Overview

Number of Players
4
Genre
Release Date

Nintendo 64

  • US 24th Nov 1997
  • EU 21st Nov 1997
  • JP 21st Nov 1997
Also Available On
Tags
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org

Reviews

  • Review Diddy Kong Racing (Nintendo 64)

    A Rare treat, or will it drive you bananas?

    For fans of Nintendo kart racers, 1997 has to go down as one of the greatest years in the history of the genre. Not only did it witness the European and North American release of the iconic Mario Kart 64, but Rare also introduced their own challenger to the karting crown with Diddy Kong Racing on the same...

Screenshots 8

Diddy Kong Racing Screenshot
Diddy Kong Racing Screenshot
Diddy Kong Racing Screenshot
Diddy Kong Racing Screenshot
Diddy Kong Racing Screenshot
Diddy Kong Racing Screenshot
Diddy Kong Racing Screenshot
Diddy Kong Racing Screenshot

Diddy Kong Racing Guides

Diddy Kong Racing News

About The Game

It's an island takeover when the evil space wizard, Wizpig, discovers Tiger Island!

After the islands prized racetracks become sealed up, Timber Tiger contacts his friend Diddy Kong to help him reclaim the racetracks and save the island before his parents return. Along for the ride are the Kremling spy Krunch, Bumper Badger, Banjo (prior to meeting Kazooie in Banjo-Kazooie), pre-sweary Conker, Tiptup Turtle, and Pipsy Mouse.

Diddy Kong Racing is a racing game with similarities to Mario Kart 64, in that you race with a variety of cheery racers while using weapons. However, the similarities end there. DKR includes an adventure mode, which features bosses, an overworld to explore, many hidden secrets, the addition of hovercrafts and planes, and a unique way of racing called the "Silver Coin Challenge". In this mode, in addition to coming first, you must also find the eight Silver Coins deviously hidden throughout the courses (some in alternate paths).

The game also features a strategic method of using weapons. Each colored balloon on the track matches a specific weapon, and collecting the same type of balloon multiple times in a row powers it up (to a maximum of three times). This gives the player the choice of snatching every balloon available and using it immediately, or storing the existing weapon, and using a more powerful version of it later.

Up to four players can compete in the races, but in order to play new tracks, they must first be unlocked in the single player game. There are also four battle modes of play - two standard deathmatch maps, a capture-the-flag style battle where you must nab eggs and hatch three of them in your home nest, and another where you must be the first to return ten bananas to your treasure chest (with the limitation of only being able to hold two at any one time).