They rendered each sprite from a 3D model on a supercomputer, then copied that image to the SNES ROM. All the SNES did was load the readymade images as needed. No SuperFX chip, but the original DKC carts had more ROM storage than any SNES game before it.
And then Rare claimed they were continuing the memory-maxing shenanigans with DK 64 requiring the Expansion Pack to play, but it was really only to fix one bug that would be hard to run into but would break the game without it. The Expansion Pack does very little to nothing for the game otherwise. According to some former Rare devs they could’ve fixed the bug without needing the Expansion Pack but they decided to require it anyway.
Pre-rendered graphics.
They rendered each sprite from a 3D model on a supercomputer, then copied that image to the SNES ROM. All the SNES did was load the readymade images as needed. No SuperFX chip, but the original DKC carts had more ROM storage than any SNES game before it.
And then Rare claimed they were continuing the memory-maxing shenanigans with DK 64 requiring the Expansion Pack to play, but it was really only to fix one bug that would be hard to run into but would break the game without it. The Expansion Pack does very little to nothing for the game otherwise. According to some former Rare devs they could’ve fixed the bug without needing the Expansion Pack but they decided to require it anyway.
That ended up being a myth. It really does use that extra RAM. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/11/feature_donkey_kong_64_devs_on_bugs_boxing_and_20_years_of_the_dk_rap