Yoku’s Island Express Becomes Team 17 Partner, Will Release Next Year

Earlier this year, we told you about a unique adventure called Yoku's Island Express, a game that combined exploration with pinball-style gameplay to create a one-of-a-kind experience. Well, that apparently seems to suit the publishers at Team 17 just fine.

The squad, known for releasing the long-awaited Yooka-Laylee last month, has announced that it has paired up with developer Villa Gorilla to release Yoku for consoles and PC, and it's set to arrive next year.

In the official press release, the companies provided a description of the game, so you have an idea of what it's about:

"Meet our hero Yoku the Dung Beetle who has arrived on Mokumana Island to relieve the resident pterodactyl postmaster of his duties. He's ready for the easy life, soaking up the sun and delivering parcels on a tropical paradise!

However, he'll quickly discover that an ancient Island deity is trapped in a restless sleep, and a host of colourful, quirky islanders are plagued by quakes and storms brought forth by its nightmares. It's all down to Yoku to traverse the island using a unique blend of pinball mechanics and open world exploration, in an amazing quest to help those in need!

Flip and bump our pint-sized protagonist around the stunning hand-painted island on your quest to rebuild the post-office, discover the mystery of the Fruit Altar, and wake an old god from its deep slumber."

"With Team17 we've found a publishing partner that cherishes innovation and style – something we recognized way back when we played Alien Breed on our Amigas. We feel that their commitment to quality and fun gameplay is a perfect match for us, and we are incredibly excited to be working with Debbie and the team to finish and release Yoku's Island Express." said Jens Andersson, Co-Founder of Villa Gorilla.

Debbie Bestwick, MBE, CEO of Team17 added, " Yoku's Island Express has such a beautiful, distinct style with a unique twist on the platform genre. It's a true gem, we're looking forward to working with the very talented Villa Gorilla and welcome them to our growing games label family."

The game isn't coming out anytime soon, as it's still deep in development. However, it will release next year for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC.