Diddy Kong Racing

Overview

Diddy Kong Racing is a racing game for the Nintendo 64, developed by Rareware and released in 1997. Diddy Kong racing made its way into the Guinness Book of World Records due to a staggering 800,000 copies being ordered in the two weeks prior to Christmas 1997. Diddy Kong racing allows the player to choose between three vehicles; car, hovercraft and plane and includes Adventure, Battle and Racing modes in a similar style to Mario Kart 64.

Character select menu

In Adventure mode, Diddy Kong receives a distress call from one of his friends, Timber the Tiger. Timbers parents have gone on vacation and left him in charge of the usually peaceful island they live on. However, unfortunately for Timber and his friends, an evil pig wizard from outer space called Wizpig has dropped in to ruin Timbers fun. Wizpig wants to take over Timber's Island and claim it as his own by conquering all of the islands race tracks, as he has done on his home planet Future Fun Land. Hearing the news, Diddy Kong recruits his friends Banjo the bear and Conker the squirrel (this game is actually the first appearance of Conker the squirrel) and heads over to Timber's Island whilst Timber enlists the remaining inhabitants of the island. They then join forces to go up against the evil Wizpig. Wizpig, however, has been doing some recruitment of his own, and has turned the islands four guardians Tricky the Triceratops, Bubbler the Octopus, Bluey the Walrus and Smokey the Dragon into his henchmen. Diddy and his friends must race against Wizpig and his friends and complete all of their challenges to prevent Wizpig taking over the island for good.

The evil Wizpig

The gameplay takes place in various worlds on the island, each containing several race tracks, a battle stage and race against one of Wizpigs henchmen. Diddy and his friends must eventually defeat Wizpig in a race, causing him to flee back to his home planet Future Fun Land. Uncertain that Wizpig won't return to try and take over the island again the characters follow him to his home planet for the final showdown where victory blasts Wizpig off on a rocket into distant space never to be seen again.

Characters

Playable

• Krunch the big male Kremling
• Diddy Kong
• Drumstick the Big Rooster (unlockable)
• Bumper the Badger
• Banjo the Bear
• Conker the Squirrel
• Tiptup the Turtle
• T.T. the Stopwatch(unlockable)
• Pipsy the Mouse
• Timber the Tiger

Non Playable

Taj the Genie

• Wizpig the giant alien Pig
• Tricky the Triceratops
• Bluey the Walrus
• Bubbler the Octopus
• Smokey the Dragon
• Taj the elephant genie who helps you out throughout the game.

Game Areas

The open world was split into five game areas, each with four tracks, a boss event, and a multplayer combat minigame.

Dino Domain

• Ancient Lake
• Fossil Cannon
• Jungle Falls
• Hot Top Volcano
• Boss: Tricky the Triceratops

Snowflake Mountain

• Everfrost Peak
• Walrus Cove
• Snowball Valley
• Frosty Village
• Boss: Bluey the Walrus

Sherbert Island

• Whale Bay
• Crescent Island
• Pirate Lagoon
• Treasure Caves
• Boss: Bubbler the Octopus

Dragon Forest

• Windmill Plains
• Greenwood Village
• Boulder Canyon
• Haunted Woods
• Boss: Smokey the Dragon

Future Fun Land (Accessible after beating Wizpig the first time)

• Spacedust Alley
• Darkmoon Caverns
• Spaceport Alpha
• Star City
• Boss: Wizpig