Key Highlights:
- Donkey Kong 64 PC port has been announced through a new fan-made recompilation project.
- The native release promises uncapped frame rates, high resolutions, widescreen support and extensive mod compatibility.
- Developers say the project avoids Nintendo’s copyrighted assets and does not rely on AI-generated code.
A group of Donkey Kong 64 fans has announced an unofficial Donkey Kong 64 PC port, bringing Rare’s classic Nintendo 64 platformer to modern systems through a native recompilation project.
Known as Donkey Kong 64: Recompiled, the project aims to faithfully recreate the original game while introducing a range of modern enhancements. Planned improvements include uncapped frame rates, high-resolution visuals, widescreen support, reduced input latency and native support for community-created mods.
Take a look at the video posted on YouTube that showcases the DK64 ported version below:
The developers have also confirmed the port is targeting Windows, macOS and Linux. Like other recompilation projects, players will need to provide their own legally obtained Donkey Kong 64 ROM, which supplies the original copyrighted game assets. The recompilation itself contains no Nintendo-owned assets, a design approach that has become common among similar fan projects.
Mod support is another major focus. At launch, the port will support community modifications, with compatibility planned for features such as Tag Anywhere, which removes the need to repeatedly visit Tag Barrels to switch between the game’s five playable Kongs. Support for the popular DK64 Randomiser is also planned for a future update.
The team behind Donkey Kong 64: Recompiled also took aim at another unofficial recompilation currently in development. According to the announcement, the developers criticised the competing project for relying heavily on AI-assisted “vibe coding”, arguing their own version was built using years of Donkey Kong 64 reverse engineering and backend development experience instead.
No release date has been announced, although the developers say the project is coming “soon”.
I recently just reviewed Donkey Kong Bananza for the Nintendo Switch 2, and said: Its remarkable destruction system forms the foundation for an adventure overflowing with creativity, memorable exploration and constant surprises.
Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, Donkey Kong 64 marked Rare’s first fully 3D entry in the series and became one of the console’s best-selling games. It was also the final Donkey Kong title developed by Rare before the studio was acquired by Microsoft.
The game has only received a handful of official re-releases since launch. It arrived on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2015 before finally joining the Nintendo Classics library on Nintendo Switch in June 2026 after years of fan requests.
