*This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Short answer: no, Rare Replay does not include the original 1981 Donkey Kong arcade game. The confusion is easy to understand, though, because Rare worked on several Nintendo-related projects over the years, and people often mix up the original Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Country, and Diddy Kong Racing.
Rare Replay is a 30-game collection built around Rare’s own catalog, so it covers Rare classics and a few licensed titles the company could clear for the package. If you were hoping for the original arcade Donkey Kong, the answer is still no—but the reasons are worth understanding, and they help you figure out what to play instead.
Does Rare Replay have the original Donkey Kong game?
No. The original arcade Donkey Kong is not part of Rare Replay. The current Xbox store listing shows the collection’s included games, and Donkey Kong is not on that list. The bundle does include titles such as Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Perfect Dark, Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo, Viva Piñata: TIP, Jetpac Refuelled, and GoldenEye 007.
That official lineup matters because it shows what Rare Replay actually is: a Rare anthology, not a Nintendo Donkey Kong collection. You can see the current game list on the official Xbox store page.
Why Donkey Kong is missing
The biggest reason is simple: Rare Replay is built around Rare-owned or Rare-cleared games, while the original Donkey Kong belongs to Nintendo. That means the collection was never meant to function as a catch-all archive of every game Rare ever touched.
Officially, Xbox presents Rare Replay as a 30-game Rare collection. Community discussions usually explain the missing Nintendo-linked games as a rights issue, and that is the practical takeaway: if Nintendo does not own the game outright, or the licensing was not cleared for this package, it stays out.
One sentence clears up the common mix-up: the original Donkey Kong is Nintendo’s 1981 arcade game, Donkey Kong Country is a separate SNES platformer series, and Diddy Kong Racing is a different Rare-made game entirely.
Quick comparison
| Game | What it is | In Rare Replay? |
|---|---|---|
| Donkey Kong (1981) | Original Nintendo arcade game | No |
| Donkey Kong Country | Separate Nintendo platformer series associated with Rare | No |
| Diddy Kong Racing | Rare-made Nintendo racing game | No |
What Rare Replay does include instead
If your goal is Rare’s own history, Rare Replay is still a strong collection. It spans the company’s older home computer era through later console generations, and it gives you a lot of Rare’s most recognizable work in one place.
That also helps explain the overall shape of the package. Rare Replay is less about character mascot history and more about Rare’s studio history: platformers, shooters, racers, and arcade-style games that the company can present as its own retrospective.
- Good fit: you want Rare classics like Banjo-Kazooie or Perfect Dark.
- Not a good fit: you want the original arcade Donkey Kong or a Nintendo retro bundle.
- Worth knowing: some licensed titles can still appear in the collection if the rights are cleared, which is why GoldenEye 007 is included even though other Nintendo-linked games are not.
Current availability and platforms
As currently listed by Xbox, Rare Replay is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox Cloud Gaming, and it is included with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate. Because subscription naming and availability can change, it is smart to recheck the store page before you buy or stream it.
Xbox’s original announcement also frames Rare Replay as a 30-game celebration of Rare’s own catalog, which lines up with the way the collection is assembled: it is a Rare anthology first, and anything outside that scope is left out.
You can read the announcement on Xbox Wire.
If you wanted Donkey Kong, what should you play instead?
If what you really want is the original arcade Donkey Kong, Rare Replay is the wrong purchase. Look for an official Nintendo release or classic arcade compilation on the system you already use. If you want Rare’s best-known Nintendo-era work, then Rare Replay makes more sense.
A simple way to decide:
- Want the original arcade Donkey Kong? Skip Rare Replay.
- Want Rare’s own retro hits? Rare Replay is the right collection.
- Want Donkey Kong Country or Diddy Kong Racing? Those are separate games and are not in Rare Replay either.
FAQ
Is Donkey Kong 64 in Rare Replay?
No. Rare Replay does not include Donkey Kong 64, and it does not include the original arcade Donkey Kong either.
Why does Rare Replay include GoldenEye 007 but not Donkey Kong?
Because each title is handled on its own licensing terms. GoldenEye 007 was cleared for the collection, while the original Donkey Kong remains outside Rare Replay’s lineup.
Is Rare Replay worth it if I only want Donkey Kong?
Probably not. If your main goal is the original Donkey Kong, you will be better off buying or streaming a Nintendo-focused classic release instead of a Rare anthology.