Donkey Kong 64 Recompilation

About

Donkey Kong 64: Recompiled uses N64: Recompiled to statically recompile Donkey Kong 64 into a native port with added features, with RT64 as the rendering engine. It is not an emulator and only accepts the US N64 release of the game. The project and its releases contain no game assets.

How it differs from the original

Adds play at any framerate, widescreen and ultrawide support, adjustable stick deadzone and axis inversion, and an in-game config menu. N64 graphical effects are rendered as originally, and loading is described as near instant. The project is not based on decompiled source code, though it uses headers and some functions from the decompilation project for its modifications.

Getting started

Prebuilt binaries are in the project's releases and building is not required, but you must supply the US Nintendo 64 ROM of the game; ROMs in formats other than z64 are converted automatically. A GPU supporting Direct3D 12 or Vulkan 1.2 and a CPU with AVX are required. On Steam Deck, extract the Linux build, then in desktop mode add the executable to Steam.

Known issues & limitations

• Very wide aspect ratios can show animation quirks at screen edges in some cutscenes.
• Intel GPUs on Linux may not work.
• The prebuilt Linux binary may not work correctly on some Linux distributions.
• Overlays such as MSI Afterburner and software such as Wallpaper Engine can cause performance issues that prevent correct rendering.
• Overlays such as MSI Afterburner and software such as Wallpaper Engine can cause rendering and performance problems.

What you need to run it

Features

• You can configure gameplay, graphics, input mappings, and audio in the in-game menu.
• The game can run at your monitor's refresh rate by default, or at its original framerate; changing the framerate does not affect gameplay.
• Any aspect ratio is supported, and the HUD can be positioned at 16:9 on ultrawide displays.
• A Linux binary is available for most up-to-date Linux distributions, including Steam Deck.

How to install

1. Download a prebuilt binary from the Releases section; building is not required to play.
2. On Steam Deck, extract the Linux build, add the DK64Recompiled executable to Steam in desktop mode, then return to Gaming mode and configure controls.

Controls

• The in-game menus can be used with a mouse, controller, or keyboard.
• Input mappings can be configured in the in-game menu.

FAQ

What is Donkey Kong 64 Recompilation?

Donkey Kong 64 Recompilation is an open-source recompilation of Donkey Kong 64. The original game's compiled code translated into a native program for a new platform, usually a PC port. The original game ran on N64.

Do I need the original game files to run Donkey Kong 64 Recompilation?

Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy.

Can I choose a different ROM?

No. The project only accepts the US N64 release ROM; other formats are converted automatically if the ROM is correct. It cannot run arbitrary ROMs.

Where is the savefile stored?

On Windows, saves are in `%LOCALAPPDATA%\DK64Recompiled\saves`; on Linux, they are in `~/.config/DK64Recompiled/saves`.