Nintendo has confirmed that Donkey Kong 64 will arrive on Nintendo Switch Online starting June 4. The classic N64 platformer from 1999 will be available to all Switch and Switch 2 owners with an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription.
Developed by British studio Rare, Donkey Kong 64 became a landmark title for its sprawling levels packed with collectibles and its requirement for the N64's Expansion Pak hardware add-on. The game cemented itself in pop culture through one particular piece of audio: the DK Rap, a novelty song that initially drew mixed reactions but has since developed a dedicated following. The track has resurfaced in projects ranging from the recent Super Mario Bros. Movie to multiple Super Smash Bros. soundtracks. Nintendo's official announcement for the Switch release leans into the song's enduring appeal by featuring the DK Rap as its promotional music.
The release adds to a growing library of N64 classics on Nintendo Switch Online. The subscription service now hosts around 40 games from that console generation, alongside such titles as Super Mario 64, Paper Mario, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
The timing of today's news follows last year's launch of Donkey Kong Bananza for Nintendo Switch 2, a platformer that garnered critical acclaim including a perfect 10/10 score. The announcement also arrives as Nintendo fans continue to speculate about the company's mysterious Mario film spinoff scheduled for April 2028, with some theorizing it could actually be a Donkey Kong feature.
In an oddly fitting coincidence, the announcement comes exactly ten years after the death of Harambe, the gorilla whose viral legacy has persisted across internet culture since 2016. Whether intentional or accidental, the timing marks a quirky footnote to the day's news.
Author Emily Chen: "Donkey Kong 64 remains a fascinating artifact of late 90s platformer design, warts and all, and the DK Rap's rehabilitation from meme to genuine cultural touchstone is one of gaming's great redemption stories."
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