Donkey Kong 64 Is Joining Nintendo Switch Online’s N64 Library on June 4

by

This article first appeared on Game Empress on June 4th, announcing that Donkey Kong 64 is coming to Nintendo Switch Online’s N64 library. You can find more gaming news at gameempress.com.

Nintendo has announced that Donkey Kong 64 is now available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack library. The game will be accessible starting June 3rd in North America and June 4th in Japan and other regions. This marks the return of a beloved and classic collecting-focused platformer to Nintendo platforms after many years.

This isn’t a new version of the game, like a remake or a remastered edition, and it’s not only available on a potential Switch 2. It’s the original game from the Nintendo 64, and you can play it using the Nintendo Classics app.

What Tier Do You Need

If you want to play Nintendo 64 games on your Switch, you’ll need a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. The standard Nintendo Switch Online subscription doesn’t include access to these games. The Expansion Pack also gives you access to classic Game Boy Advance and Sega Genesis titles.

If you already have the Expansion Pack, you can play Donkey Kong 64 without paying anything extra.

What Donkey Kong 64 Actually Is

Donkey Kong 64, created by Rare and published by Nintendo, first came out for the Nintendo 64 in 1999. It marked Donkey Kong’s debut in a large 3D world and is still known as a very challenging and expansive platformer from that era.

Donkey Kong 64 lets you play as five different Kongs – Donkey, Diddy, Tiny, Lanky, and Chunky – each with their own special moves and items. To get through the game, you’ll need to switch between them to reach different areas and collect things. You’ll explore eight big worlds, gathering Golden Bananas, colored bananas, blueprints, Battle Arena crowns, and Banana Fairies. The main villain is King K. Rool, and his Kremling crew are back as the enemies you’ll face.

The Expansion Pak Parallel

Donkey Kong 64 was designed to work with the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak, and the two are often linked together. The Expansion Pak was a device that increased the N64’s memory and plugged into the console.

Interestingly, the game that once needed a special hardware add-on now requires a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscription. For those who’ve been playing for years, it’s a fun connection to the past – a neat way the game’s requirements have come full circle after 27 years.

Playing It on Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo 64 Classics app will work on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo has improved the app for the new console by adding a CRT filter, which mimics the look of older TVs, and a Rewind function. While Rewind can help with difficult parts, the games themselves are still the original Nintendo 64 versions.

As a Nintendo fan, I was so excited to find out that the retro Nintendo 64 controller they sell for Switch Online works perfectly with both my original Switch and the new Switch 2! It’s awesome that I can keep using it with both consoles.

Donkey Kong 64 was last officially available on Nintendo systems in 2015 through the Wii U Virtual Console. However, because the Wii U only sold around 13.56 million units, it wasn’t widely accessible. For almost ten years, the only ways to play the game legally were to find the original Nintendo 64 console and game cartridge, or to use the digital copy purchased on the Wii U.

Beyond this specific game, it’s important to consider the larger Donkey Kong series. Nintendo recently released Donkey Kong Bananza, a new 3D Donkey Kong game for the Switch 2, bringing back the 3D style of gameplay. Now, players can enjoy both the original 3D Donkey Kong adventure from 1999 (DK64, available through Nintendo Classics) and this new experience on the Switch 2.

Is Donkey Kong 64 Worth Playing in 2026

It depends on what you want from it.

Donkey Kong 64 is a landmark game – it marked Donkey Kong’s first adventure in 3D and was a technical marvel for the Nintendo 64. It featured diverse worlds, unforgettable boss battles, and a huge amount of gameplay. Even today, its iconic Jungle Japes theme is instantly recognizable to many who grew up playing it.

However, the game also involves a lot of collecting, and it can become repetitive. Each of the five Kong brothers needs to find their own specific items, which means going back to the same places again and again with different characters. As you get further in the game, finding everything can feel like a tedious search through areas you’ve already completed. Compared to today’s 3D platformers, the game moves at a slower pace and requires a lot of revisiting old areas.

If you haven’t tried this game before, it’s definitely worth playing. While the Nintendo Switch Online version doesn’t alter the core game experience – meaning it still feels the same as it did in 1999 – the Switch 2 version offers a helpful rewind feature that makes individual errors less punishing.

Donkey Kong 64 will be added to the Nintendo 64 Nintendo Classics collection on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on June 3rd or 4th, 2026, depending on your location. A membership is required to access it.

Read More

2026-05-29 02:28