Donkey Kong 64 - Nintendo 64 Review - Ultra HDMI - HD

Donkey Kong 64 review on the Nintendo 64. Recorded using an Ultra HDMI modded N64 console with an Elgato game capture HD60s capture card using a real game cartridge. So who's looking forward to the N64 Mini Classic console? what do you think the top 5 or top 10 platform games of all time are? Like me do you love 2d platform games from the SNES or NES or even Genesis / Megadrive era? Do you prefer this or the Super Nintendo Donkey Kong country games? Anyone have tropical freeze or Donkey Kong country returns?

[wadelockard]

My dad got cancer in 2008 when i was 13. Me and my brother were still playing n64 at that time so my oldest brother who was no longer living at home brought over this game and star wars shadows of the empire. Me and my brother did play this game quite a bit but never finished it but i will always remember it for being a game that helped me during a stressful time

[RetroMoments]

I once heard "DK rap" in the nightclub!

[Gruntilda-Winkybunion]

I really love this game
I grew up with the N64 so this was my first DK game. Back then i did not know about the Country Trilogy ( i really love dkc2) So this game will always have a special place in my heart
I love the music!

[MrVideo]

Been waiting for this Glenn Plant review for years!!

[Larry]

Worst thing about that Expansion bug, is it doesn't fix it, just delays it. It happens after a certain amount of time the game has been played. It still happens in emulation and the virtual console ports too!

[bitbrit]

About. Bloody. Time. Despite its flaws, I love this game.

[joewhitlow]

Almost looks like a PS2 game. It's amazing N64 was able to run this.

[MPapeleu]

Seeing some of the bosses really took me back, thanks for the great review Glenn

[fightingwarrior]

A crystal clear remaster of this would be amazing. Just like they did with 007 on game pass.

[noahclevinger]

This game still holds up quite well, in my opinion. Great review also!

[RetroMoments]

One of those games I couldn't believe what I was seeing when it was released!

[nothing]

I love and adore this game. Easily my favorite collectathon game

[jakeerdos]

I loved this game as a kid and still love it just as much now. Me and my brother we're obsessed! I still bring out the old N64 and play DK64 at least once a year from start to finish. I have been waiting for a sequel to this game for too long! NINTENDO MAKE IT HAPPEN!

[MXART]

Admitedly DK64 is hugely impressive. It had best character animation ever, for example. On first time play thru, DK64 offers everything. But this type of game should be simpler to have fun replay value, to just pick up and play your fafourite parts, or chapters. But unlike Super Mario 64, you can't re -do already completed things twice on DK64. After you play level thru, they are "empty".


Most complex multicharacter 3D -game for sure. Via other monkey(s), it's possible to access completedly new places others can not. The whole point here is to be able enter new level areas courtesy of abilities of different playable characters. They work separately, but it's still team work and friendship withing the monkeys. Player can decide which parts to play on what order. It builds around characters and abilities really well when played from start to finish. The most amazing thing is, that this concept actually works.


But if not played for a while when things aren't on your fress memory, coming back to pick it up gets really confusing. Game is really complicated, working on some sort of "Pulp Fiction" -style, but somehow manages to work from start to finish while pushing Super Mario 64 -formula into limits.


While DK64 is achievement, i think simpler, linear, straightforward -platformer would have been more enjoyable & well received. During development Rare would have then been able to relax & concentrate on art & atmosphere even more. It must have been nightmare to achieve perfect balance on this type of struckture. Now, while playing it, you can almost hear developers scratching their hair just to desing and get all that content work together seamlessly.


High pressure, potentially anticlimactic anticipation, frustration... True unnecessary obsession to better Super Mario 64, rather than making pure platform -sequel to DKC. Amazing game, for sure. But why to beat Miyamoto, when everybody really wanted Stampers to improve their own piece of art, that is DKC?


Every aspect on first Donkey Kong Country felt just right, like all those things belong & fit there. Almost like it's meant to be. That was perfect game that transformed gaming into audio-visual artform. There was nothing that did not fit in perfectly. Sadly, same can not quite be said about the sequels, as there is lack of seamless playable content, while adding not so good unnecessary ideas and pacing is just not up there with the original.


But all Donkey Kong games are true classics, including Donkey Kong 64, that even includes Arcade version of original Donkey Kong. Certainly some of the personal fafourites. Some of the most important pieces on whole gaming history.


Still, better solution for N64 -console's lifespan would have been first release Expansion Pack enhanced HI -REZ Donkey Kong Country Trilogy on single cartridge for N64 1998. Then all new 2D DKC 4 for N64 year 1999, and finally 3D more platform -based version of DK64 aroung the end of year 2000 or even during 2001.

[utternonsenseproductions]

I always loved this game's lighting. That's what the expansion pak was for.

[daejonmoody]

I just adore this game!! I’m kinda weird but I loved collecting everything with each kong. Admiring the huge worlds enjoying the music I took my sweet sweet time with the game looking for every nook and cranny. And I still play it to this day once in a while def had great memories with this one

[Icyfire]

I have the green jungle DK N64! I thought all N64s were supposed to be green for the longest time 😭 lmao

[backup_account_]

Excellent review. I'm playing it for the first time in 2023 and I'm loving it. I definitely love everything Rare did for the N64, even with its flaws.

[silvereloking]

I did not have this game as kid. Now when I have Everdrive, I play it and finish it 101%. Before I start play, I see some negative reviews about how game did not age well and there is to many collect items and boring backtracking etc... I did not see any of that stuff. For me game is very good, graphic is amazing and collecting items is very easy because levels are from small to medium and everything is almost right under your nose. This game is more similar to Banjo-Kazooie than Banjo. Tooie is, because BT have huge levels and you can wonder for hours what to do next. Btw, DK Rap is so fun to me, idk why people have problem with that.

[TheGoldenJiggy]

I really love this game, still holds up really well! But I agree with some of the flaws you mentioned, the collectibles were a bit annoying since there's too many, more than Banjo-Kazooie. But I still really enjoyed this game!