyum!" Yooka keeps any T.W.I.T. Coins he has collected if he dies. 750 -0.2
Quill Banker Underneath the first hexagon next to Queen Phoebee. Hinted at by Planker on certain versions. "No longer lose Quills when Yooka dies. Makes it easier to save up for more Tonics like this one. Yooka keeps any Quills he has collected if he dies. 750 -0.3
Quill Magnet Hinted at by a Planker in Shipwreck Creek:

Buddy Slam the middle of the bridge to Shipwreck Creek. Requires bridge lowered first.

"Nearby Quills are drawn towards Yooka and Laylee. This should make the Ghost Quills a little less pesky too!" Yooka attracts Quills. 1500 0
Quillsplosion Above the entrance to level 11's cave. Water a plant to find the tonic. "Enemies die in an explosion of Quills. The same old murder, but more rewarding." Enemies explode into Quills upon defeat. 1500 0
Flower Hour East of the square of fans. Access from the North. "Enemies leave a smattering of flowers behind when they die, just to lighten the mood." Upon an enemy's death, flowers grow on the ground where it died. This is purely cosmetic. 250 0
4th Tonic Slot Inside Trowser's trailer. "Sssimply an unmisssable deal! Unlock a fourth Tonic ssslot with thisss one-time ssspecial offer!" Adds an extra Tonic slot. However, this Tonic will take up one of those slots, essentially making it useless.

Upon equipping this Tonic for the first time, an in-game achievement for earning a fourth tonic slot will change its description to say "Obtain a real fourth tonic slot."

2500 0
RES Colours On a high walkway in level 10's cave. Use swing physics to reach. "Very few colours, just as you remember it on the Rextro Entertainment System back in the day." The screen's display is filtered with limited colors like an 8-bit game. 400 0
RES Resolution On the left of level 10's cave, hiding. Use swing physics to reach. "Very few pixels, just as you remember it on the Rextro Entertainment System back in the day." The screen's display is pixelated. 240 0
GB Colours On Bat Ship Crazy's mast. Hit the steering wheel to reach it. "Basically no colours, just as you remember it on the Game Bee back in the day." The screen's display is colored "Grellow" like on a Gameboy screen. 400 0
GB Resolution Hinted at by a nearby Planker:

Buddy Slam the towels in Shipwreck Creek.

"Basically no pixels, Just as you remember it on the Game Bee back in the day." The screen's display is heavily pixelated. 144 0
VHS On a ledge on the right of level 10's cave. Use swing physics to reach. "What better way to appreciate a beautiful, detailed, HD game by watching it back on an old VHS tape?" The screen displays TV static over the game. 150 0
derorriM In a building on the right side of Shipwreck Creek. Next to Dr. Puzz. "The screen is mirrored. Perfect for playing in a hall of mirrors." The screen's display is flipped horizontally. 250 +0.3
nwoD edispU In a room next to a 'No Yooka' sign, on a shelf. Hit the adjacent wall to drop it. "The screen is flipped upside down. Perfect if you happen to be a bat." The screen's display is flipped upside down. 250 +0.3
Painted Hinted at by Planker:

Almost due South of level 15, in the ocean. Spam the jump button while hovering over it in the map to dig it off the seafloor.

"Chapters as imagined by the Royal Stingdom's foremost painter, Clawed Honéy." The screen's display is filtered to look like a painting. 350 0
Felt Tip Outline Hinted at by Planker:

Underneath the shadow of a flag to the left of the lake containing levels 12 and 13. Buddy Slam to find.

"Everything gets a nice thick outline. Isn't it great when the black pen doesn't go missing?" The screen's display is filtered to give everything an outline. 150 0
Rainbow In a hole between levels 13 and 14. Drag a tree stump into the hole to access. "Have all the colours, all the time!" The screen's display psychedelically changes colors all the time. 250 0
Dot Matrix In a cave in the Southern section of the ocean, behind the Blamphibian Angler. Near the exit, at the bottom. "Take a look at how the Royal Stingdom appears when produced by an ancient artifact known as a "Printer"." The screen's display is monochrome and outlined. 250 0
Comic Behind a small window near level 9. Move onto a pipe to get through. "Each chapter, carefully hand drawn by the artists at BeeC Comics." The screen's display is white with outlines.

"BeeC Comics" is a nod to DC Comics

350 0
Gritty Comic Told by Planker to look online:

In the rightmost fence post of the fence next to Nimbo. Buddy Slam to find.

"Chapters have been grunged up by the comic book artist who brought you Sting City." The screen's display is white with heavy cel shading. 1000 0
Shadow Stingdom Hiding behind a fake tree wall, South of level 7. Follow a path and Planker's directions to find and access. "Play deadlier in this parallel dimension." The screen's display is black. 1000 0
Spotlight Hinted at by Planker:

Under a ring of light a short way into the hidden area. Buddy Slam to dig out.

"The lights are out and only a spotlight guides the way. Licence to Quill!" The level is pitch dark, with a spotlight around Yooka.

The description is a reference to the James Bond movie: Licence to Kill.

750 +0.5
Yooge Head Under the fern opposite Vendi. Hinted at by Planker. "Yooka has a massive, massive head. Comedy gold, aye?" Yooka's head enlarges to a funny size. 250 0
Yooman Under the bridge near level 6. "Yooka looks a little more... Human..." Yooka's proportions are altered to make his body shape like a human's. 350 0
No Tailee Follow Planker's directions. (North of level 9. Requires bombing to find him) "WHERE'S IT GONE?!" Yooka has no tail. He can't attack while standing still, but he can still Tail Twirl. 350 0
Cartoony In the shopping trolley/cart under attack from sharks. Rescue him to reveal it. "That Saturday morning TV look for Yooka and Laylee." Yooka and Laylee are cell shaded. 250 0
Shadow Puppets In a tree near the Eastern desert entrance. Hinted at by Planker. "The real Yooka and Laylee are missing in limbo." Yooka and Laylee are completely black.

The description is possibly a reference to the indie game Limbo, in which the world and its characters are all black shadows on a colorless background.

250 0
Golden Try Complete the Impossible Lair on the first try. "An incredibly rare skin awarded only to the most skillful Yookas and Laylees. Well done!" Yooka and Laylee are made of 24 karat gold. Free +1
Chameleon Colours In a cave underneath the shortcut between levels 14 and 9, on a pillar. Complete a crate puzzle to lower the pillar. "Why settle for one skin colour when you could have 6?! Press (BXboxOne/Circle PS4) to swap between all sorts of fruity colours." Yooka and Laylee can change their colors between six alternate palettes when they press

(BXboxOne/Circle PS4). The alternate palettes are: Green and Purple, Cyan and Orange, Purple and Green, Magenta and Lime, Red and Cyan and Yellow and Blue.

600 0
Blockbuster Film Next to the cliff where Dr. Puzz's switch is. Hinted at by a Planker on said cliff. "Changes the colours to make everything look like a blockbuster film. There's a joke about B Movies to be made here." The screen's display is colored like a blockbuster movie. 150 0
Arthouse Movie Digging around in the ground, North of levels 12 and 13. Buddy Slam to reveal. "Changes the colours to make everything look like a trendy arthouse film, which artsy bees are sure to appreciate." The screen's display is colored like an arthouse movie. 150 0
Saturated Film Below a flowered vine on the shortcut between levels 14 and 9. Hinted at by a Planker in the 'Giant's cave'. "Changes the colours to make everything saturated, where everything has 200% more colour." The screen's display is saturated. 150 0
Gritty Film Under the right eye of the giant in 'Giant's cave'. Hinted at by a Planker in the hidden area. "Changes the colours to make everything look more gritty. One for the grandbees." The screen's display is grittier colored. 150 0
Vintage Film Behind the Northmost fan. Hinted at by a Planker next to level 8. "Changes the colours to make everything look washed out and vintage. A much more complimentary way of calling something "Aged" really." The screen's display is colored like a vintage film. 150 0
Sepia Film Moving underground in the desert area, at the Western entrance. Buddy slam to reveal. "Changes the colours to make everything sepia. Made using genuine Ineptopus ink." The screen's display is colored sepia. 150 0
Black & White Film At the top of the area next to level 7. "Changes the colours to make everything black and white, where every colour has no colour at all." The screen's display is monochrome. 150 0
Noir Film On top of the building on the right side of Shipwreck Creek. Access from the right. "Changes the colours to make everything really black and white, unlike the small print in Hivory Towers contractor agreements." The screen's display has no color at all. 150 0
Negative Film Directly South of level 21. use the crate and Kartos to access. "Changes the colours to make everything inverted! The best kind of negativity." The screen's display is inverted-colored. 300 0
Cinematic Ratio On the corner of the path leading to level 5. Hinted at by a Planker at the end of the path. "Have a taste of how great the Royal Stingdom looks with a cinematic aspect ratio. Can you smell the popcorn?" The screen's display is stretched to the 3:1 aspect ratio of a cinema screen. 100 0
TV Ratio Bottom left of Shipwreck Creek. Hinted at by the Planker in front of it. "The Royal Stingdom Revisits the 90s with this 4:3 aspect ratio. Less is more." The screen's display is cut to the 4:3 aspect ratio of a CRT TV. 100 0
D.I.S.C.O. Buy "Trowzer's Top Tonic Pack" "The chapter is coming down with a fever. DISCO fever." The chapter gets a little dark, while flashing neon lights of different colors light it up. $3.99 0
Largee Head Buy "Trowzer's Top Tonic Pack" "Laylee has a massive, massive head. Literally now, too." Laylee's head enlarges to a funny size. $3.99 0
Glowworm Buy "Trowzer's Top Tonic Pack" "Yooka becomes bioluminescent and glows. Great for both navigating darkness and appearing more impressive." Yooka turns into Luminous Yooka. $3.99 0
Yooka64 Buy "Trowzer's Top Tonic Pack" "A skin with undeniable '90s flavor. No added polygons." Yooka and Laylee are given a new 64-Bit model $3.99 0

Gallery[]

Screenshots[]

Artwork[]

Trivia[]

  • Play-Tonics are most similar to Cheato Pages from Banjo-Tooie. Both collectibles give you an advantage in the game, such as the ability to swim faster.
  • In Yooka-Laylee, if the player selects the Butterthree tonic, then exits out of the tonic menu, then talks with Vendi and disables the tonic, the player will be at full health.
    • This exploit can be used to heal the player rather than searching for Butterflies to restore energy.
  • In Yooka-Laylee, there are also Tonics not offered by Vendi. In the final boss battle with Capital B, he drinks a tonic that makes him grow to massive size.
  • The 64-Bit Tonic wasn't in Yooka-Laylee at launch. It wouldn't be added until the April of 2019 for Steam and Switch, and the May of 2020 for Playstation 4 and Xbox One.
  • Along with the tonic being added to the Playstation 4 and Xbox One versions of the game, these and the Steam and Switch versions received the model used for the Yooka64 model in Impossible Lair upon the tonic being active.
  • Following a series of complaints over Yooka and Laylee's 64-bit models in the 64-Bit Tonic being too high-poly, the Playstation 4 and Xbox One versions of Yooka-Laylee got the 64-bit models of Yooka and Laylee from Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair's Yooka64 Tonic. At the same time as the PS4 and Xbox One release of the Tonic, the Steam and Switch versions of the game were updated to use the better models.
  • The D.I.S.C.O., Largee Head, Glowworm and Yooka64 Tonics are not in Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair by default. They have to be brought in the "Trowzer's Top Tonics" DLC bundle.
Tonic (Bee)

Capital B's growth tonic. This is also the first and only time a play tonic is physically seen ingame.

References[]


Collectibles
Pagie Reduced PagiesPagie Piece Sprite Pagie PiecesQuillEyes QuillsGhost Writers Transparent Ghost WritersMollycool MollycoolsArcade Token Play Coins

ButterflyBoosterMag Butterfly BoostersPowerExtenderMag Power ExtendersPirate Treasure Pirate TreasuresTonic Play-TonicsCashino Coin Casino Chips

Ghost Quill Image Ghost QuillsGemMag Minecart Gems

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