Donkey Kong 64 is a 1999 platform game created by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was the first Donkey Kong game to use 3D gameplay. Players control Donkey Kong, a gorilla, as they explore themed levels to collect items and rescue his kidnapped family members from King K. Rool. To earn bananas and other items, players complete minigames and puzzles using five playable Kong characters, each with unique abilities. In multiplayer modes, up to four players can compete in games like deathmatch and last man standing.
Rare began developing Donkey Kong 64 in 1997, after finishing Donkey Kong Country 3 in 1996. A team of 16 people, many from Rare’s Banjo group, originally planned it as a 2.5D platformer similar to Donkey Kong Country. The team later changed the design to a more open-ended game using the engine from Banjo-Kazooie (1998). This was the first of two games that required the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak, an accessory that added memory to the console. Grant Kirkhope composed the game’s soundtrack, which includes a comedy hip-hop song called the “DK Rap” played during the introduction.
Donkey Kong 64 was released in North America in November 1999 and worldwide in December. Nintendo supported the game with a $22 million marketing campaign, including advertisements, contests, and a national tour. The game was praised by critics and became Nintendo’s top-selling title during the 1999 holiday season. By 2021, it had sold 5.27 million copies worldwide. Reviewers appreciated the game’s large size and long playtime but criticized its camera controls and focus on collecting items and revisiting areas. Some critics noted similarities to Banjo-Kazooie, which they considered a drawback. While it did not have the same groundbreaking impact as Donkey Kong Country, it was still regarded as one of the best 3D platformers for the Nintendo 64. The game won the 1999 E3 Game Critics Award for Best Platform Game and received many other awards and nominations.
Donkey Kong 64 was later released on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2015. It was Rare’s last Donkey Kong game before the company was bought by Microsoft in 2002. The next major Donkey Kong game was Donkey Kong Jungle Beat in 2004, and the franchise’s only other 3D platformer was Donkey Kong Bananza in 2025. Later reviews of the game were mixed, with some critics saying it showed the repetitive nature of Rare’s “collect-a-thon” adventure platformers. The game has been blamed for helping reduce the popularity of 3D platforming due to its heavy focus on collecting items. The “DK Rap” became infamous for being one of the worst songs in a video game.
Gameplay
Donkey Kong 64 is a 3D platformer where players control Donkey Kong and his friends as they explore an island and collect items to complete minigames and puzzles. The game follows a traditional story: King K. Rool and his reptilian Kremlings attack the peaceful DK Isle, kidnap Donkey Kong’s friends, and plan to use their Blast-O-Matic weapon to destroy the island. After a tutorial, players begin as Donkey Kong to rescue the others and stop K. Rool’s plan. As players explore the game world and solve puzzles, they collect two types of bananas: colored bananas, which are different for each Kong character, give banana medals, and can be used to unlock boss fights in each world; and golden bananas, which are needed to unlock new areas of the game.
Most puzzles are simple and involve moving items, pressing switches, or matching objects, similar to the game Concentration. Minigames include races, minecart rides, and barrels that launch characters like projectiles. There are five golden banana-rewarding objectives for each of the five playable characters across eight themed worlds, totaling 200 goals, plus a connecting overworld. The worlds have themes like underwater, forest, jungle, and industry. Unlike earlier Donkey Kong games, players can complete objectives in any order. Players can quickly move between areas using warp pads and switch characters using swap barrels. Players collect banana coins to buy new weapons and abilities, along with other items like weapon ammo and puzzle blueprints. Players may face obstacles like unbreakable objects or hard-to-reach areas and must get new abilities to solve them.
Donkey Kong’s kidnapped friends become playable characters after being rescued. Each character starts with basic abilities and can buy special skills from Cranky Kong as the game progresses. These skills are needed for certain puzzles. For example, Donkey Kong can pull levers, Chunky Kong can lift rocks, Tiny Kong can crawl through small spaces, Diddy Kong can fly, and Lanky Kong can float. Each character has unique weapons and musical instruments. Some doors can only be opened with Donkey Kong’s coconuts or Diddy Kong’s guitar. There are more abilities than buttons on the controller, so players press multiple buttons to use them. These combinations can also activate special features like different camera views, a sniper mode, and a snapshot mode that reveals hidden secrets. The game includes playable versions of the original Donkey Kong (1981) and Jetpac (1983). Players must complete these to finish the story. The player-character can also transform into animals like Rambi the Rhino and Enguarde the Swordfish, who appear in earlier games. The game supports optional features like widescreen mode and Rumble Pak for vibration feedback.
A separate multiplayer mode includes six minigames for two to four players. Monkey Smash is a free-for-all battle where up to four players gather ammo and use their weapons from the main game to hurt others until they lose all their lives. Battle Arena is a king-of-the-hill minigame where players use weapons and explosives to knock each other off a platform. Each game has different variations where players can compete for time or points.
Development
Rare, a British game studio, created the popular Donkey Kong Country games for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in the mid-1990s. Rare developed Donkey Kong 64, with Gregg Mayles leading the project. Development began in 1997, shortly after completing Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996). The game was first planned for the Nintendo 64’s 64DD add-on, but this was delayed and eventually canceled. Rare artist Carl Tilley said the 64DD release was unlikely, as management wanted to sell the game where hardware sales were strongest. Time Extension suggested early reports of a 64DD release might have been errors or miscommunications. Grant Kirkhope noted that a different game, Project Dream, was being developed for the 64DD, not Donkey Kong 64. A team of 16 people worked on the game for three years, with eight more joining later. George Andreas was the project’s director.
Rare designed Donkey Kong 64 as a linear, 2.5D platform game similar to the Donkey Kong Country series. At the time, the Nintendo 64 was new, and Rare did not have a shared game engine. The linear version was developed for about 18 months before being replaced with a more open-ended approach, like Rare’s 1998 game Banjo-Kazooie. Many developers from the Banjo team joined the project, and the final version used the Banjo game engine.
Character models were created from scratch. Rare could not reuse models from the Donkey Kong Country series, which were pre-rendered using PowerAnimator and NURBs. Donkey Kong 64 used real-time 3D graphics with polygons, requiring a new tool called Gamegen. Pre-rendered models were used as references for the polygon models and textures, such as for the Kongs’ mouths. While real-time graphics limited detail compared to earlier games, they allowed for more expressive characters. Lead artist Mark Stevenson noted that models looked good from some angles but not others.
Rare added a strong focus on collectibles at the request of co-founder Tim Stamper to make Donkey Kong 64 different from Banjo-Kazooie. Director George Andreas said he often asked Stamper for more collectibles, though he later wished he had unified the color-coded banana system. Rare also included variety of playable characters, cinematic scenes, and dramatic boss battles. According to Andreas, Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto was upset when he saw Donkey Kong using a realistic shotgun during a demo, leading to the final game’s coconut gun.
A feature called “Stop ‘N’ Swop” allowed data to be transferred from Banjo-Kazooie to Donkey Kong 64 for bonus content. Rare discovered that the Nintendo 64’s memory retained data briefly after removing a cartridge. They implemented a hot-swapping system where removing Donkey Kong 64’s cartridge and quickly inserting Banjo-Kazooie’s cartridge would unlock content. Nintendo requested the feature’s removal, fearing it might not work reliably or damage consoles. Later models of the Nintendo 64 reduced memory retention, making the feature nearly impossible to use.
Donkey Kong 64 was the first of two games requiring the Nintendo 64’s Expansion Pak, the other being The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. The Expansion Pak was a RAM upgrade bundled with the game. It was marketed as improving frame rate and distant object rendering. Chris Marlow, who worked on Conker’s Bad Fur Day, claimed Rare had to bundle the Expansion Pak due to a bug that could not be fixed without it. However, lead artist Mark Stevenson said the decision to use the Expansion Pak was made early in development and was not tied to that bug. Stevenson stated the Expansion Pak powered the game’s dynamic lighting system. Nintendo said bundling the accessory avoided consumer confusion.
Grant Kirkhope composed the soundtrack, which Nintendo Life said felt closer to Banjo-Kazooie than to David Wise’s Donkey Kong Country soundtracks. Kirkhope aimed to keep the darker, atmospheric tone from Wise’s work and included a remix of Wise’s “DK Island Swing.” Originally, Donkey Kong Country 3 composer Eveline Fischer was assigned to Donkey Kong 64, but Kirkhope joined later and provided Donkey Kong’s voice.
The “DK Rap,” which introduces Kong character abilities, was written by George Andreas, scored and recorded by Grant Kirkhope, and performed by Andreas and Chris Sutherland. It was meant as a lighthearted joke, though critics took it seriously. Nintendo of America held a contest where fans could record their own version of the rap to win prizes, including a trip to its headquarters.
Promotion and release
Rare announced Donkey Kong 64 with one image on its website and in the January 1999 issue of Nintendo Power. Electronic Gaming Monthly reported the game was being developed for over two years before its release, and IGN noted it was playable at E3 1999. The game was also shown at Nintendo's 1999 trade show, Spaceworld. Donkey Kong 64 was expected to be a top-selling game, considered the console's greatest achievement in graphics and sound.
Rare and Nintendo spent $22 million to promote Donkey Kong 64, which was twice the usual budget for a major Nintendo release. The campaign included a 60-second commercial shown in over 10,000 movie theaters during the holiday season, as well as ads on billboards, in print, and on radio. A promotional tour called "The Beast Is Back" featured a truck with Nintendo games traveling across the United States. A separate contest linked to the Donkey Kong series and Dr Pepper was advertised in supermarkets. Nintendo expected to sell 2.5 million copies of the game in one year and later raised the target to 4 million copies, including 1 million translucent green Nintendo 64 bundles. Retailers predicted Donkey Kong 64 would be the top-selling console game of the 1999 holiday season. Nintendo had moved other games, such as Mario Party 2, Perfect Dark, and Pokémon Stadium, to the following year, reducing competition during the holiday period.
Rare and Nintendo released Donkey Kong 64 in North America in November 1999, with a worldwide release the following month. Nintendo offered a special bundle that included the game, a banana yellow game cartridge, the required Expansion Pak, and a transparent green Nintendo 64 console.
In April 2015, Donkey Kong 64 was digitally re-released as one of the first Nintendo 64 games added to the Wii U Virtual Console. This was the game's first re-release, as it had not been available on the Wii Virtual Console. The reason it was not on the Wii Virtual Console is unknown, though Nintendo World Report suggested it may have been related to the game's inclusion of playable bonus games: the original arcade Donkey Kong (already available on the Virtual Console) and Jetpac (a game for which Nintendo does not hold rights).
Reception
Donkey Kong 64 received high praise from Metacritic, a website that collects video game reviews. It was the best-selling game for the Nintendo 64 during the 1999 holiday season and helped Nintendo compete with Sega’s new Dreamcast console. According to the NPD Group, it was the second-best-selling Nintendo 64 game in the United States in 1999, behind Pokémon Snap. It also ranked as the sixth-best-selling video game overall that year. Because it sold so well, Donkey Kong 64 was added to Nintendo’s "Player's Choice" collection, where it remained popular through the next holiday season. Worldwide sales reached 5.27 million copies, with over 2.3 million sold in North America by 2004. It won the 1999 E3 Game Critics Award for Best Platform Game and received several awards from Nintendo Power, including Best Overall Game of 1999. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated it for "Game of the Year" and "Console Game of the Year" at the 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (now called the D.I.C.E. Awards). GamePro called it an "Editor's Choice," and IGN said it was the largest and most ambitious Nintendo 64 game at the time, though it shared similarities with Banjo-Kazooie in its gameplay and puzzle design. Reviewers often noted these similarities. Most praised its visuals, but some criticized its gameplay elements, such as collecting items and backtracking through levels.
Reviewers pointed out that the game focused heavily on collecting items and returning to earlier areas, which some called "an interactive egg hunt." This was a common feature in Rare’s games, and Donkey Kong 64 followed a predictable pattern of requiring players to collect multiple sets of items to unlock a special ending. Next Generation noted that Rare often included backtracking in its games. GameSpot said that players who enjoy collecting items might find the game’s replay value appealing, while others might find the repetitive tasks frustrating. The Cincinnati Enquirer praised the game’s minigames as a "welcome diversion" that added fun to the adventure, saying they were so good they could have been released as separate games on older consoles. EGM said the puzzles and minigames were enjoyable the first time through but became less interesting with repeated play due to stricter time limits. GameSpot, however, described some parts of the gameplay as "cerebral," requiring players to solve complex puzzles by considering multiple tasks at once. Critics noted that the game borrowed ideas from earlier Nintendo titles like Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, and Banjo-Kazooie, and some found the tasks less original or engaging. In later reviews, Nintendo Life called the item collection process "excessive" and repetitive, suggesting that allowing players to switch characters more freely could reduce the need for backtracking.
The game’s size and length were frequently mentioned. With an estimated 30 hours of basic gameplay, IGN compared it to Rare’s "War and Peace" due to its large scale. GameFan said the game was "mastodonic" in scope, while writers from AllGame and EGM described the world as overwhelming and hard to navigate. The final boss battle against K. Rool was praised for its creativity, though EGM was disappointed with the game’s ending. Reviewers found the multiplayer mode unexciting but appreciated the variety of gameplay between the five playable characters. Some were frustrated by the controls, which included slow movement and camera issues. For example, characters could become vulnerable to enemies during attack animations. Edge criticized the lack of camera improvements over Banjo-Kazooie as a major flaw.
Even with a RAM expansion for better graphics, Donkey Kong 64’s visuals were only slightly better than those of contemporary games like Banjo-Kazooie. IGN said it was not as visually appealing as Banjo-Kazooie, especially in water scenes and backgrounds, but still ranked among the Nintendo 64’s prettiest games because of its barren starting setting and later use of lighting effects. IGN hoped Rare would deliver more impressive visuals, praising particle effects like those in the desert wind but criticizing overuse of dynamic lighting. N64 Magazine said the enhanced effects were mostly decorative but also helped with puzzles involving light paths. Some graphical issues, like frame rate slowdowns and distant features lacking detail, were reported even with the extra memory, though overall, the visuals were praised. GameSpot noted a lack of variety in the environments.
The characters were praised for their personalities, animations, and humor, which are hallmarks of Rare’s games. IGN said the characters were less confusing than those in other Rare games and sometimes funny. GameFan noted that the three new playable characters added little in terms of personality. IGN said the music was less clever than Banjo-Kazooie’s, but the soundtrack by Kirkhope still included a variety of moods that matched the game’s setting. GameSpot praised the surround sound and underwater effects. However, the opening "DK Rap" was criticized as "embarrassing" and among the worst video game music. GamePro called it humorous but lowbrow. Years later, Nintendo Life said the song was "loved by some, loathed by others," similar to the game itself.
Reviewers generally agreed that Donkey Kong 64 did not revolutionize the platforming genre like Donkey Kong Country did but was still of high enough quality to sell well during the holiday season. The Cincinnati Enquirer compared its gameplay to other 3D platformers like Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, and Jet Force Gemini, saying it was similar if the story, graphics, and some gameplay elements were changed. However, the reviewer believed that the game’s mastery of familiar elements might have helped evolve the genre in later years, calling its gameplay addictive and some of the best on the Nintendo 64. IGN said the game remained an excellent and expansive platformer with many activities to enjoy, though fans who expected something new might be disappointed. GameFan, on the other hand, criticized the game for offering "nothing new" and compared its monotony to the 1999 film Eyes Wide Shut, calling it a "big bloated project" with few standout moments. GameSpot said the game would have fared better as a Nintendo 64 launch title, while Daily Radar called it the best 3D platformer on the console. Edge noted that Donkey Kong 64 was the closest any third-party developer came to matching Nintendo’s mastery of game design, calling it a "fine effort" in its own right but saying its gameplay was derivative compared to the freedom of Super Mario 64.
In a later review, Nintendo Life found that the Wii U controller could easily replace the Nintendo 64’s controls.
Legacy
Rare's 3D platformer games became famous for focusing on collecting items. Kotaku called Donkey Kong 64 "the worst offender" because it had hundreds of color-coded bananas. Other reviewers also agreed. Electronic Gaming Monthly wrote that while Super Mario 64 helped start the 3D platforming genre, Donkey Kong 64 took away its excitement and made Rare known for creating "collect-a-thon" games. The developer of A Hat in Time, a game inspired by Banjo-Kazooie, said Donkey Kong 64 caused the "collect-a-thon platform adventurer" genre to lose popularity. The game holds a Guinness World Record for having the most collectible items in a platform game.
Retro Gamer and Game Informer described the game's reception as "mixed," noting its similarities to Banjo-Kazooie and lack of major changes to the genre. Although some reviews were positive, Donkey Kong 64 and Rare's later Nintendo 64 games did not receive the same praise as their earlier works. Rare was bought by Microsoft in 2002, making Donkey Kong 64 Rare's final Donkey Kong game. The franchise did not get another major 3D platformer until Donkey Kong Jungle Beat in 2004, and Donkey Kong 64 remained the only 3D platformer until Donkey Kong Bananza in 2025. At the time of its release, Electronic Gaming Monthly noted that the Nintendo 64 was near the end of its lifespan, as players shifted to the Sega Dreamcast and Sony PlayStation 2. Later, IGN suggested Donkey Kong 64 deserved a remake for the Nintendo 3DS. In 2009, Official Nintendo Magazine ranked the game 89th in a list of the best Nintendo games, calling it "a forgotten classic."
The "DK Rap" was initially disliked but became popular again as an internet meme more than ten years after its release. Sutherland believes this happened because players who grew up with the game realized the song was meant to be humorous. Kirkhope compared its revival to ABBA's return to popularity. Versions of the "DK Rap" appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001) and Donkey Konga (2003). In 2017, Kirkhope created a similar rap for Yooka-Laylee, a game inspired by Rare's work. The rap was included in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) during Donkey Kong's introduction, at the request of Seth Rogen, Donkey Kong's voice actor. Kirkhope was honored by the song's inclusion but noted he did not receive credit, as the film only listed it as originating from Donkey Kong 64.