A group of passionate Donkey Kong 64 fans are working on a native PC port of the beloved 3D platformer, featuring high-resolution support, mod compatibility, and more. The ambitious Donkey Kong 64 port will notably not use any copyrighted assets from Nintendo.
Donkey Kong 64 was a groundbreaking entry for the classic Nintendo franchise when it first released in 1999. The game was the first 3D platformer in the franchise and the final Donkey Kong game made by Rare before the studio was acquired by Microsoft. DK 64 became one of the best-selling titles on the Nintendo 64, sitting in seventh place and beating out beloved games like Banjo-Kazooie and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. A new fan-made Donkey Kong 64 port is now looking to bring the classic Rare platformer to the PC for the first time, while also calling out another similar project.
Donkey Kong 64 Is Getting a Native PC Port
A new recompilation project for Donkey Kong 64 is aiming to bring a faithful recreation of the classic game to PC. Donkey Kong 64: Recompiled will feature numerous major upgrades from the original game with its release, including support for high-resolution graphics and uncapped frame rates. The port will include native support for mods and is said to feature cross-platform compatibility, though the project does not go into any specifics on how its cross-platform support will function. The Donkey Kong 64 port has also confirmed that it will not be using any copyrighted assets from the original game, avoiding potential legal issues from Nintendo.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Within the announcement for the new Donkey Kong 64 port, the development team also addresses another in-development port. The DK64: Recompiled developer mentioned another recompilation project from a competitor aiming to bring Donkey Kong 64 to PC, though was quick to slam the other project for using AI to develop the game. The other project is said to heavily use AI “vibe coding” for much of the classic game’s port, with the team behind Donkey Kong 64: Recompiled referring to the AI build as being “poorly made.” No release date was confirmed for Donkey Kong 64: Recompiled with its announcement.
A new port of Donkey Kong 64 would mark only the third time the game has seen a re-release, albeit the PC port is unofficial. The game was officially added to the Virtual Console lineup of classic Nintendo games on the Wii U in 2015, after being absent from the digital selection on the original Wii. Donkey Kong 64 finally joined the Nintendo Classics library on the Nintendo Switch in June 2026, with the beloved platformer being one of the most frequent fan requests ahead of its introduction.
The Donkey Kong franchise recently made its triumphant return to the 3D platformer genre with its first big release on Switch 2. Donkey Kong Bananza debuted in July 2025 as the first new Donkey Kong game on the Switch 2, which has DK team up with a teenage version of Pauline. Bananza currently stands as the second-best-selling original game on Switch 2, only behind launch title Mario Kart World, and the game won “Best Family Game” at the 2025 Game Awards, alongside a nomination for “Game of the Year.” Donkey Kong remains one of Nintendo’s most iconic mascots, and fans could soon receive another way to experience one of his classic adventures.
- Released
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November 24, 1999
- ESRB
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e
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- Engine
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NEC VR4300
