Diddy Kong Racing - NTNDO64.com

Developer: Rare, Ltd. Publisher: Rare, Ltd.

Released: November 24, 1997 Rated: E 9/10

It’s disingenuous to say that Diddy Kong Racing still carries the stigma of not being Mario Kart nearly 30 years after its original release. What was once an unwelcome comparison between two titles in the same genre, on the same system, released less than 12 months apart has evolved into a rising tide that lifts all boats as the classic kart racer remains a beloved genre when done with integrity and dedication. Both of these qualities are, of course, in abundance when it comes to Rare and their N64 output — or at least it was the first time they made a kart racer on the system. And a revisit to Diddy Kong Racing showcases it as much for its complementary features as it does for its overlap.

It’s a given that Diddy Kong Racing doesn’t have the brand power that Mario Kart has, but assuming anything else about it in comparison to other kart racers is a disservice to it. It’s actually funny to think it’s gained so much recognition in its roster of playable critters since its release, with Banjo the bear and Conker the squirrel helping to fill out the ranks with some characters to latch onto. Of course, while a lot of games in the genre sort of get made so that they can feature established or licensed characters, there’s lots of fun to be had with critters like Timber the tiger or Tiptup the turtle. The vibes are overall pretty strong up to and including the big bad, WizPig, a porcine magic-wielding alien who towers over everybody else and races on foot in his challenges. Only the ever-present Taj, an elephant genie with an Indian accent, struggles with the vibe check upon a revisit, and that’s mostly because Rare hardly, if ever, outsourced beyond their Leicestershire offices for voice work.

Where Rare really shines with Diddy Kong Racing, and why I personally consider it one of, if not my favorite in the kart racing genre, is its gameplay, which holds up to the standards of originality and polish that the company is known for. This includes a stellar single-player campaign that makes it considerably more appealing for solo players than some other titles, While Timber Island may not be the most extensively-populated piece of real estate to serve as a hub world, the structure of the campaign itself is extremely well-crafted with credit in particular to the difficulty curve. Dominating early bunny-slope tracks, then being sent back out to collect silver coins along the way is a great method of encouraging players to learn track layouts while mastering the finer details of the racing itself, and pays off further way later in the game when revisiting them again for a real challenge. Boss races and other challenge races pad things out and keep things interesting while the track design ratchets up.

The accompanying set dressing and presentation doesn’t quite match up with some similar titles, admittedly, but the steady balance and increase in intricacies really does pay off when it comes down simply to good gameplay. And this is increased further by mechanics like offering plane and hovercraft races as well as traditional karting. The different handling and approach to racing really fleshes out the need for practice and precision, as the behavior of each vehicle differs from each other in small but important ways. Add in the deeper strategy of item pickups, which are familiar in design, but have added levels of power upon picking up multiples of the same one, and Diddy Kong Racing starts to feel like the connoisseur’s kart racer amongst late ‘90s examples of the genre, with even more examples of tricks and strategies to refine for yourself.

This all comes in a nice little package that, while a bit bright and saccharine, and lacking the same brand power as mentioned earlier, fits the kart racing genre quite nicely nonetheless. Tropical, snowy, prehistoric, island, space, and medieval village/forest are the archetypes, and experienced Rare composer David Wise puts together an excellent soundtrack full of catchy and cartoony tracks that fit the style perfectly. They may be a little heavy handed for listening outside of the game, but they certainly do the job in a Saturday morning adventure like this one. Multiplayer and battle modes that offer all the fun and strategy of the gameplay, especially given the option to take on most of the tracks with all three vehicles for added variety.

Diddy Kong Racing will not make its mark on everybody looking for a kart racer to go back to as your primary multiplayer option. Mario Kart is the more obvious crowd-pleaser, Crash Team Racing is the go-to for changing up platforms, and there are more serious racing titles if it all comes off as too cutesy in the end. But if you truly enjoy the tropes of a kart racer and want the best gameplay option, Diddy Kong Racing has every chance to prove its worth.

Continuing Legacy

In spite of deserving and having a clear path to a true sequel, Diddy Kong Racing never got a full console follow-up, largely due to Rare’s purchase by Microsoft in 2001, which prevented the continued use of the Kong characters they had used so successfully throughout the SNES and N64 eras. This prevented the release of Donkey Kong Racing and other proper console releases, though the GameBoy Advance title Banjo Pilot did reach the handheld in 2005, and a remake, Diddy Kong Racing DS, was released in 2007.