Nintendo should remaster Donkey Kong 64

[AuthenticM]

I really loved Donkey Kong 64 back in the day. The game was absolutely massive, with tons of great levels and fantastic music.

However, the game has aged very poorly for the simple fact that switching between the five characters requires going to specific points in the level.

This should absolutely be corrected, as it is such a frustrating design that it overshadows the rest of the game. The remaster should let the player switch at will between the characters at the press of a button. I think this alone would go a long way into making the game a lot more fun.

 

[Lagamorph]

Just so long as they don't use the god awful Smash Ultimate version of the DK Rap.

 

[DOT_mjo]

Best intro to a game ever!

 

[Deleted member 2772]

I wish they would make a brand new Donkey Kong 3D platformer. One of the all time greatest game series in 2D deserves a better 3D movement platformer than DK64.

 

[HK-47]

The game would need a serious overhaul in its collection mechanics. All the kong specific items just kill the pacing

 

[Mekanos]

You would still have to keep swapping characters to collect things like bananas and coins which gets annoying fast.

DK64 just isn't that good of a game. You'd have to reimagine it from top to bottom to salvage it. Some things are best left in the past. Might as well make a new 3D game at that point.

 

[Stopdoor]

I wonder if Nintendo would ever do this. All the Rare classics that got ported or upgraded on GBA or DS were done by Rare themselves. I just feel like Nintendo would only ever bother to remake "their own" games. Porting it is enough for them, I assume they don't care enough to "correct" it because they're not the original creators.

 

[Kaxi]

As far as I remember, DK64 was criticised for its overuse of the collectathon formula even at its launch. So I can imagine the gameplay didn't age well, as even Yoka Laylee was too much for many players.

What we need is a new 3D DK platformer, not a remaster.

 

[eXistor]

If they did, more people would just see how badly designed it is. I really think it's better left alone.

 

[Zoidn]

I'd be up for it I guess. This is one of those games I played a lot as a kid but never managed to finish because I sucked too much at games.

 

[eseqko]

They should remaster Donkey Kong '94 IMO.

 

[dyne]

That's a no from me. It didn't feel like a Donkey Kong game at all. What we need is a Jungle Beat sequel from EAD Tokyo, or a proper 3D platformer that isn't a collectathon.

 

[smart patrol]

It's not a very good game. They should just do a brand new 3D Donkey Kong.

 

[Calamari41]

I enjoyed this game when it came out, and I think that a remaster would be really great, but unfortunately I don't think that this game is beloved enough to be worth the financial investment required to do it.

 

[ClickyCal']

I don't see it ever happening without rare. Way more likely that there is just a new 3d dk made.

 

[Dekuman]

Sure, with the boring shit exorcised out.

 

[Phendrift]

They should honestly just have Retro make an entire new 3D DK after their work on TF

I haven't played DK64 but have not really heard good things about it

 

[JayBee]

Feature length

 

[Windrunner]

There is no salvaging DK64; it's endlessly entertaining to watch in speed runs, just to see how broken the game is but actually playing it is utter misery and being able to switch Kongs with a button press wouldn't change that.

 

[LetalisAmare]

There is no saving this shit.

 

[Veldin]

It hasn't aged poorly, or at all. The insane decision to load every massive level with collectables you can only pick up on one of the five characters was maddening and apparent at release. It's one of the worst designed platformers of its time or any time. Calling it a platformer is almost being generous, considering the amount of time spent running over long stretches of nothing while following a trail of bananas you may not even be able to collect.

 

[Chalphy]

I would prefer they just make a new 3D DK game, than try and restore a mediocre one.

 

[ClickyCal']

The only possibility of a remake is that k.rool's final smash is a hint, like luigu's poltergust. Way more likely to just be a reference.

 

[Baji Boxer]

I really liked what I played back in the day, but never got close to finishing it. It was just too much of that sort of game. Banjo Kazooie was probably the sweet spot on size, for me.

 

[CO_Andy]

how about an actual DK game people have fondness for and is underrated: DK 94

 

[Windrunner]

how about an actual DK game people have fondness for and is underrated: DK 94

Click to shrink...

Best Game Boy game ever.

 

[Kcannon]

Sure, with the boring shit exorcised out.

Click to shrink...

That would be most of the game.

 

[InASnowBoundLand]

Nah. We need to do better. The new generation shouldn't be exposed to racing beetles down a slide while collecting 50 coins.

Just make a new 3D DK game that capitalizes on the best parts of DK64 -- mostly some of its personality. In particular, bring back Lanky Kong which has strong star power and mindshare even today.

 

[SmittyWerbenManJensen]

Eww. No. The game needs to be forgotten.

 

[HibbySloth]

I say skip remastering DK64. There's too much they would need to fix with that game.

Nintendo EPD or Retro should instead make an all new DK 3D platformer. Imagine a game as open and ambitious as Odyssey, but with DK and his crew.

Like, imagine exploring some of the locals in TF in 3D.

 

[FreddeGredde]

Yeah, just a new one. Please let that be Retro's ending to their DK trilogy.

 

[GarthLordOfTheSith]

The game would need a serious overhaul in its collection mechanics. All the kong specific items just kill the pacing

Click to shrink...

The Kong specific collectibles didn't kill it for me. But the horrendous controls did. It felt so much worse than other N64 collectathons at the time. I still liked the game but the controls didn't help anything.

 

[Kirbivore]

Leave it in the grave

 

[Baji Boxer]

I wish they would make a brand new Donkey Kong 3D platformer. One of the all time greatest game series in 2D deserves a better 3D movement platformer than DK64.

Click to shrink...

Yes. You would think a game staring gorillas and monkeys would be prime material for a 3D platformer.

 

[AndreGX]

The best parts of Donkey Kong 64 were when it let you not play Donkey Kong 64

The game is unsalvageable.

 

[LewieP]

No.

There's probably like a hundred games that deserve this more.

 

[Joqu]

I'd be up for it if they fix some stuff, but Mario 64 needs one first imo, with the DS content.

 

[ShinUltramanJ]

No. Remasters shouldn't be wasted on turds.

 

[Flame Lord]

Nah. However after the N64 remasters on the 360, I've been surprised Nintendo hasn't done anything like that.

 

[tatwo]

I liked DK64 more than Mario64. But I would rather take new 3d Donkey Kong game than Remake.

 

[mute]

The mini games kill it more than anything for me.

 

[Dark Cloud]

No. Just make a brand new 3D DK game.

 

[Deleted member 47318]

Remaster the original trilogy instead. Keep everything the exact same, just with actual 3D graphics instead of pre-rendered ones.

Spoiler

Of course, pre-rendered sprites at higher resolutions would be even better

 

[Sylverstone]

Look, I'm all for nostalgia but fuck DK64. Weeks upon weeks pouring over the player's guide as a kid, dealing with bullshit that just feels like padding, BEAVER BOTHER, and to make matters worse, I get stopped dead in my tracks because I couldn't beat arcade Donkey Kong for a stupid coin.

Hard pass.

 

[DrArchon]

I'd be up for it if they fix some stuff, but Mario 64 needs one first imo, with the DS content.

Click to shrink...

Mario 64 DS has a lot of the same problems as DK64 I find.

Namely that I don't want to keep changing characters and I just want to do everything as one character.

 

[InspectaDekka]

Donkey Kong kinda deserves another go at 3D platforming considering Donkey Kong 64 is utter dogshit.

 

[Joqu]

Mario 64 DS has a lot of the same problems as DK64 I find.

Namely that I don't want to keep changing characters and I just want to do everything as one character.

Click to shrink...

You're not wrong, I do think the original version's the tighter experience. For me the novelty of playing as the other Mario characters makes up for it though, while I don't feel any attachment to most of the Kongs.

 

[Mekanos]

Mario 64 DS has a lot of the same problems as DK64 I find.

Namely that I don't want to keep changing characters and I just want to do everything as one character.

Click to shrink...

The difference with SM64DS though is the majority of it can be done with any given character - and when it can't, you're given a Hat to do so.

SM64DS actually takes the DK64 model and vastly improves upon it.

 

[Acetown]

The best parts of Donkey Kong 64 were when it let you not play Donkey Kong 64

Click to shrink...

This, so much.

 

[NuclearCake]

No because the game is terrible in every single way, right down to how it feels to play. You can't really fix it with a remaster. Nintendo would be better off making a new DKC or new 3D DK game instead.