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DEVELOPER
Nintendo
PUBLISHER
Nintendo
AVAILABLE
Now
MEDIUM
Cartridge
PLAYERS
Four
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 t's
been a rocky road for the N64 at best. While there have been a couple great
games, such as 007, it seems to have been hit or miss for almost everyone,
even Nintendo, since the machine was released. As of late the company that
seems to be showing others the way is Rare, not only do they have the most
popular game on the system right now, but with Diddy Kong Racing they've
come out of nowhere to take over a genre previously owned by Mario Kart
64. This game is awesome.
Diddy Kong Racing, as I said before, is basically MK64 only done better.
Although Rare didn't have the star power to draw from like Nintendo does,
there are a few familiar faces in this one. Diddy ('natch) and Krunch from
the Donkey Kong Country series, Banjo from Rare's upcoming Banjo Kazooie
game, and Conker from the upcoming Conker's Quest. Also included are a
plethora of original characters, Timber the tiger, Pipsy the mouse, Bumper
the badger and Tiptup the turtle. As in Mario Kart each character has different
strengths and weaknesses when it comes to racing. Some have quick acceleration
and great handling, while others may have a high top speed and good weight.
Unlike Mario Kart, the stupid second player boost aspect that almost destroyed
that title as a one-player game doesn't rear its ugly head here.
The approach to DKR is a little different than most racing games. Instead
of choosing your course and racing, you are instead dropped into the middle
of a full world with various doors and buildings scattered everywhere.
After learning of Wizpig and his dastardly plan from Taj the wizard, you're
free to roam. You have the option of challenging Taj to three challenges,
and also switching vehicles from your car to a hovercraft to an airplane.
The world is created in such a way that you need to make use of all three
of these vehicles to find everything. After exploring a little, find the
four doors that lead to each 'world'. When you enter the lobby of each
world you'll be faced with a whole new set of doors. There are four races
available in each, at which time you must race and defeat a boss. Upon
defeating the boss, you are sent back to those four races to play the coin
mode. Each track will now have eight coins scattered throughout. You must
gather all the coins and win, plus your competitors are a little faster.
Upon completing this task, race the boss again, winning will gain you a
piece of the medallion, as well as open up the trophy mode in that world.
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Planes are only one of three vehicles at your disposal.
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Trophy mode is basically a points season with the same four tracks,
again, your competitors are slightly faster this time around. Upon winning
each race you gain a balloon, which will allow access to the doors with
higher numbers on them. I know this all sounds somewhat confusing, but
trust me, it's a blast, and keeps you coming back for more. Each track
you open in this adventure mode can also be raced at any time in time trial
or multiplayer mode.
As with MK64, you can get weapons as well. By collecting balloons of
the same color during a race you can power up these weapons up to three
times. You can get rockets, oil slicks, mines, speed boosts, shields and
magnets that allow you to 'attract' yourself to the closest player ahead
of you.
The control in DKR is spot on. Each vehicle handles differently, as
it should. By holding the R button you can do a powerslide, hitting the
brake will really turn you quickly, as well. Three different views are
available as well. Again, all I can say is that this is what Mario Kart
64 should have been.
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Be careful of the waves in the hovercraft, you can
lose control quite easily.
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The presentation is just like MK64. Huge, colorful backgrounds with
overly cute characters. Luckily the characters aren't pre-rendered this
time, which leads to a much cleaner look. The tracks are designed superbly
and look beautiful, as does just about everything. The sound is also excellent,
it changes dynamically depending on where you are in the main world, and
each tune for the separate races fits perfectly. There's a lot of voice
in the game as well, as every boss, TT and Taj all speak to you many times.
Yes, it's still your run of the mill cartridge sound, but it just works
so well in this game.
Many people have complained that this is just a Mario Kart knock off,
and that Rare should have tried something more original. I say they're
wrong. Diddy Kong Racing takes a proven game, does it right and adds a
lot to it. The replay value of this title is immeasurable, and due to the
limited supply, the demand for the product has skyrocketed in true Nintendo
style. The first true must own game on this system, in my opinion. With
007 and Diddy Kong Racing, Rare owns the N64 this Christmas.
-- Greg Sewart
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