Donkey Kong 64 arrived on the Nintendo 64 in 1999, developed by Rare and published by Nintendo as one of the most ambitious collectathon platformers of its era — it even required the N64 Expansion Pak to run. King K. Rool and his Kremling army have invaded DK Isle, stolen the Golden Bananas, and locked Donkey Kong’s friends away in cages. DK sets out alone to free them, and along the way gains four playable allies: Diddy, Lanky, Tiny, and Chunky Kong, each with their own weapon and set of unique moves.
How to play
Each of the five Kongs collects only their own colour of banana, and many Golden Bananas, switches, and blocked paths can only be reached with one specific Kong’s ability or weapon — Donkey Kong’s invincible Strong Kong charge and Coconut Gun, Diddy’s jetpack Rocketbarrel Boost and Peanut Popguns, Lanky’s handstand-running Orangstand Sprint and Grape Shooter, Tiny’s shrinking Mini Monkey and Feather Bow, or Chunky’s giant Hunky Chunky form and Pineapple Launcher. Progress means backtracking through the island’s levels with different Kongs as you unlock them, collecting enough Golden Bananas to eventually challenge King K. Rool himself.
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Move | Arrow keys |
| Jump (A) | Z |
| Attack / use weapon (B) | X |
| Crouch / aim (Z-trigger) | Shift |
| Start / pause | Enter |
Tips
- Switch Kongs often instead of trying to clear an area with one character — many obstacles and Golden Bananas are only solvable by a specific Kong’s move or weapon.
- Visit Cranky, Funky, and Candy Kong’s huts in each level: Cranky teaches new moves, Funky sells weapon and ammo upgrades, and Candy Kong lets you save your progress.
- Pick up ammo pickups for your weapon as you explore rather than only when you run dry — ammo is limited and boss fights can drain it fast.
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