Donkey Kong 64 now available on Wii U Virtual Console

The classic title Donkey Kong 64 is now available to download on the Wii U Virtual Console. The game is priced at $8.00, just like all the other N64 re-releases on the eShop. It's safe to say that DK64 is one of the most wanted vintage titles, and fans have been clamoring for it's reappearance for quite some time.

The 3D platformer includes 5 playable characters, including the titular ape himself. Players are tasked with collecting hundreds of bananas and other items, many of which are quite difficult to reach. Each of the playable characters has their own unique set of moves and abilities, and you will need to make use of all them in order to achieve a rating of 101%.

Doing so is no easy task, and it will take you quite some time to collect everything, let alone beat the game. If you are a fan of collectathon platformers, DK64 should be right up your alley. Be warned, though, Donkey Kong 64 does have a reputation for overdoing the whole collecting thing, and it may be overwhelming for even the most hardcore gamers to play to completion. Nevertheless, there is still a lot of fun to be had for gamers of all ages.

I would like to point out that the arcade version of the original Donkey Kong game makes an appearance in playable form, which is a special treat since Nintendo has continuously re-released the inferior NES version many times over the years.

I would also like to point out that Jetpac, a classic game created by developer Rare back in the '80s, is also featured in Donkey Kong 64, and it makes an appearance in this Virtual Console re-release. It seems that any legal issues between Nintendo and Microsoft have been resolved, not that they were preventing the game from being re-released in an altered form.

If you're not familiar with the ape's first and only true 3D outing, you're in luck: You can watch a gameplay video after the break.