1999
Donkey Kong 64
"A divisive DK outing where the character's transition to 3D split fans' opinions. Plot, graphics, locations, and handling all do a DK game justice and are not faulted. However, it suffers from over-collectablitus, causing some tedious gameplay. DKC games had an addictive simplicity - offering challenge in a far more rewarding way which is lost here. Often fun but not a top 5 N64 platformer."
7/10 - Steven Smith 64
User Reviews (21)
"This game is awesome. It was fun, the worlds were both creative and huge,, and the music tracks were pretty catchy. For example, the DK Rap. It is awesome. I'll admit, it definitely went a little overboard with the collectibles, but other than that, there really isn't anything I don't like about it. I love this game, and hope that Nintendo revisits it someday."
9/10 - NintendoFan64 64
"Arguably the last great game Rare ever made on a Nintendo system, it brilliantly translated the sublimity of the SNES DKC series on the N64 in full 3D. The characters and levels were expertly designed and the music is memorable (eg: DK Rap). Only complaint is it's a huge collection fest. However, if you like Platformers on the N64, this is your swan song."
9/10 - chiefeagle02 64
"As much as I love Donkey Kong Country games, this one was a major letdown for me. Sure, the 3D graphics offered a unique change of pace to the 2D platformer that we had all become accustomed to, but the gameplay suffered horribly as a result. This was no longer a fun adventure game, it became a chore to collect items on each level."
5/10 - OMGILikeTurtlez 64
"The ultimate collectathon. One of the best, if not THE best platformer on the N64, this game has extremely unique and innovative level design. From desert to caves to factory, this game has it all, and does a fantastic job of creating that atmosphere that 3D collectathons do so well. A prime example about why Rare was great in the 90's, a must play."
10/10 - PsychoticRanboo 64
"This game sure had many flaws: slow, "chunky" movement, confusing, "lanky" golden banana quests, and "tiny" margin-for-error platforming. However, despite this, no DK game has ever delved deeper into the DK universe, with its sunken ships, creepy castles, and wacky cast. There is nothing like this game in the entirety of gaming, and for that it will be a classic for years to come."
9/10 - MasterWario 64
"DK's first adventure in 3D, and it was one of his greatest ever. The story don't tell much why King K. Rool wants Isle of Kong, but the gameplay is pretty fun. The graphics look beautiful in its time, and the amount of collectibles is insane. However, the multiplayer mode could have been made better like Banjo-Kazooie, otherwise, it's one of N64 best titles."
9/10 - Azooooz 64
"So so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so unfairly looked back on. Beats another 2D DK."
9/10 - JetForceSetGrind 64
"This game's got great atmosphere. The giant worlds, immersive graphical effects, and dynamic sound design create this. That's invaluable, because the bulk of the gameplay is collecting bananas and banana paraphernalia with some rudimentary, slightly dodgy platforming and minigames, some maddening, in between. Everything comes together to create a sweeping video game adventure that is somehow a joy to play. It's a robust experience."
8/10 - BearHunger 64
"I personally feel that this is the only good game in the franchise. It's everything the other Rare platformers are, just with a different coat of paint. But, as we all know, Rare means business and this adventure is a serious one. Though why the apes are using weapons is a question I can't really answer. It's cool though, I like it that way."
8/10 - Truner 64
"DK64 gets a bad reputation for being a collect-a-thon, but as a personal fan of that kind of thing, I loved it. Boasting incredible design, a charming story and characters, and five playable Kongs, each with their own set of unique moves and abilities, the only thing that holds DK64 back from being among the all time greats are some very annoying boss battles."
9/10 - bizcuthammer 64
"+great lighting effects +five playable characters with different abilities +includes best port of Donkey Kong arcade and Rare's first game Jetpac +includes basic multiplayer +lots of content +bonus games -collectathon to the extreme, including 500 bananas to find in each world -lacks the atmosphere of the Donkey Kong Country series, especially in terms of music -enemies constantly respawn -worlds feel stale compared to Banjo-Kazooie"
7/10 - VGScrapbook 64
"DK 64 is a brilliant platforming game that combines collecting (a lot), great gameplay, enormous worlds to explore and absolutely beautiful music from the legend Grant Kirkhope. This is definitely up there with banjo kazooie and mario 64. Everyone needs to play this game, theres so much to do and see. If you want to expand your dong then you know what to do!"
10/10 - thebigN 64
"Banjo's clunkier (or should I say monkier?) cousin in platforming terms, DK64 never quite zings or pops as much as its spiritual predecessor. Having said that, it's still a barrel load of fun and the Rare charm continues to exude. Multiple playable Kongs keep things interesting and there's even a special arcade version of Donkey Kong tucked away to enjoy. More than decent platforming."
8/10 - YoshiTails 64
"I'm huge fan of the DKC series so when DK64 was about to be released it had a lot to live up to in my book. For the most part, it did. I loved taking control of 5 different Kongs, the huge levels, and the solid gameplay. My biggest gripe is the same as everyone's - too much collecting going on. Still a fun platformer."
8/10 - ErrantEmbers 64
"This game took something amazing like donkey kong country, tried to turn to it into something else amazing like banjo kazooie, but focused on the worst and most boring part of the games. Endlessly collecting crap for no reason. No well designed fast flowing platform levels. The choice character models looked worse. It was almost like Rareware changed at this game and went downhill from there"
7/10 - Shinobi1Kenoby 64
"DK64 is yet another fantastic game made in Rare's heyday, but it's by no means perfect. The platforming is solid enough, the humour is great, the huge level design is awe-inspiring, and the different playable characters keeps the gameplay diverse, but the sheer number of collectables available can put some players off and seem tedious. It's still by no means a bad game, though."
8/10 - GreenGaming 64
"There's a lot to collect. No kidding, DK64 got the Guinness World Records award for "most collectables in a platform game". It's not about jumping trough challencing levels like in DKC Trilogy, it's more about exploring the levels and collecting stuff. While I prefer Donkey Kong's 2D adventures there's always room for more stuff like this. eShop release please (just remove Rare's Jetpack, done!)."
9/10 - Luffymcduck 64
"Brilliant game. Back when I was younger, I collected all of the collectibles and had a great time. The characters, levels, bosses are all great fun. My two gripes are: the music, which is a little too reminiscent of BK's music (not bad, just not really original); and that beaver minigame where you needed to chase them into a whole - that game was broken!"
9/10 - SyntheticPerson 64
"One of my favourite N64 games, DK64 was a delight from start to finish. Ok the camera could be annoying, but the gameplay was superb, and the world was incredible! Never dull or boring, the collectables kept me coming back for months. It's a shame there hasn't been another DK game in the 64 mould, perhaps a VC release Nintendo? WiiU needs you! Amazing."
9/10 - THENAMESNORM 64
"Deserved every bad review it got. A chore-a-thon where the SNES games were some of the best platformers ever made, DK64 disappointed when it came out and still disappoints now. Who can forget the torture known as Beaver Bother? I can only hope that one day Donkey Kong will get the 3D platformer he deserves, but this definitely not it. Avoid at all costs."
4/10 - SparkOfSpirit 64
"DK64 is an enormous game with a staggering amount to see and do. It looks and sounds lovely, with wonderfully designed levels and impressive gameplay variety. You control five unique characters, each with their own strengths, weaknesses and set of challenges to complete. As a platformer the fundamentals are intact, yet for better or worse, this is the quintessential collectathon. Fun but needs commitment."
8/10 - mookysam 64
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Comments 42
This game was not one of Rares best games imo. For whatever reason it doesn't even hold a candle to the Banjo series! Still it was a good game but nothing great.
What?! it was a great game and i hold many sweet memories about this one, i remember when i finaly found the dam nintendo coin to get acess to the last key. man it was great! even the mult player!
Oh yes, what hell is a Kasplat? (like someone would remember that man)
Not a patch on Banjo but I still thought it was a great game.
Was there a special edition N64, that was banana colored, included this game and the expansion pak?
I liked the version of the original Donkey Kong game included with Donkey Kong 64, specifically the original Japanese version of it (the order of its stages differed from the version originally released to arcades in the United States). It was much closer to that version than any other version made for a home video game system.
@Neferupitou Kasplat are the big kremlings that drop blueprints when defeated.
This game is one of my favorite platformers. I really wish they would make another Donkey Kong like this.
HE
@PleaseUnderstan
Did you mean yellow while typing "banana colored"?
Let's hope for a 3D Donkey Kong game on the Wii U sometime down the road. The GamePad is ideal for asymmetrical multiplayer / co-op
Pal version boxes are so lame.
Absolutely love this game.
Another 3d Donkey Kong game in the style of DK64 would be on top of my video game wish list.
A steady 10fps
they took away exploration from mario and donkey kong
Ace game, one that I 100% completed back on N64. Didn't mind all the collectibles at all as they made the game last longer and worth exploring with every character. Whilst I didn't personally enjoy it quite as much as Banjo Kazooie or Tooie, it's very close behind them on my list of favourite N64 games.
Just a shame that Rare included one of their own IPs (Jetpac) as an unlockable minigame later on, as that's almost certainly what's caused the issue with bringing it to Virtual Console so far.
When I was homeschooled, I bought this game at "EB GAMES" (now "GameStop" in US) and "NASCAR 2000". When I put in the cartridge it says "Expansion Pak" required. Not knowing what it is, I used a "Transfer Pak" instead ha ha (I found my N64 along with the TP and "Pokemon Stadium" in a junk heap in my backyard when we moved in. My dad said it wont work. I proved him wrong!) I looked at the cartridge and I was in awe at what type of game is it. A racing game? My first adventure game for N64? I went onto "Game Revolution" and saw screenshots for the game. I was ecstatic. I asked Santa Claus for a "Expansion Pak" every year. Until I got one two years ago. I love DK64.
C'mon Nintendo it's time to give this one another chance on VC.
DK Rap. Nuff said.
Another amazing game and still my favorite Donkey Kong game of all time. I played the multiplayer religiously as a kid and still do with my kids... big fan of this game and I still play it from time to time (like most other N64 games as I still have a huge collection).
I honestly think this game is better than any Banjo game. This game was honest and true my childhood, and if I'm nostalgia-blind, so be it, but god dammit this game was fantastic. I just thought that this game did a better job of creating an atmosphere, and really, isn't that all it's really about?
For the record, yes I know it's about gameplay and lots of other things but this game looked and played fantastically. Except for that stupid Beaver Bother game, that can go rot.
Fair review. I'd probably even only give it a 6.
Both Banjos and so many other N64 platformers were better than this, but it was still ok.
A seven!? Wow, if you reviewed this back then you would of had many angry apes chasing you down.
My favorite N64 game. Was a very impressive game, only thing holding it back was the numerous glitches, these glitches never affect a normal play through of the game.
Oh, I love this game. This was the Banjo-Kazooie/Tooie of my childhood, since I didn't play those back then for some reason. I loved the huge levels, the tons of variety in gameplay, the five Kongs and their abilities, the music... it's a full package for me. And very full, because this is one big game. I played it again last year and had a blast doing so. I didn't even care about the overt collectability of the game, I got almost everything without getting bored (OK, there are some tedious parts, but for a game this size, I was surprised how few there were for me)
And I only finished it last year, because I just could not beat that stupid one-life Donkey Kong arcade. All in all, I love this game, and I want it on the VC. And I want a new 3D DK game, not necessarily like this, but not necessarily not-like-this. Or something.
Definitely one of my all-time faves, for sure. Probably could have bought it 5 times for the number of blockbuster rentals I made. It's "over-collectablitus" is an aspect that made these '90s platformers so great, in my opinion.
This game should get at least an 8/10 for simply giving us the DK Rap.
This game was more of a chore than anything else. Having to collect all of those bananas became tiresome and led to me getting bored with it. It doesn't hold a candle to the original DKC games.
Absolutely consider this a top notch platformer largely because of the stellar soundtrack and likeable characters! Played a few years back and in my opinion it is every bit as good today!
Got this earlier this year and played for about 2 hours before discovering the battery inside the cartridge had run out and I couldn't save :S What I saw of it was great thought.
I never was a big fan of this game. For example, you couldn't die. And I just felt like to many things where lost in the transition to 3D. In its defence, they did the barrel sections right. And it was a big game.
As crazy as it may sound, I would love Retro studios to make a new free-roaming 3D Donkey Kong. I just feel that could be awesome.
Easily the most underrated Rare title on the N64.
Not talking about the review when I say this, but this game is probably the most underrated overhated game Nintendo has ever published. There are people who will go as ridiculously far to call it the worst Nintendo game of the 90's.
It has its flaws definitely but it's still an incredibly fun and immersing platformer.
There was nothing wrong with DK64. Maybe nothing special either... Super fun rhino mini-game though!
Dear Nintendolife,
when the list is complete, please add an option to the overview, by which the list can be ordered alphabetically. That would make it much easier to find a title.
Thanks.
Well then, 3 games left... I think we all know that OoT will be #64.
While I absolutely appreciate that NL included some underdogs in their list, some great games will necessarily be missing... Only 2 of the following can make it:
1. Some multiplattform titles. Rayman 2!! And, indeed almost as good, Tonic Trouble. The once highly praised Shadow Man (though in my opinion a relict of the past, like Turok 2). The superb Star Wars Episode 1 Racer (the best thing the film produced). Resident Evil 2, well, better known on other platforms. Harvest Moon 64 - imo the best HM ever. Ogre Battle 64 - forgotten, in spite of its Virtual Console release. The New Tetris - best tetris ever. WWF No Mercy?
2. Nintendos own games. Ridge Racer 64 - okay, will not make it. Kirby 64 - doesn't deserve it, I think. But Yoshi's Story absolutely does.
My guess for the last 3 games: Shadow Man, Yoshi's Story, Zelda OoT. In this order.
One of my favorite platforms ever. Probably because it reminded me so much of Banjo Kazooie. It also had an incredible and unforgettable soundtrack. And I have played it recently and it still holds up today. Collecting everything in the game was incredibly rewarding to me.
Since PleaseUnderstan did not respond to my question about his question by now, I wish to inform some readers that there were some special green Nintendo 64 systems and controllers ("jungle green") packaged with copies of Donkey Kong 64 and Nintendo 64 expansion packs. I guess PleaseUnderstan was referring to those systems and mistook them for being yellow since there were some special "banana yellow" Nintendo 64 controllers available to new subscribers of the magazine Nintendo Power shortly after the release Donkey Kong 64 (Nintendo never had a release of a mainly yellow Nintendo 64 system).
7/10 is far more reasonable than the nostalgia-fueled 9/10 or 10/10 that I'd expected.
This game was less of a game and more of an adventure. And for that its one of my favorite games ever.
One of my favorites and in my opinion it's better than any of the other DK games.
Truly loved this when I was younger, I must have collected almost everything in this game but I couldn't deal with the Donkey Kong arcade and never got to see it through to the end.
Awesome remix of the Third Boss/Level: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ypGwVLK5Nc Get that nostalgia flowing!
I loved this game. Collecting all the bananas was one of the best parts about it!
There aren't really that many things to collect anyway if memory serves, let's see: Bananas, Gold Bananas, Blueprints (which got you more gold bananas), Fairies, and that's pretty much it!
It's not necessary to collect all the stuff anyway. You need reg bananas to fight the bosses, and gold bananas to get into new worlds. But you don't need to collect everything.
I guess if you're a completionist and you want to take a break from getting all the chocographs in FF IX (ugh) then this is not for you. But I like it still
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