Nintendo has added Donkey Kong 64 to the Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics app for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members, bringing Rare’s sprawling 3D platformer from 1999 to modern Switch hardware.
Background
Donkey Kong 64 was developed by UK studio Rare and originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999.
The title is notable for its large hub-based levels, multiple playable characters, and expansive collectible-driven design.
The new availability on the Nintendo Switch platform arrives through Nintendo’s Nintendo Classics range for subscribers who have purchased the Expansion Pack tier of Nintendo Switch Online.
What Nintendo announced
In a Nintendo of America post on June 4, 2026, the company confirmed the game’s addition to the Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics app.
Nintendo said players can control five members of the Kong family — Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Tiny Kong, Lanky Kong, and Chunky Kong — as they work to defend DK Island from King K.
Rool and his Kremling forces.
The announcement emphasized that the title is now accessible to eligible Nintendo Switch Online subscribers via the N64 app.
Why it matters
Donkey Kong 64 represents a landmark N64-era platformer from Rare, a studio recognized for its influence on the late 1990s console generation.
Bringing the game to Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack preserves an important piece of Nintendo 64 history and gives a new audience access to one of the system’s most ambitious 3D platformers.
How to access
The game is available through the Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics app, which is part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription.
Subscribers should ensure they have an active Expansion Pack membership to download and play N64 titles offered in the Classics range.
Verified details
- Original release: 1999 (Nintendo 64)
- Developer: Rare (UK studio)
- Current availability: Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics app on Nintendo Switch via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack (announced June 4, 2026)
For collectors and platformer enthusiasts, Donkey Kong 64 on Switch Online offers a practical way to revisit Rare’s large-scale N64 production without original hardware, while keeping the game accessible within Nintendo’s subscription ecosystem.
Background
Donkey Kong 64 was developed by UK studio Rare and originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999.
The title is notable for its large hub-based levels, multiple playable characters, and expansive collectible-driven design.
The new availability on the Nintendo Switch platform arrives through Nintendo’s Nintendo Classics range for subscribers who have purchased the Expansion Pack tier of Nintendo Switch Online.
What Nintendo announced
In a Nintendo of America post on June 4, 2026, the company confirmed the game’s addition to the Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics app.
Nintendo said players can control five members of the Kong family — Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Tiny Kong, Lanky Kong, and Chunky Kong — as they work to defend DK Island from King K.
Rool and his Kremling forces.
The announcement emphasized that the title is now accessible to eligible Nintendo Switch Online subscribers via the N64 app.
Why it matters
Donkey Kong 64 represents a landmark N64-era platformer from Rare, a studio recognized for its influence on the late 1990s console generation.
Bringing the game to Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack preserves an important piece of Nintendo 64 history and gives a new audience access to one of the system’s most ambitious 3D platformers.
How to access
The game is available through the Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics app, which is part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription.
Subscribers should ensure they have an active Expansion Pack membership to download and play N64 titles offered in the Classics range.
Verified details
- Original release: 1999 (Nintendo 64)
- Developer: Rare (UK studio)
- Current availability: Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics app on Nintendo Switch via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack (announced June 4, 2026)
For collectors and platformer enthusiasts, Donkey Kong 64 on Switch Online offers a practical way to revisit Rare’s large-scale N64 production without original hardware, while keeping the game accessible within Nintendo’s subscription ecosystem.