Donkey Kong 64 Finally Gets a Native PC Port (With Zero Help From AI)

It is time to warm up the vocal cords for the DK Rap, because the famously massive Donkey Kong 64 has officially landed on PC. A team of talented community developers has released an unofficial, native PC port of the 1999 Nintendo 64 classic, bringing Lanky, Tiny, and the rest of the crew to modern rigs.

According to the development team behind the Donkey Kong 64 Randomiser project, the port was built using "N64: Recompiled," a groundbreaking toolset created by developer Wiseguy. This tool compiles N64 binaries directly into native C code, allowing the game to run smoothly on modern operating systems without the typical performance hiccups of standard emulation.

For a game notorious for its sheer volume of collectibles—and a game engine so notoriously fragile it required the original N64 Expansion Pak just to run—a native PC port is a massive win for game preservation. It means we get high-resolution, buttery-smooth platforming without the emulator jank that has haunted retro fans for decades. Even better? The creators did it all through sheer, unadulterated passion, proudly noting that "no generative AI" was used at any stage of building the native port.

The details

• The foundation: Built using Wiseguy's "N64: Recompiled" project, which recompiles the game's original assembly code into native PC code.
• No shortcuts: The development team proudly confirmed that "no generative AI" was used to create or polish the port.
• The team: Developed and released by the creators of the Donkey Kong 64 Randomiser project.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have a sudden, desperate urge to hunt down 201 golden bananas—and thankfully, I won't need a glitchy expansion cartridge to do it this time.