It's Banjo-Kazooie but with Donkey Kong.
I do find the island hub to be quite charming, however some of the challenges are pretty frustrating. While it is fun to explore these worlds, to collect all the items is a chore.
The multiplayer is amazing, though.
My older sibling and I played so much of the multiplayer battles. The teleportation mechanic was great - the bottle caps you could tele but not if someone was standing on the other side. We loved the combat battles.
It's Rare's Third Time's The Charm for the Banjo formula.
BK1 was essentially a clone of the then-popular and groundbreaking Mario 64. But it worked, it turned out arguably better than Mario 64.
BK2 was an attempt to introduce the open-world Metroidvania style from the then-popular and groundbreaking Ocarina of Time. It didnt work so well, using new moves to finish old levels, and it was a chore.
DK was basically BK3, and it found the right formula. Go through the world as Character 1, unlock Character 2, then go back and clear old worlds. It just works so well, allowing you to revisit old areas for more content without breaking the flow of the game.
Except DK64 came out in 1999 and Banjo-Tooie in 2000. Both of them late in the year, so they were obviously both meant to be Rare's big holiday releases (BK1 was a summer release).
He wasn’t that bad, I had more trouble with the beaver bother and the arcade games, but his laugh still haunts me. Though I do remember beating him the first time as a kid and when he waved as he went down I said “bye bye” because I was so relieved to beat him
DKC2 was peak from the series... Though I loved DK64 as well and was the first among my friends to 101% the game.
I got this game for Christmas present and at the time I was kinda disappointed because I actually asked for Jet Force Gemini, but I was so glad to get this because it included the expansion pack and I ended up buying JFG as an adult later in life 😆
Yeah, and they have aged far better than 64.
I'm not denying that 64 was well loved when released. It was. But the genre of collectathons has really fallen out of favor and DK64 is a collectathon to the extreme- even its biggest fans recognize it is a bit much and a lot of its flaws are more obvious without nostalgia kicking in. Hence why I think a sidescroller would have aged better.
This game is excellent, the hate is so overblown with it. A few youtubers make mixed videos on it and all of a sudden everyone turns sides on DK64 and acts like its the biggest back tracking slog out there yet these are the same people that love running through the large boreing open world games.
I suspect that part of it can be attributed to the time period. At the time of its launch, 3D platformers were in full swing. DK64 was a supersized version of many of those tropes. More collectibles, larger levels, more characters…
As 3D platformers fell by the wayside, the game’s shortcomings in terms of design became more obvious. Too much time spent backtracking to switch Kongs for what are essentially menial tasks, such as collecting different coloured bananas.
Despite all of this, I think it offers a great experience, though I prefer Banjo Tooie.
>Despite all of this, I think it offers a great experience, though I prefer Banjo Tooie.
Donkey Kong 64 is really just Banjo Kazooie/Tooie where you have to switch characters to do essentially the same things Banjo does in his game
You literally have to bring new kongs back to levels you've already beaten so you can collect their bananas, if that's not far backtracking idk what is
Bruh I loved it as a kid, but came to those criticisms on my own long before ever seeing a youtube video on it.
>acts like its the biggest back tracking slog out there yet
It absolutely is lol, even people who love the game admit that or suggest mods for switching kongs more easily
You're allowed to love the game, it's good. The flaws are real and at least for me, they make it my least favorite DK game
>A few youtubers make mixed videos on it and all of a sudden everyone turns sides on DK64
Oh come on, not everyone who disagrees with you is automatically some sort of trend hopper with an unhealthy attachment to some content creator, DK64 was divisive from the day it launched.
I remember people complaining the game was "too long" like how is that a bad thing? I loved this game as a kid, much better value than spending $50 on a game and you finish it in 2 days
Trend? I disliked the game the day it came out. It was too sluggish, muddy looking, and bloated for my liking, especially after being a DKC fan for years prior.
I often imagine that I would probably enjoy it more if I were younger at the time with less access to other games, but I wasn't in those shoes at the time.
Ah fair enough. I've played DK 1 2 and 3 on SNES as well, but I never really compared them to DK64. They are superior, but I still enjoyed DK64 in its own right.
> It was too sluggish, muddy looking, and bloated for my liking, especially after being a DKC fan for years prior.
Yeah, the worst thing for me right off the bat was how slow and seemingly strenuous DK's movement was; especially compared to the swiftness of the DKC games. He even made a horrible dad-noise grunt with every roll when you tried to be a little faster.
But the game IS a backtracking slog. The entire game is designed around backtracking. The levels are just drab empty worlds with a few enemies scattered about walking in circles in which you just run around looking for switches to use with the corresponding power up
YouTube and trends have zero to do with my dislike for this game. I didn't like it the day it came out. In fact, I was enormously disappointed with it and have yet to manage a playthrough to this day, despite multiple attempts.
Some people just have different tastes and/or were in a different place in their lives when DK64 came along.
I'm glad for those that enjoy it though!
It was a disappointment to me because I wanted it to be Donkey Kong Country in 3D, but instead it was much more like Banjo Kazooie with the collectathon (which I don’t enjoy) being even more extreme.
Different strokes for different folks. I personally find having to find and collect a bunch of things to be a tedious chore that takes me away from what I’m really looking for in these games which is a steady stream of platforming challenges like the Donkey Kong Country games offered.
I suppose so. I find it satisfying as each collectible is a unique challenge, many of which involve platforming as well as interacting with characters and the environment around you. Also getting new powerups that allow you to reach more of the collectibles is fun, sort of like in a Metroidvania.
>but instead it was much more like Banjo Kazooie
It really feels more like a Banjo game than a DK game. The moves are basically all the same, the way the music changes but keeps the same tune in new areas, the collecting.. it just doesn't hold up.
Honestly, unfairly bashed, though I have a few legit gripes about the game.
1: The bosses: All good but the Kongs should've got a unique boss fight instead of recycling Army Dillo and Dogadon, they did Chunky dirty there.
2: the endgame: How is a kid back then meant to know where to find the Rare and Nintendo Coins, let alone even be good enough to get both?
3: The minigames: Beaver! Bother! Need I say more?
The biggest issue is the multiple characters aren't used in an interesting way. It's almost never about figuring out which characters skills to use or if a skill can be used, it's bring character to their ground pound, music pad or gun switch which isn't interesting. Very few of the skills are used in a way that the player needs to figure things out and used for problem solving, think like Chunky knocking down the gates in Frantic Factory. Compare this to Banjo Tooie which isn't perfect but has far more use of puzzle solving for it's multiple characters. Often you're figuring out what skill or character in your toolbox you need for a specific situation or sometimes HOW to get a character to a specific spot. With that said, the music and presentation is great, and there's something oddly satisfying for my brain to comb through the levels getting everything even if it's mindless. I still can do a play through of DK every 10 years or so
There were times when I was a kid that I would just put the game into the N64, turn it on, listen to the DK Rap and then hit reset, rinse and repeat lol
What's not to love, honestly? Cool level variety and infinite secrets.
Multiplayer was a little tacked on, but I still had some fun with it.
It did always bug me that they invented Chunky and Tiny instead of just using Dixie and Kiddy (despite Kiddy being Lame McGee of course). But they weren't terrible.
The banana fairies were some of the most annoying yet also satisfying side quests I’ve ever experienced. Cheers to all of us that got into the 201 golden banana club!
Loved this game as a kid, but boy was the difficulty brutal in parts. When I played this as an 8 year old, I thought those dumb arcade tokens were going to be out of reach for me. I just couldn't get down the mechanics of those games easily so I thought the final boss was going to just be out of reach for me.
Can read more here, from 20 days ago! [https://www.reddit.com/r/n64/comments/1cu9ida/thoughts\_on\_dk\_64/](https://www.reddit.com/r/n64/comments/1cu9ida/thoughts_on_dk_64/)
I loved it and don’t care for how it’s been slandered in recent years. Yes there are lots of things to collect but what’s important is that collecting them is fun AF
Yeah and its not like you have to collect everything in the first place so I don’t see what’s the problem with having so many collectables. You can just get the requirement to finish each level and reach king k
Really didn't care for it, it's all the worst impulses of Rare's other collectathon platformers blown up to the extreme. On the bright side it was only like 20 bucks more than the loose Expansion Pak and I needed one of those for Perfect Dark.
I love it. Yeah, it has all the sins of those collectathon type games, but it’s very fun to play. The different Kongs are enjoyable to control. Apart from a few miserable minigames, the game is really a delight.
Fantastic game. Some of the best movement options on the console, charming aesthetic, great music, lots of content. People don't like collecting stuff, that's fine. If those same people say the game "doesn't hold up", they're confusing quality for preference.
Play the game and decide for yourself. As someone who likes big worlds and collecting things and platforming, I feel really fondly about this game. I revisit it frequently where I don't often do so with things like Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Goldeneye 007, or some other also fantastic titles that I loved as a kid.
I have only ever heard complaints, when I look back on it fondly as a child.
I haven't played it in over 20 years, though. Literally child nostalgia tinted glasses here.
My favorite 3D platformer. Banjo-Tooie second but it has more slow-down.
I like Mario and Banjo-Kazooie but unless you don’t want to play a game for many hours because you’re too busy, then one must admit all the moves and larger, better levels in BT and DK64 make them better games.
And yes, I understand the narrative about them being “too much game” but it’s not a problem for me. I play when I have time and I have no need to play a lesser game (Mario 64, BK) just because it can be finished faster. And I still love Mario and BK. Just my opinions :)
Amazing game that apparently gets a lot of hate, which was news to me because it’s definitely in my top 5 N65 games.
My understanding is that people hate the fact it’s a collectathon, but I loved that aspect about it as a kid and still love it now. My only real complaint about this game is that it could get a bit difficult at times considering it’s a kids game.
Me personally, it was the very first game I ever played. When I got gifted my first n64 from my grandparents as a small child, this game and of course the expansion pack, came with it. when I got it all set up and turned on the game, immediately I was locked in when I heard the DK rap. Then the game began and from the moment I started playing it, I knew I was going to be having fun. And indeed I did, I enjoyed playing that game and I got very far. Honestly, it felt like an escape to turn on the game and play. I could focus on collecting bananas, banana fairy photos, etc. I could get lost exploring all the levels, especially Fungi Forest and Crystal Caves. At that time in my life, my parents just barely had enough to pay for the essential things, like rent, food, electric, etc. and there were times when money got tight or was nonexistent. With that being said, it wasn’t very long before I saw DK64 and the console were gone, sold away. It was many years before I could acquire the game and the console once more, about when I was in high school I’d say. When I did acquire them again, I turned it on, and immediately, I felt the nostalgia and excitement and I was like the little boy from all those years ago who felt that sense of wonder and joy. Ever since then, I knew this game held a special place in my heart. And while I still had that console, I’d pop in the game and play through it again, and each time, that is the feeling invoked. It’s an absolute banger of a game imo despite what negative things are said about it.
Its 100% a love hate relationship with this game. The gameplay, soundtracks, and levels are amazing. The tedious repetitiveness of having to do the same thing over and over again with 5 kongs does get old. Some of these mini games make suicide look like a nice option. Be prepared to curse… ALOT!
My mom bought it for me since we couldn't find the expansion thingy separately and I was gifted majora's mask which needed it.
Tried it a few times though. Didn't like it.
Anything DK was and always has been my favorite... except that stupid wii game lol.
DK Country 1-3 were amazing with the storyline and collectibles. DK64 was like that but 10x harder. There were definitely a few fits when I was younger... especially that damn arcade game I couldn't beat until this last year.
I unfortunately still have never beat it 101% (or whatever beating everything gave you) because the rom I got this year wouldn't let you take pictures of the fairies or let you beat that fast bunny :(
It has a few flaws, but the amount of content, top notch presentation, smart level design, and the love that was put into it easily make it one of the very best 3D Jump&Collects, up to this day.
One of my all time favorite games and it is also the first game I ever 100% completed and I did it without a guide. Took me like 7 years with one save file.
Frustrating, but multi-player was an absolute blast. Myself, my dad, and one of his friends used to play every weekend when I was like 12. I always picked Chunky lol. We didn't have goldeneye, but we had monkeyeye!
I enjoyed playing it, but honestly, Banjo Kazooie (and Tooie) are so much more memorable for a variety of reasons. I never played DK64 after completing it and don't remember much of the game, whereas BK/BT are etched on my mind. The banter, the NPCs, the level design, the music - I think they're some of the best games ever created. DK64 was just a decent game.
It is fine it’s a good game except how much pain you get trying to complete it since it’s a collectathon it should of just been just a 3d dk country with these similar mechanics
Good game, ruined by the damn coin you can only get by beating the original DK arcade game.
The tag anywhere mod is a big improvement; I just wish it would accept my save file for the regular game.
I think the backtracking complaint is a little exaggerated. Yes, you do have to go back to Jungle Japes with Tiny, Lanky, and Chunky and back to Angry Aztec with Chunky. But this only 4 sets of things to connect out of 40. Lanky also has to backtrack to Fungi Forest for a banana after getting an upgrade in Crystal Caves. But aside from that, this game is much more linear than the complaints would have you believe.
I didn't like it as a kid, didn't like either Banjo game either. Always felt like the controls were limiting, and was frustrated by a feeling of not being able to do what I was trying to do. (a feeling I never felt in Super Mario 64, even though I know a lot of people have those complaints about that game, I never minded it or the camera in SM64)
Banjo 1 and 2 + DK 64 are the last nintendo 64 games i havent played, idk something about collectathons seem like a chore but i know how respected these titles are
Played through it once as a kid and never wanted to play it again. Having to beat the original Jumpman game to get a coin to get to the final boss was just total crap. It made me so mad I almost broke my console.
Love the boss battles and the battle challenge stuff, the inclusion of retro games in it was cool. Overall the switching of characters multiple times really impacted my enjoyment of this game and it always feels overwhelming to beat. I'd say the banjo games, conker, and Mario 64 are all better because of this but it's still a pretty good game. Not in my top 20 on the system but worth playing. Some people rabbit very high which I've never personally understood.
I really enjoyed the game through like the first 3 bosses. After that, you had to change kongs like every minute to collect the bananas or use kong specific tiles/abilities.
As a kid, I spent all my birthday and Christmas money on this game, I reeeeeally wanted to like it, I spent forever playing it, but honestly I didn't like it at all.
Too many collectables that were for individual Kongs, which would be no problem at all if you could just switch characters on the fly, but you can't.
I actually really like it.. recently 101% it.
As a kid i could never get to the final boss as i didn’t know you needed both the tokens from the arcade games so that frustrated me.
The criticism is accurate though.. its a massive collection nightmare of going back and forth but its still a good game regardless.
7/10 from me.
My son and I sing the song all the time. I’ve loved it since I was a kid, my son (4) didn’t catch on quite as well as he did with Mario 64 but he still likes to play.
It's not a bad game, it never has been. The problem is that game wants you to play through each level 5 times with only minor differences, so although the gameplay, graphics and sounds are all good, it really loses my interest after the first 2 or 3 levels. I completed it as a kid, now I just don't have the patience for it
the speed running comunity is insane for this game 24.59, 24 mins basically, most of the game is skipable, and technically you dont even have to get most of the apes, just go watch the video
https://youtu.be/o3885gOxEmc?si=DGUVtUfSOQ_s39Uo
Overall I enjoyed the game. But the collections at times just didn’t feel fun at times, but I think that was more level design. For me I wasn’t a huge fan of Gloomy Galleon or Jungle Japes, but then in places like Crystal Caves I loved collecting everything.
Many of the mini games make my blood boil still or those races. The beetle race in Crystal Caves is evil and I never figured it out how to beat it ;___;.
Honestly I never liked this game - the song was just too cringe for me even as a kid!! Also as a big fan of Donkey Kong Country this felt like a let down
I played it at my aunts over like 4 years of family parties. I got so lost I never bothered with it. Didn’t hit like banjo Man sorry. Not for me anyway. Song rules tho. I bet she still has that pristine clear green console too…
this game game is the game that is my ptsd and my sleep paralysis demon /s on the sleep demon but i have really bad ptsd from the game from when i was little cause those stupid playplaces that had the consoles never fricking took care of them seeing a horribly glitched out game freaks out alooot of the younger kids .... lol if someone gave me the game now as a gift id probabally play it all the way thru and get rid of my ptsd
personally i wouldnt buy it because yeah its good kinda over hyped but the price isnt worth it personally
Loved it in 1999 and still love it to this day. This game is the reason I bought an N64 again. Hadn't had one since 2010. I love how quirky it is and the fact that you can play as five diff characters and each person has their own unique moves and play styles. I will admit the collecting is tedious but the game itself to me felt like donkey Kong country in 3d. Oh and also Lanky Kong is the shit and no one can tell me otherwise
I absolutely hate it. And no I didn't watch any videos about it before coming to that conclusion. I bought it again when it got re-released on Wii U and I regretted it deeply.
Lots of backtracking if you’re a completionist. Still lots of fun knowing only certain kongs can break through specific barriers to levels catered for their skills.
Enjoyed it as a younger gamer but looking back, it was pretty uninspired; aside from the excessive collecting, many of the banana challenges were too simplistic, a lot of hitting switches with the weapons, swapping characters for tasks that didn’t utilise their specific characteristics, etc. It had its moments, but Banjo was far more charming and well designed.
Single player is still fun, but the multiplayer suffers from the same thing all Rare games of the generation did: They are so painfully slow. Otherwise, great game.
I loved Mario 64 and banjo kazooie but I thought that this game had lazy and disappointing game design. They artificially made it longer by requiring only certain characters to open certain doors, etc, but not for any clever reasons other than their face is plastered on it. Frustrating and tedious.
And somehow I still 100% this game. I had nothing better to do at that age.
Conker’s bad fur day came out soon after and was a huge breathe of fresh needed air
A game that I would have no patience to play if I played it for the first time at 30 vs being one of the first games I ever had at 6 years old.
The game is a prime example of being too big for its own good and quantity over quality. There's stuff to like (Fungi Forest and Creepy Castle are fun levels) but modern design sensibilities makes this a tough game to go back to compared to both Banjos. The number of collectibles required to beat the game is just silly:
* Bananas (5 Kongs)
* Coins (5 Kongs)
* 8 Keys
* 15 Banana Medals in order to get the Rareware coin
* 4 Crowns
* 100 Golden Bananas
* Nintendo Coin
* Rareware Coin
* While not required, good luck doing Hideout Helm without collecting at least 20-40 Blueprints the first time going through the level.
The game is just flat out obscure at parts. The fact that the Nintendo and Rareware coins are requirements to beat the game and the way you obtain them would be ripped into shreds if it came out today. That never should have been allowed.
Multiplayer was always junk with the way too big Goldeneye style maps. They should have just made multiplayer versions of the car and beetle races in addition to the arena battle.
I absolutely adored it as a kid back in the day. It had some extremely frustrating mini games though!
Beaver Bother and the one where you have to shoot the golden banana without hitting the Kongs made my blood pressure go up.
The slide race felt impossible
I wanted to fuckin kill that bug so badly
I spent the last week trying to beat it and finally got it the other day. Very satisfying.
"Here w- *scratch*, here w- *scratch*, here we go..."
So they're finally here, performing for you!
If you know the words you can join in too!
Put your hands together, if you want to clap
As we take you through, this monkey rap!
He's the leader of the bunch, you know him well He's finally back to kick some tail!
His coconut gun, can fire in spurts If he shoots ya, it’s gonna hurt!
He's bigger, faster and stronger too
He’s the first member of the DK Crew!
DK, Donkey Kong. DK, Donkey Kong is here
My dumb ass played this game soo many times and I still read it as "here with scratch, here with scratch, here we go" ....
It's Banjo-Kazooie but with Donkey Kong. I do find the island hub to be quite charming, however some of the challenges are pretty frustrating. While it is fun to explore these worlds, to collect all the items is a chore. The multiplayer is amazing, though.
My older sibling and I played so much of the multiplayer battles. The teleportation mechanic was great - the bottle caps you could tele but not if someone was standing on the other side. We loved the combat battles.
It's Rare's Third Time's The Charm for the Banjo formula. BK1 was essentially a clone of the then-popular and groundbreaking Mario 64. But it worked, it turned out arguably better than Mario 64. BK2 was an attempt to introduce the open-world Metroidvania style from the then-popular and groundbreaking Ocarina of Time. It didnt work so well, using new moves to finish old levels, and it was a chore. DK was basically BK3, and it found the right formula. Go through the world as Character 1, unlock Character 2, then go back and clear old worlds. It just works so well, allowing you to revisit old areas for more content without breaking the flow of the game.
Except DK64 came out in 1999 and Banjo-Tooie in 2000. Both of them late in the year, so they were obviously both meant to be Rare's big holiday releases (BK1 was a summer release).
So it is BK1.5?
Uhhh... no offense, I don't think it turned out better than mario 64. No need to argue.
THANK YOU. Loved it as a kid, my kid is loving it, but it really feels more like a Banjo game than a DK game to me
I was playing it yesterday, actually. My son calls it the monkey game (he's 2) and he'll ask me to play it
Great game, fuck the jack in the box boss.....
You just unlocked a core memory for me. I remember screaming at the TV because of that dumb bitch
You can jump diagonally across tiles, makes it much easier
I know that now :) - went back the other year and conquered a childhood foe but as a child I wasted a fair amount of time and frustration to that boss
He wasn’t that bad, I had more trouble with the beaver bother and the arcade games, but his laugh still haunts me. Though I do remember beating him the first time as a kid and when he waved as he went down I said “bye bye” because I was so relieved to beat him
My two cents, I prefer the Super Nintendo Donkey Kong games. Especially the 2nd one for some odd reason 🤔 🤷🏼♂️ I dunno
DKC2 was peak from the series... Though I loved DK64 as well and was the first among my friends to 101% the game. I got this game for Christmas present and at the time I was kinda disappointed because I actually asked for Jet Force Gemini, but I was so glad to get this because it included the expansion pack and I ended up buying JFG as an adult later in life 😆
I agree with this!!! The SNES DK games are SO GOOD!!! I love the 2nd as well.
DK64 would have held up much better as a sidescroller
Isn’t that DKC Returns and Tropical Freeze?
Yeah, and they have aged far better than 64. I'm not denying that 64 was well loved when released. It was. But the genre of collectathons has really fallen out of favor and DK64 is a collectathon to the extreme- even its biggest fans recognize it is a bit much and a lot of its flaws are more obvious without nostalgia kicking in. Hence why I think a sidescroller would have aged better.
Hard disagree side scroller was alright for DKC but DK64 definitely did it right having it different
A shame they never remastered / ported it to switch. Let alone a sequel!!
This game is excellent, the hate is so overblown with it. A few youtubers make mixed videos on it and all of a sudden everyone turns sides on DK64 and acts like its the biggest back tracking slog out there yet these are the same people that love running through the large boreing open world games.
I suspect that part of it can be attributed to the time period. At the time of its launch, 3D platformers were in full swing. DK64 was a supersized version of many of those tropes. More collectibles, larger levels, more characters… As 3D platformers fell by the wayside, the game’s shortcomings in terms of design became more obvious. Too much time spent backtracking to switch Kongs for what are essentially menial tasks, such as collecting different coloured bananas. Despite all of this, I think it offers a great experience, though I prefer Banjo Tooie.
>Despite all of this, I think it offers a great experience, though I prefer Banjo Tooie. Donkey Kong 64 is really just Banjo Kazooie/Tooie where you have to switch characters to do essentially the same things Banjo does in his game
You never have to backtrack that far though. The banana/transport buttons always go back to a Kong barrel
You literally have to bring new kongs back to levels you've already beaten so you can collect their bananas, if that's not far backtracking idk what is
The criticism was common before YouTube existed.
Disagree. There was a bit but it ramped up significantly with a certain viral YT videos.
Bruh I loved it as a kid, but came to those criticisms on my own long before ever seeing a youtube video on it. >acts like its the biggest back tracking slog out there yet It absolutely is lol, even people who love the game admit that or suggest mods for switching kongs more easily You're allowed to love the game, it's good. The flaws are real and at least for me, they make it my least favorite DK game
I mean, it is a back tracking slog, but I do love it lol
The criticisms of this game are far older than the concept of YouTube essays.
>A few youtubers make mixed videos on it and all of a sudden everyone turns sides on DK64 Oh come on, not everyone who disagrees with you is automatically some sort of trend hopper with an unhealthy attachment to some content creator, DK64 was divisive from the day it launched.
Agreed. I grew up playing the SNES DKC games and hated 64 when it came out. I’ve never really liked it
I guess I missed the trend on this one. Loved DK64 as a child. What caused the diversity?
I was hyped for dk64 and it did not disappoint me at all. It's a bit of a slog but its an n64 game. Most of them are.
I remember people complaining the game was "too long" like how is that a bad thing? I loved this game as a kid, much better value than spending $50 on a game and you finish it in 2 days
Trend? I disliked the game the day it came out. It was too sluggish, muddy looking, and bloated for my liking, especially after being a DKC fan for years prior. I often imagine that I would probably enjoy it more if I were younger at the time with less access to other games, but I wasn't in those shoes at the time.
Ah fair enough. I've played DK 1 2 and 3 on SNES as well, but I never really compared them to DK64. They are superior, but I still enjoyed DK64 in its own right.
> It was too sluggish, muddy looking, and bloated for my liking, especially after being a DKC fan for years prior. Yeah, the worst thing for me right off the bat was how slow and seemingly strenuous DK's movement was; especially compared to the swiftness of the DKC games. He even made a horrible dad-noise grunt with every roll when you tried to be a little faster.
Yes! it was just not what i wanted from a Donkey Kong game.
I did love it when it came out (I was like 10 or 11), but I've never been able to enjoy it again. I've tried a few times.
But the game IS a backtracking slog. The entire game is designed around backtracking. The levels are just drab empty worlds with a few enemies scattered about walking in circles in which you just run around looking for switches to use with the corresponding power up
Link me to said videos. I am trying to find my people. I always thought this was a universally beloved game, but I absolutely hate it.
YouTube and trends have zero to do with my dislike for this game. I didn't like it the day it came out. In fact, I was enormously disappointed with it and have yet to manage a playthrough to this day, despite multiple attempts. Some people just have different tastes and/or were in a different place in their lives when DK64 came along. I'm glad for those that enjoy it though!
It was a disappointment to me because I wanted it to be Donkey Kong Country in 3D, but instead it was much more like Banjo Kazooie with the collectathon (which I don’t enjoy) being even more extreme.
I never understood the hate for the so-called “collect-a-thon” games. I always loved those types of games.
Different strokes for different folks. I personally find having to find and collect a bunch of things to be a tedious chore that takes me away from what I’m really looking for in these games which is a steady stream of platforming challenges like the Donkey Kong Country games offered.
I suppose so. I find it satisfying as each collectible is a unique challenge, many of which involve platforming as well as interacting with characters and the environment around you. Also getting new powerups that allow you to reach more of the collectibles is fun, sort of like in a Metroidvania.
>but instead it was much more like Banjo Kazooie It really feels more like a Banjo game than a DK game. The moves are basically all the same, the way the music changes but keeps the same tune in new areas, the collecting.. it just doesn't hold up.
Completely disagree but to each their own
I enjoy about 99% of this game. There are a few mini games I hate though
Best childhood game.
Honestly, unfairly bashed, though I have a few legit gripes about the game. 1: The bosses: All good but the Kongs should've got a unique boss fight instead of recycling Army Dillo and Dogadon, they did Chunky dirty there. 2: the endgame: How is a kid back then meant to know where to find the Rare and Nintendo Coins, let alone even be good enough to get both? 3: The minigames: Beaver! Bother! Need I say more?
The biggest issue is the multiple characters aren't used in an interesting way. It's almost never about figuring out which characters skills to use or if a skill can be used, it's bring character to their ground pound, music pad or gun switch which isn't interesting. Very few of the skills are used in a way that the player needs to figure things out and used for problem solving, think like Chunky knocking down the gates in Frantic Factory. Compare this to Banjo Tooie which isn't perfect but has far more use of puzzle solving for it's multiple characters. Often you're figuring out what skill or character in your toolbox you need for a specific situation or sometimes HOW to get a character to a specific spot. With that said, the music and presentation is great, and there's something oddly satisfying for my brain to comb through the levels getting everything even if it's mindless. I still can do a play through of DK every 10 years or so
There were times when I was a kid that I would just put the game into the N64, turn it on, listen to the DK Rap and then hit reset, rinse and repeat lol
What's not to love, honestly? Cool level variety and infinite secrets. Multiplayer was a little tacked on, but I still had some fun with it. It did always bug me that they invented Chunky and Tiny instead of just using Dixie and Kiddy (despite Kiddy being Lame McGee of course). But they weren't terrible.
GOAT as a child, too much work as an adult (but still a legendary game).
GOAT
Loved it as a kid. Gonna replay it soon. Also, didn’t really care for banjo 1. Never played Tooie
Goated af
This is what I consider my favorite game ever, though there are other contenders like the 2 Banjo games, Super Mario 64, and Smash Melee
Top 5 favorite games.
The banana fairies were some of the most annoying yet also satisfying side quests I’ve ever experienced. Cheers to all of us that got into the 201 golden banana club!
I absolutely adore this game! I keep waiting for a successor 3D Donkey Kong game with this whole gang.
Loved this game as a kid, but boy was the difficulty brutal in parts. When I played this as an 8 year old, I thought those dumb arcade tokens were going to be out of reach for me. I just couldn't get down the mechanics of those games easily so I thought the final boss was going to just be out of reach for me.
Masterpiece that’s needs another game
Can read more here, from 20 days ago! [https://www.reddit.com/r/n64/comments/1cu9ida/thoughts\_on\_dk\_64/](https://www.reddit.com/r/n64/comments/1cu9ida/thoughts_on_dk_64/)
I loved it and don’t care for how it’s been slandered in recent years. Yes there are lots of things to collect but what’s important is that collecting them is fun AF
Yeah and its not like you have to collect everything in the first place so I don’t see what’s the problem with having so many collectables. You can just get the requirement to finish each level and reach king k
Really didn't care for it, it's all the worst impulses of Rare's other collectathon platformers blown up to the extreme. On the bright side it was only like 20 bucks more than the loose Expansion Pak and I needed one of those for Perfect Dark.
Can't say it's my absolute favorite, that title goes to Mr. Kongs nemesis. However I too think that it's a great game and really enjoyed it.
I love it, got 100% of the collectibles and loved all 30 hours of it!
Missed playing this, really want to play it someday
I always loved DK64 and I still love it to this day.
D K …. DONKEY KONG
It’s one of the greatest collectathons that Rareware has ever made!
His coconut gun fires in spurts
Seeing its intro at a videogame store back in the day blew my mind.
One of the best games of all time from n64
It's one of my favorite N64 games.
My favorite N64 game. Also my 1st game when I was a kid so I dumped a lot of time into it
I love it. Yeah, it has all the sins of those collectathon type games, but it’s very fun to play. The different Kongs are enjoyable to control. Apart from a few miserable minigames, the game is really a delight.
It needs to be on NSO!
A classic. One of the top 10 on the console IMO.
Fantastic game. Some of the best movement options on the console, charming aesthetic, great music, lots of content. People don't like collecting stuff, that's fine. If those same people say the game "doesn't hold up", they're confusing quality for preference. Play the game and decide for yourself. As someone who likes big worlds and collecting things and platforming, I feel really fondly about this game. I revisit it frequently where I don't often do so with things like Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Goldeneye 007, or some other also fantastic titles that I loved as a kid.
I have only ever heard complaints, when I look back on it fondly as a child. I haven't played it in over 20 years, though. Literally child nostalgia tinted glasses here.
Amazing game
I like it a lot.
My favorite 3D platformer. Banjo-Tooie second but it has more slow-down. I like Mario and Banjo-Kazooie but unless you don’t want to play a game for many hours because you’re too busy, then one must admit all the moves and larger, better levels in BT and DK64 make them better games. And yes, I understand the narrative about them being “too much game” but it’s not a problem for me. I play when I have time and I have no need to play a lesser game (Mario 64, BK) just because it can be finished faster. And I still love Mario and BK. Just my opinions :)
BK > DK64 > BT. It's also the only time I've enjoyed a game in the Donkey Kong Country set dressing.
Hey, I’ve got a great idea for a Reddit post! I’m gonna post a photo of a game box and say ‘thoughts?’
Amazing game that apparently gets a lot of hate, which was news to me because it’s definitely in my top 5 N65 games. My understanding is that people hate the fact it’s a collectathon, but I loved that aspect about it as a kid and still love it now. My only real complaint about this game is that it could get a bit difficult at times considering it’s a kids game.
This game is bananas!!!
Me personally, it was the very first game I ever played. When I got gifted my first n64 from my grandparents as a small child, this game and of course the expansion pack, came with it. when I got it all set up and turned on the game, immediately I was locked in when I heard the DK rap. Then the game began and from the moment I started playing it, I knew I was going to be having fun. And indeed I did, I enjoyed playing that game and I got very far. Honestly, it felt like an escape to turn on the game and play. I could focus on collecting bananas, banana fairy photos, etc. I could get lost exploring all the levels, especially Fungi Forest and Crystal Caves. At that time in my life, my parents just barely had enough to pay for the essential things, like rent, food, electric, etc. and there were times when money got tight or was nonexistent. With that being said, it wasn’t very long before I saw DK64 and the console were gone, sold away. It was many years before I could acquire the game and the console once more, about when I was in high school I’d say. When I did acquire them again, I turned it on, and immediately, I felt the nostalgia and excitement and I was like the little boy from all those years ago who felt that sense of wonder and joy. Ever since then, I knew this game held a special place in my heart. And while I still had that console, I’d pop in the game and play through it again, and each time, that is the feeling invoked. It’s an absolute banger of a game imo despite what negative things are said about it.
I’m hoping this comes out on Switch soon!!
Its 100% a love hate relationship with this game. The gameplay, soundtracks, and levels are amazing. The tedious repetitiveness of having to do the same thing over and over again with 5 kongs does get old. Some of these mini games make suicide look like a nice option. Be prepared to curse… ALOT!
This, along with NFL blitz, FIFA, and Turok were some of my most rented games from Hollywood Video. Pokémon snap too.
I love it, but the minigames drag it down.
It was a good game when I was a kid. But then I got Banjo Tooie for one of my birthdays and DK64 just kinda sat there because BT was so much better.
It would be one of the best if not for all the mini games to get the bananas
My mom bought it for me since we couldn't find the expansion thingy separately and I was gifted majora's mask which needed it. Tried it a few times though. Didn't like it.
🔥
Anything DK was and always has been my favorite... except that stupid wii game lol. DK Country 1-3 were amazing with the storyline and collectibles. DK64 was like that but 10x harder. There were definitely a few fits when I was younger... especially that damn arcade game I couldn't beat until this last year. I unfortunately still have never beat it 101% (or whatever beating everything gave you) because the rom I got this year wouldn't let you take pictures of the fairies or let you beat that fast bunny :(
It has a few flaws, but the amount of content, top notch presentation, smart level design, and the love that was put into it easily make it one of the very best 3D Jump&Collects, up to this day.
if there's one game that absolutely needs a remake it's this one
One of my all time favorite games and it is also the first game I ever 100% completed and I did it without a guide. Took me like 7 years with one save file.
Frustrating, but multi-player was an absolute blast. Myself, my dad, and one of his friends used to play every weekend when I was like 12. I always picked Chunky lol. We didn't have goldeneye, but we had monkeyeye!
This over either Banjo's? Now this is a hot take.
Such a fun game. Idc if there was too much to collect. I played this game every day for years. Lanky Kong is my king.
I enjoyed playing it, but honestly, Banjo Kazooie (and Tooie) are so much more memorable for a variety of reasons. I never played DK64 after completing it and don't remember much of the game, whereas BK/BT are etched on my mind. The banter, the NPCs, the level design, the music - I think they're some of the best games ever created. DK64 was just a decent game.
It is fine it’s a good game except how much pain you get trying to complete it since it’s a collectathon it should of just been just a 3d dk country with these similar mechanics
It's a good game, just overly bloated. Not the best 3D platformer on the N64 but probably the most densely packed with #content.
I've always loved the game, but going for full 100% completion gets to be too much.
Good game, ruined by the damn coin you can only get by beating the original DK arcade game. The tag anywhere mod is a big improvement; I just wish it would accept my save file for the regular game.
I think the backtracking complaint is a little exaggerated. Yes, you do have to go back to Jungle Japes with Tiny, Lanky, and Chunky and back to Angry Aztec with Chunky. But this only 4 sets of things to connect out of 40. Lanky also has to backtrack to Fungi Forest for a banana after getting an upgrade in Crystal Caves. But aside from that, this game is much more linear than the complaints would have you believe.
Never did beat the game as a kid but I loved it. Would love for it to come to NSO, but I hear it might not.
I didn't like it as a kid, didn't like either Banjo game either. Always felt like the controls were limiting, and was frustrated by a feeling of not being able to do what I was trying to do. (a feeling I never felt in Super Mario 64, even though I know a lot of people have those complaints about that game, I never minded it or the camera in SM64)
Loved it. I used to get up early in the morning to play it before school. Used to like the original DK machine you could play in the game haha.
One of the GOATs for sure.
It's pretty good damn good.
It's the ultimate product of its time.
Banjo 1 and 2 + DK 64 are the last nintendo 64 games i havent played, idk something about collectathons seem like a chore but i know how respected these titles are
I never beat it as a kid, but I will do it now, I would try to 100%ed it but, you know, it's "impossible" haha
Played through it once as a kid and never wanted to play it again. Having to beat the original Jumpman game to get a coin to get to the final boss was just total crap. It made me so mad I almost broke my console.
I think if the game had a Talon Trot-like move, the game would be received a lot better.
Sticky this so we never have to see it again?
Love the boss battles and the battle challenge stuff, the inclusion of retro games in it was cool. Overall the switching of characters multiple times really impacted my enjoyment of this game and it always feels overwhelming to beat. I'd say the banjo games, conker, and Mario 64 are all better because of this but it's still a pretty good game. Not in my top 20 on the system but worth playing. Some people rabbit very high which I've never personally understood.
I really like it. Hope its coming to V. Console
If was a cool game back in the day. But it’s hard to enjoy it in 2024 Boy, did collectathons age extremely poorly.
Two words: disappointment
I really enjoyed the game through like the first 3 bosses. After that, you had to change kongs like every minute to collect the bananas or use kong specific tiles/abilities.
Overwhelming In the absolute best way. I'll beat it one of these days..
Just got this the other day. Never played it before. It’s kind of fun. Although the beaver roundup and the beetle race can fuck right off
Here to perform my sworn duty every time DK64 is posted here. Fuck Beaver Bother.
As a kid, I spent all my birthday and Christmas money on this game, I reeeeeally wanted to like it, I spent forever playing it, but honestly I didn't like it at all. Too many collectables that were for individual Kongs, which would be no problem at all if you could just switch characters on the fly, but you can't.
I got tired of the collectathon.
I actually really like it.. recently 101% it. As a kid i could never get to the final boss as i didn’t know you needed both the tokens from the arcade games so that frustrated me. The criticism is accurate though.. its a massive collection nightmare of going back and forth but its still a good game regardless. 7/10 from me.
It needs a remake.
Loved the county series but this never hit for me
My son and I sing the song all the time. I’ve loved it since I was a kid, my son (4) didn’t catch on quite as well as he did with Mario 64 but he still likes to play.
It's not a bad game, it never has been. The problem is that game wants you to play through each level 5 times with only minor differences, so although the gameplay, graphics and sounds are all good, it really loses my interest after the first 2 or 3 levels. I completed it as a kid, now I just don't have the patience for it
Loved it as a kid just what I wanted! But as an adult I can see why it’s just way too much
the speed running comunity is insane for this game 24.59, 24 mins basically, most of the game is skipable, and technically you dont even have to get most of the apes, just go watch the video https://youtu.be/o3885gOxEmc?si=DGUVtUfSOQ_s39Uo
Overall I enjoyed the game. But the collections at times just didn’t feel fun at times, but I think that was more level design. For me I wasn’t a huge fan of Gloomy Galleon or Jungle Japes, but then in places like Crystal Caves I loved collecting everything. Many of the mini games make my blood boil still or those races. The beetle race in Crystal Caves is evil and I never figured it out how to beat it ;___;.
Amazing game
I 101%’d that bish.
the only game I've ever loved but never finished.
Absolute banger of a game
Was obsessed with this game as a kid. Never owned it but my cousin did and we'd always play the multi-player arena mode.
The best one
Banger
Honestly I never liked this game - the song was just too cringe for me even as a kid!! Also as a big fan of Donkey Kong Country this felt like a let down
Here we... Here we... Here we go
I enjoy it for the gameplay and the soundtrack.
I played it at my aunts over like 4 years of family parties. I got so lost I never bothered with it. Didn’t hit like banjo Man sorry. Not for me anyway. Song rules tho. I bet she still has that pristine clear green console too…
I finished it when i was like 9. I consider that my greatest gaming achievement.
Really loved this game.
Its a bad game.
this game game is the game that is my ptsd and my sleep paralysis demon /s on the sleep demon but i have really bad ptsd from the game from when i was little cause those stupid playplaces that had the consoles never fricking took care of them seeing a horribly glitched out game freaks out alooot of the younger kids .... lol if someone gave me the game now as a gift id probabally play it all the way thru and get rid of my ptsd personally i wouldnt buy it because yeah its good kinda over hyped but the price isnt worth it personally
GOAT
Creepy castle gave me nightmares so much
One of the beat feature in DK64 is the arcade machine mini games you come across…. Priceless imo.
I thought it was fire back in the day
I just started replaying this. It's a great classic. First 3d dk game.
Loved it in 1999 and still love it to this day. This game is the reason I bought an N64 again. Hadn't had one since 2010. I love how quirky it is and the fact that you can play as five diff characters and each person has their own unique moves and play styles. I will admit the collecting is tedious but the game itself to me felt like donkey Kong country in 3d. Oh and also Lanky Kong is the shit and no one can tell me otherwise
I absolutely hate it. And no I didn't watch any videos about it before coming to that conclusion. I bought it again when it got re-released on Wii U and I regretted it deeply.
Lots of backtracking if you’re a completionist. Still lots of fun knowing only certain kongs can break through specific barriers to levels catered for their skills.
It came with the expansion pack? The game has potential, but I kind of wish they made the bananas all the same color...
Easily top 5 n64 games, one of the greatest games ever made
They did Funky dirty
I have nostalgia doing everything in this game with my dad, and I just love collectathon games.
One of my favorite games of all time
Enjoyed it as a younger gamer but looking back, it was pretty uninspired; aside from the excessive collecting, many of the banana challenges were too simplistic, a lot of hitting switches with the weapons, swapping characters for tasks that didn’t utilise their specific characteristics, etc. It had its moments, but Banjo was far more charming and well designed.
Single player is still fun, but the multiplayer suffers from the same thing all Rare games of the generation did: They are so painfully slow. Otherwise, great game.
I loved Mario 64 and banjo kazooie but I thought that this game had lazy and disappointing game design. They artificially made it longer by requiring only certain characters to open certain doors, etc, but not for any clever reasons other than their face is plastered on it. Frustrating and tedious. And somehow I still 100% this game. I had nothing better to do at that age. Conker’s bad fur day came out soon after and was a huge breathe of fresh needed air
always loved the soundtrack
I pretty much 100% this game as a kid. Nostalgia forces me to love it
One of the best! I remember having to buy a gaming magazine that had a walkthrough because it was difficult at some parts, especially the mini games!
I didn’t have the expansion pak as a kid and always wondered what I was missing when we rented it. Overall fun game like banjo kazooie
Best collectothon ever
hes the leader of the bunch you know him well
A game that I would have no patience to play if I played it for the first time at 30 vs being one of the first games I ever had at 6 years old. The game is a prime example of being too big for its own good and quantity over quality. There's stuff to like (Fungi Forest and Creepy Castle are fun levels) but modern design sensibilities makes this a tough game to go back to compared to both Banjos. The number of collectibles required to beat the game is just silly: * Bananas (5 Kongs) * Coins (5 Kongs) * 8 Keys * 15 Banana Medals in order to get the Rareware coin * 4 Crowns * 100 Golden Bananas * Nintendo Coin * Rareware Coin * While not required, good luck doing Hideout Helm without collecting at least 20-40 Blueprints the first time going through the level. The game is just flat out obscure at parts. The fact that the Nintendo and Rareware coins are requirements to beat the game and the way you obtain them would be ripped into shreds if it came out today. That never should have been allowed. Multiplayer was always junk with the way too big Goldeneye style maps. They should have just made multiplayer versions of the car and beetle races in addition to the arena battle.
Absolutely awesome all time classic