March 1st, 2008 by hylian1

Diddy Kong Racing DS is a remake of the original Nintendo 64 hit, Diddy Kong Racing, released in 1997. DKR DS is Rare’s first title on the Nintendo DS and offers practically everything the original did while adding loads of new content and unlockables. But was it enough to warrant a purchase of what could seemingly be the same game released ten years ago? Read on to find out!

General Info: All goes haywire on Timber Island when an evil space swine by the name of Wizpig inhabits the island and rids the peaceful paradise of its champion racer, Drumstick. With the renowned rooster out of the picture, Timber and his friends Bumper the Badger and Pipsy the Mouse send a letter to the Kong family beckoning for help. Shortly thereafter, Diddy, Dixie, and Tiny Kong come to the rescue to aid their friends in their dire need. And thus, the races begin!

Gameplay: The goal in Diddy Kong Racing DS is essentially the same as its predecessor. With the help of Taj the Purple Elephant Genie (who holds training courses and the knowledge to the game’s many unlockables), you race through four uniquely themed worlds–each containing four courses– collecting Golden Balloons in order to progress. Each course requires a certain amount of balloons to be raced and offers up one of three vehicles: a car, hovercraft, or airplane. Which vehicle you will be required to race in is determined by the course’s terrain.

Like the original, coming in first place in each race is an absolute must, as that’s the only way to be rewarded with the sought after Golden Balloons. However, new to each course is the addition of Rare Coins. Rare Coins are used to purchase an array of unlockables from Taj that include everything from vehicle upgrades, brand-new tracks, single-player and multiplayer modes, and even a sound recorder! Though trying to collect the coins while racing to place first can be a difficult task at times, it isn’t absolutely necessary unless you’d like an edge on the competition with the upgrades to your vehicle for better speed, handling, and accelleration. One of the four courses of every world also holds a hidden key, which is needed to open up the Wish Door where you race against T.T. to collect a piece of the T.T. Amulet which is used at a later stage of the game. In the original, the locked doors held special bonus games rather than a race.

After placing first on each course, it’s time to face-off against the boss. Defeating the boss unlocks the second part of the world: the Balloon Challenges. Much simpler than DKR 64′s Silver-Coin Challenges (don’t worry, the Silver-Coin Challenges can be purchased as an unlockable), the Balloon Challenges place you on Taj’s Magical Carpet where you simply pop balloon’s using the stylus and the DS’s touch-screen. There are a total of fifty balloons in each course and trying to pop every single one is insanely difficult, but thankfully you only have to pop enough to reach the Bronze Level. This will award you with yet another Golden Balloon. Doing so for each course will pit you in a second race against the boss who will now grant you with a piece of the Wizpig Amulet that will be required to face-off against Wizpig once all four pieces have been collected. There is one last race against the bosses called the Touch Challenge, but are not required, and thankfully so. They are painfully difficult as you are forced to use the touch-screen in the most god-awful race known to man. But if you can manage to win, 100 coins is your reward. Buf if you choose not to, then sfterwards, it’s a race to collect the most points in the Trophy Challenge. First place in each Trophy Challenge is also a must.

Differences between DKR 64′s Adventure Modes and DKR DS’s are as follows:

*Yellow Bananas replaced by Rare Coins

*Silver-Coin Challenges replaced by Balloon Challenge

*Hidden Keys now unlock doors to race against T.T. rather than the four multiplayer battle tracks

*Boss race against the Triceratops no longer has falling trees, the course wider, and the shortcut has been removed

*Timber Island is essentially bigger

*Taj now has more challenges

*4 brand new courses, vehicle upgrades, track creation, and 2 new unlockable characters

*Many of the racing hazards are removed, making the game somewhat easier

*No voice overs from cutscenes and less cutscenes

The Single-Player Adventure Mode takes approximately 8-12 hours to fully complete, but that’s not all the game has to offer. Where Diddy Kong Racing DS trully shines over the original is it’s multiplayer. Every course that is won in the adventure mode unlocks a new course in multiplayer where you can race and battle against friends via 8 player single-card play, 8 player multicard player, and 2-6 players over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Racing over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is the main aspect that allows Diddy Kong Racing DS to really outshine the original. Using Friend Codes, you can see when your friends are on and offline and even what they’re doing. Be it racing, battling, or hosting a match. Wi-Fi multiplayer (with friends or anyone in the world) offers five different modes of play:

1) Racing, 2-6 players- Be the first to reach the finish line to be the victor

2) Trophy Challenges, 2-4 players- Score the most points in a race that spans four courses

3)Token Tussle, 2-4 players- Race against your opponents to collect five Taj Tokens before they do

4)Wish Races, 2-4 players- Race against friends in either your own uniquely created courses or their’s

5)Battle Tracks, 2-4 players- Face-off to be the last racer standing in Icicle Pyramid or Darkwater Beach, be the first to collect three eggs in a smoldering hot volcanoe, or be the first to collect eight Taj Tokens in Smokey Castle

While the single-player adventure can be a rather enjoyable experience, it’s the multiplayer that really stands out and captivates the game in a most enjoyable way that everyone can really love.

Graphics: The graphics are still essentially the same as they were in the N 64 original. While they may not stand out as much as they would on a television, they are a bit more polished. Each course has been retextured, adding a bit more detail than before. If it’s a drastic improvement that you’re looking for, then you’ll be disappointed.

Sound: The music in the game is still just as charming as it was 10 years ago and even has some new songs added to the mix. The new courses are a jungle themed and include a remixed yet familiar Donkey Kong Countryish theme. Some of the older courses’ songs are entirely different, but match the theme of the level in a much improved away. The sound effects are still great to hear and offer up an endless amount of variety with the unlockable Sound Recorder that allows you to record your very own sound effects. Most disappointing is the lack of voice overs from the characters in-game, but not so much to ruin the experience.

Controls: Probably the biggest issue is the matter of controls. While the airplane and car are simple to use, the hovercraft is takes a lot of getting used to with its quirky movements, making an upgrade on handling a near essential. Otherwise, the controls in the tradition manner are nearly perfect. However, it’s the touch-screen moments that are hard to endure.

Before the beginning of each race, rather than pressing the gas button just as the ‘Ready’ begins to fade, you now had to use the stylus to spin a wheel with the car, twirl a propeller with the airplane, or blow into the mic with the the hovercraft. While blowing into the mic with the hovercraft is relatively easy, having to use the stylus with the car and airplane can be painfully difficult. If it’s the boost you want (which can determine whether you win or lose in most cases) then you’ll have to drop the stylus and get your finger back to the gas button as quickly as possible. A very inconvenient procedure.

If that wasn’t enough, the Balloon Challenges and Touch Challenges against the bosses can be quite the nuisance as well. The Balloon Challenges require you to pop balloons and control the camera at the same time. This procecure makes it difficult to get the angle needed to pop a specific balloon before it’s too late while you pass others by. Accidentally touching a Rare Coin while trying to move the camera prevents it from doing so.

The Touch-Challenges against the bosses are the most god awful touch screen modes… EVER! They’re just must too difficult to control and are not worth attempting. Even if winning does mean you are rewarded with 100 Rare Coins.

Replay Value: There’s so much to do in Diddy Kong Racing DS in the single player mode alone to contain players for many, many hours. Even after the adventures are completed, there’s still the Time Trial, Silver-Coin Challenges, and returning to courses to collect Rare Coins to purchase the large array of unlockables But due to it’s repetitive nature and “collectathon” style gameplay, players may be turned off. But with addition to create tracks with the Wish Mode and the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to race against friends and anyone in the world, the replay value is endless.

Pros and Cons:

+ Better, upgraded graphics

+ Plenty of features

+ Online play

- Lackluster track creator

-Terrible controls at times. Particularly the hovercraft

Scores

Gameplay 8.5: There’s plenty to do in the Adventure Mode that will entertain players for days, but may scare away those turned off by “collect-a-thon’s” who only want an awesome multiplayer experience, as completing the Adventure Mode is the ONLY way to fully appreciate it’s multiplayer goodness.

Graphics 9.0: Hardly much improved over it’s predecessor, but still quite impressive to utilize on the DS handheld. The retextured tracks and more polished visuals give it a more distinct look.

Sound 9.5: Great music and awesome sound effects (can even add your own) create a rather charming atmosphere that’ll leave players whistling easily remembered tunes even when the game is turned-off, but the lack of the Adventure Mode voice-overs is somewhat disappointing.

Controls 6.5: Racing standardly couldn’t be more perfect, but the utilization of the touch-screen to control camera angles, get boosts, and control entire races was implemented terribly and creates a sour atmosphere during the times such controls are necessary.

Replay Value 9.5: The single-player may not last the charm, but with the multiplayer’s many gameplay modes and endless sessions over Wi-Fi, the replay value is essentially endless.

Overall Score: 8.6 ( B )

With 38 different courses (not including custom made courses), Silver-Coin Challenges, Time Trials, Adventure Modes, and endless Multiplayer sessions against friends and anyone in the world, there’s plenty here to keep players entertained for years to come.