Donkey Kong 64

About Donkey Kong 64 (N64)

Donkey Kong 64 is a 3D platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It launched in North America on November 22, 1999, in Europe on December 6, 1999, and in Japan on December 10, 1999. It was the first Nintendo 64 game to require the Expansion Pak, which let Rare build far larger, more detailed worlds.

King K. Rool has stolen Donkey Kong’s hoard of golden bananas and kidnapped Diddy, Lanky, Tiny and Chunky. Donkey Kong must rescue his friends, then each Kong explores the same eight worlds with unique abilities to recover their own golden bananas.

Detailed Gameplay

Donkey Kong 64 is a collectathon on a grand scale, with progress depending on switching between the five Kongs.

Five Kongs, five skill sets

• Donkey Kong is the strong all-rounder who can throw barrels and use his ground pound.
• Diddy Kong flies with his jetpack, shoots peanuts from his popguns and springs high with his tail.
• Lanky Kong stretches his arms, walks on his hands and inflates like a balloon to float.
• Tiny Kong shrinks to slip through tiny passages, glides with her ponytails and fires feathers.

Golden bananas and world structure

• Each of the eight worlds hides 25 golden bananas, five for each Kong, plus a boss banana.
• Banana barrels and switches are color-coded, so only the matching Kong can collect them.
• Cranky Kong sells potions that teach new moves, while Funky Kong sells weapon upgrades.

Minigames, races and multiplayer

• Bonus barrels launch short challenges, from mine cart rides and beetle races to target shooting.
• Rambi the rhino and Enguarde the swordfish return as rideable animal buddies in some areas.
• A four-player multiplayer mode offers arena battles and a monkey smash mode for friends.

Boss fights and the final battle

• Each world ends with a boss from K. Rool’s army, including a giant spider and a mechanical dragonfly.
• Boss fights test the Kong you rescued most recently, rewarding mastery of their moves.
• The finale is a five-stage boxing match against King K. Rool, with each Kong taking a round.

Game Highlights

• Five playable Kongs: Each Kong has unique moves and collectibles, making every world feel different five times over.
• A truly huge adventure: Eight sprawling worlds and 200 golden bananas make this one of the longest N64 games.
• The Expansion Pak showcase: It was the first game to require the accessory, pushing the Nintendo 64 further.
• The DK Rap: The opening song introducing all five Kongs became gaming legend.

Controls

On the Nintendo 64 controller, movement and camera use the stick and yellow buttons. - Analog Stick: Move the active Kong and steer mine carts, boats and animal buddies. - A Button: Jump, and double-tap to perform a Kong’s special jump or glide move. - B Button: Attack with punches, kicks, tail spins and other Kong-specific moves. - C Buttons: Adjust the camera and aim weapons in first-person shooting mode. - Z Button: Crouch, ground pound and use the Kong’s special ability from a tag barrel. - L and R Buttons: Switch between Kongs at tag barrels and strafe in some sections. - D-Pad: Navigate menus and select options in most screens. - Start Button: Pause the game and view collected bananas, coins and blueprints.

Tips and Strategies to Win

Donkey Kong 64 rewards patience and careful collecting, so do not rush past a world. - Clear one world as thoroughly as you can before moving on, since backtracking costs time. - Buy every potion from Cranky as soon as you can afford it, because new moves open new banana routes. - Match barrel colors to Kongs before wasting time, and switch at the nearest tag barrel. - Save banana coins for Funky Kong’s weapon upgrades, which make boss fights much easier.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How many Kongs can you play as in Donkey Kong 64? A: You play as five Kongs: Donkey, Diddy, Lanky, Tiny and Chunky. Each has unique abilities, weapons and golden bananas to collect in every world.

Q: Why did Donkey Kong 64 need the Expansion Pak? A: Rare used the Expansion Pak to increase memory, allowing larger worlds and more detailed graphics.

Q: Can I play Donkey Kong 64 online for free? A: Yes, you can play Donkey Kong 64 online for free in your browser here, with no download or installation needed - just open the game and start collecting golden bananas.