Critics said Donkey Kong 64 did not match the revolutionary impact of Donkey Kong Country but was still among the Nintendo 64's best 3D platform games.ĭonkey Kong 64 was Rare's final Donkey Kong game prior to its acquisition by Microsoft in 2002 and the last major Donkey Kong game until Jungle Beat (2004). Some cited its gameplay and visual similarities to Banjo-Kazooie as a detriment. Reviewers praised the exceptional size and length, but criticized its camera controls and emphasis on item collection and backtracking. It won the 1999 E3 Game Critics award for Best Platform Game and multiple awards and nominations from magazines. The US$22 million marketing campaign included advertisements, sweepstakes, and a national tour.ĭonkey Kong 64 received acclaim and was Nintendo's top seller during the 1999 holiday season, with 2.3 million units sold by 2004. Donkey Kong 64 was the first game to require the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak, an accessory that added memory resources. It was published by Nintendo in North America in November and worldwide in December.

A 16-person team, with many recruits from the Banjo group, finished it in 1999. It was conceived as a 2.5D platformer similar to Country before becoming a more open-ended game using the engine from Rare's Banjo-Kazooie (1998). Rare began working on Donkey Kong 64 in 1997, following the completion of Donkey Kong Country 3 (1996).

In multiplayer modes, up to four players can compete in deathmatch and last man standing games. The player completes minigames and puzzles as five playable Kong characters-each with their own special abilities-to receive bananas and other collectibles.

As the gorilla Donkey Kong, the player explores themed levels to collect items and rescue his kidnapped family members from King K. It is the only Donkey Kong game to feature 3D gameplay. Donkey Kong 64 is a 1999 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64.

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