Donut Dodo is making another hop into retro territory. A Kickstarter campaign is now live for the Nintendo 64 edition of the arcade-inspired platformer, giving fans a way to support the project and follow its move onto original-style cartridge hardware.
The campaign opened the day before the May 1, 2026 update, and it includes several backing tiers. The key point for N64 fans is that this version is not being treated as a plain copy of the game already available elsewhere. Developer Sebastian Kostka had explained back in January that the N64 release would come with extra features meant to make the project feel worthwhile for returning players.
More Than One Port
The N64 edition is only part of the current Donut Dodo picture. The game is also in the process of being ported to Xbox Series X|S. At the same time, retro versions are being prepared for both Nintendo 64 and Sega Dreamcast, following an announcement shared on Twitter/X.
That spread of systems says a lot about the direction Kostka is taking. Donut Dodo began life in the Godot engine, but for Fantastico he chose to build his own engine instead. His reason was practical: he wanted more control over which platforms he could support in the future, including both modern machines and older hardware.
A Ground-Up Rebuild
To test that new engine, Kostka decided to take Donut Dodo apart and rebuild it from the ground up. That process gave him room to revisit many small things that had been bothering him, including gameplay balance, navigation, sound quality, and sprite review work.
What Is Being Reworked
- Gameplay is being rebalanced rather than simply copied across.
- Navigation is being improved as part of the rebuild.
- Sounds are being resampled for the new version.
- Sprites are being reviewed during the process.
- Bonus features are planned to help separate the N64 edition from the versions already on consoles.
Even with those changes, the message is not that Donut Dodo is becoming a totally different game. The work sounds more like the kind of careful tune-up retro fans often appreciate: familiar arcade energy, but with the rougher edges checked again before it lands on older systems.
There is no firm release date yet. Kostka has only pointed to a “soon-ish” window for the ports. When they are ready, he has said the ROMs will be released through itch.io, while physical versions are expected to be sold through his own website. He has also noted the cost of producing Nintendo 64 cartridges, which explains why the project needs a careful backing route.
Looking further ahead, Kostka hopes to add Mega Drive compatibility to his engine as well. He has also teased that some of his other games, both new and old, could receive similar treatment. For players who enjoy modern indie games finding their way back onto classic hardware, Donut Dodo’s N64 and Dreamcast plans are worth keeping on the radar.
