To ensure victory, the player has to learn the intricacies of courses like the pirate-themed Treasure Cove, which has at least three shortcuts. By crafting clever alternate paths, Rare endowed the game with surprising depth.ĭuring the Silver Coin Challenges, the player must collect eight hidden coins throughout the track within three laps and still manage to finish first. Courses are filled with daunting hairpin turns, steep drops, speed-boosting strips and shortcuts. In the end, Rare should’ve made more racers.Īs an oddball racer, “Diddy Kong Racing” shines when it comes time to put the joystick to the plastic. Rare, the game’s developer, is a master of the collect-a-thon (“Donkey Kong Country” was its breakout title), so this idea was a natural fit. The collecting aspect works because the sense of incremental accomplishment is addicting, as countless other games have proven. Silver coins are snagged during special races, and amulet pieces are collected after besting each world’s boss in two races. The golden balloons are garnered through racing victories and found while exploring the game’s island overworld. The plot is really just a silly contrivance to provide grounds for the platforming and adventure elements interspersed into the racing gameplay.Īnother distinctive quirk is the game’s focus on collecting objects, from golden balloons to silver coins and amulet pieces. Taj, a thickly Indian-accented blue elephant wearing a turban (really) summons Diddy Kong and his friends (some of whom later star in their own games, like Banjo and Conker) to save their island paradise from Wizpig, an evil porcine wizard. The plot is also woefully vapid, meaning Story Mode fails to live up to its name. Best of all, the wicked track designs and devilish difficulty ensured the game’s longevity.Īt first glance, “Diddy Kong Racing” appears infantile and its cast of colorful cartoon animals with squeaky, child-like voices can grate on the nerves. “Diddy Kong” offered more than just a vanilla racing package - the extra plane and hovercraft vehicles, item-collecting challenges and boss battles brought new life to the format. While “Mario Kart 64” still had the best multiplayer, its single-player modes were shamed by the Story Mode in “Diddy Kong Racing,” a game that has been sorely overlooked.
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January 2023
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