Donkey Kong 64 is one of those games that just feels like childhood. You start off as DK, swinging around your little jungle island, smashing crates and grabbing golden bananas—because of course there are bananas everywhere. Then, surprise, you unlock more Kongs, each with their own weird little gimmick. Diddy’s got his jetpack, Tiny can shrink, and Lanky… well, Lanky’s just stretchy and kind of hilarious.

The levels are massive for an N64 game, packed with secrets and mini-games that range from barrel blasting to a surprisingly intense arcade shooter. Yeah, it’s a collect-a-thon—some people love that, some hate it—but the sheer variety keeps it from feeling stale. Also, the soundtrack slaps. That DK Rap? Iconic, whether you like it or not.

It’s janky in that late-’90s 3D platformer way, but that’s part of the charm. If you’ve got nostalgia for this era, it’s a time capsule worth revisiting.