Donkey Kong 64 is a platform game, developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in North America on November 24, 1999 and in Europe on December 6, 1999. The game is a follow up to the Donkey Kong Country trilogy on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Many of the levels are based on levels from the original 3 DKC games, such as the mine carts and the bonus stages. Donkey Kong 64 follows the adventures of Donkey Kong and four of his simian relatives as they try to win back their hoard of Golden Bananas and banish King K. Rool. Players can control all five Kongs in eight individual levels as well as a greater worldmap, a multiplayer mode, and several minigames.
Donkey Kong 64 was the first game to require the Expansion Pak, which provides 4 MB more RAM for enhanced graphics and more expansive environments (the only other game to require the Expansion Pak for any gameplay whatsoever was The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask; all others were optional with the exception of Perfect Dark's limited gameplay). Donkey Kong 64 went on to become a Nintendo 64 Player's Choice title.