Donkey Kong 64 is available on the NINTENDO 64 Nintendo Classics service for Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers, added on June 4, 2026, with rewind and save-anywhere features. The game is also on the accepted list for RTA in Japan Winter 2026, where it has a 0.0% low-percentage attempt.
Donkey Kong 64 returned to a Nintendo platform on June 4, 2026, when Nintendo added the 1999 Rare-developed 3D platformer to the NINTENDO 64 Nintendo Classics library for Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. The release followed a May 28 announcement and came after a gap: the game had appeared on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2015, and that service ended in 2026. The Nintendo 64 Classics service is also playable on the Nintendo Switch 2.
The re-release keeps the original structure. Five Kongs are playable (Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Tiny Kong, Lanky Kong, and Chunky Kong), and players explore eight hub worlds, collect Golden Bananas, and fight the Kremling army led by King K. Rool. Side activities include collecting coins and blueprints and photographing fairies. A multiplayer mode supports up to four players, and bonus content unlocks the original 1981 arcade Donkey Kong and the 1983 game Jetpac. The Switch Online version adds rewind and save-anywhere features.
By October the game had moved into the speedrunning calendar. RTA in Japan announced on October 18 that it accepted Donkey Kong 64 for its winter event, which runs from December 25 to 31 at Bellsalle Iidabashi First in Tokyo, as a 0.0% low-percentage attempt. The event lists 90 accepted titles, and Nintendo games are back in number after a summer 2025 event with no Nintendo games accepted. The detailed schedule is set for October 25.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
6d ago
RTA in Japan announced on October 18 the accepted and backup games for its winter event, which will run from December 25 to 31 at Bellsalle Iidabashi First in Tokyo. The lineup spans 90 titles, from recent releases such as Hollow Knight: Silksong, Silent Hill f, Donkey Kong Bananza and Kirby Air Riders to older games including Doom 64, Clock Tower 2, Shadowgate and Tengai Makyou ZERO. Nintendo titles are back in number after a summer 2025 event with no Nintendo games accepted, with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess HD, Pokemon Sword and Metroid Prime Remastered on the list. The unusual categories carry the attention: Super Mario 64 gets a blindfolded 9-star run, Donkey Kong 64 gets a 0.0% low-percentage attempt, The Legend of Zelda 1 gets a swordless first quest, Resident Evil Village gets a VR mode run without glitches, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii gets a four-runner race. The detailed schedule is set for October 25.
Jun 4
Nintendo has added Donkey Kong 64 to the NINTENDO 64 Nintendo Classics service for Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. The 1999 3D platformer now includes rewind and save-anywhere features, and the official N64 controller remains available for purchase separately.
May 28
Nintendo will add Donkey Kong 64 to the Nintendo 64 Nintendo Classics library on June 4, 2026, the company announced on May 28. The title is available to subscribers of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, Donkey Kong 64 is a 3D action game developed by Rare. It features five playable Kongs: Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Tiny Kong, Lanky Kong, and Chunky Kong. Players explore eight hub worlds, collect Golden Bananas, and battle the Kremling army led by King K. Rool. The game includes side activities such as collecting coins and blueprints and photographing fairies. It also contains a multiplayer mode for up to four players and bonus content that unlocks the original 1981 arcade Donkey Kong and the 1983 game Jetpac. Donkey Kong 64 previously appeared on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2015, but that service ended in 2026. The re-release is the first time the game has been available on a Nintendo platform since then. The Nintendo 64 Classics service is also playable on the Nintendo Switch 2.