Donkey Kong 64 (USA)

Donkey Kong 64 gameplay context

Donkey Kong 64 is that absolute classic 3D platformer from Rare, released in 1999 and demanding an Expansion Pak. You'll explore eight massive worlds, from Angry Aztec to Frantic Factory, swapping between five unique Kongs to hunt down over 200 collectibles. I spent countless hours as a kid unraveling its secrets, humming Grant Kirkhope's distinctive soundtrack. Donkey Kong 64 includes region marker: USA, which helps separate this page from nearby ports, regional releases, and similarly named entries.

• Donkey Kong 64 entry snapshot
  Donkey Kong 64 includes region marker: USA, which helps separate this page from nearby ports, regional releases, and similarly named entries. The strongest visible context is the N64 platform and its platforming play style. Emulator core: n64.
• Five Distinct Playable Kongs
  You've got Donkey for strength and ground pounds, Diddy with his peanut popguns and jetpack hover, plus Tiny for flight and size-shifting, Lanky with his bizarre stretch and inflate moves, and Chunky's brutal punches and pineapples. Mastering their quirks is half the fun, though managing abilities across different Kongs can be tedious.
• Vast, Themed Collectathon Worlds
  I remember getting genuinely lost in the jungle vines of Jungle Japes or the mechanical mazes of Creepy Castle. Each area is dense with golden bananas, colored banana clusters for the mini-games, blueprints guarded by bosses, and all those collectibles that drive the hunt. Be prepared to revisit levels with different Kongs to unlock everything.
• Loaded with Nostalgic Arcade Hits
  Scattered throughout the adventure are Rare's charmingly clunky mini-games in bonus barrels, but the real jackpot is unlocking the full, original Donkey Kong arcade cabinet in Snide's H.Q. It's a great history lesson, though nabbing the 'Nintendo Coin' in this port is as tough as it was in '99!