Metareview - Diddy Kong Racing DS
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Feb 7th 2007 at 6:29PM }
As so many did, my friends and I bought into the original Diddy Kong Racing, which had been hyped as a superior blend of Super Mario 64 meets Mario Kart 64, from the same developer that had won our allegiance with GoldenEye 007 just months before. Diddy Kong Racing wasn't fun (despite mostly bloated reviews). Still, we fell into a self-perpetuating trap of lying to ourselves; reassuring each other of the game's promised greatness. Weeks passed, and Diddy Kong Racing eventually faded away -- but not for good.Rare has remade its N64 "classic" for DS. Despite Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support, Diddy Kong Racing is still lame, further marred by poor DS-specific design choices. Thankfully, critical reception seems to be more on point this time around:
- IGN (71/100) - "[Any] time you're encouraged to touch the lower screen, you can pretty much assume that it wasn't in the original game and created specifically for the Nintendo DS "remake". It's these new DS-centric elements that point to the fact that this is a first-generation DS game handled by a team that's not quite familiar with the platform ... someone really needs to tell Rare that microphone blowing is so 2005. It wasn't a whole lot of fun when developers did it in the Nintendo DS' early years, and it's still not fun now ... unfortunately the development team focused a bit too much on "DS-izing" the product with completely unnecessary and frustrating touch-screen and microphone challenges that disrupt the racing design."
- GameSpot (67/100) - "Diddy Kong Racing DS isn't a bad kart-racing game, but its best feature, the racing, is buried underneath so much unnecessary garbage that some people will find it nearly impossible to enjoy. Had Rare stripped the island setting, toned down the tedious collecting, and tweaked some other minor issues, the game would have been better with less. Instead, it chose to add more and more content, and the game suffers for it. Some of the new additions, such as online multiplayer and the various customization features, make the game more enjoyable, but many of them, particularly the touch-screen controls, make it worse."
- Games Radar (60/100) - "Diddy Kong Racing wants so damn hard to be the next Mario Kart that it hurts our eyes to play it for long periods of time. The racing itself is totally fine (if a little slow), but this simple pleasure is smothered in monotonous collecting and mindless wandering ... For those who remember the Nintendo 64 version from 1997, this is mostly the same game. Back then it wanted to be the next Mario Kart 64, but obviously wasn't. Now, the only thing that's been done to bump its stature is moderate touch screen silliness."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Slaziman @ Feb 7th 2007 6:34PM
I liked the 64 game, but tacked on DS controls? Fuck that.
Chuma @ Feb 7th 2007 8:31PM
What a shame. I played the original to completion and thought it was fantastic, and didn't have the whole "unfairness" factor that Mario Kart has with computer players always behind you no matter how well you race.
Guess I'll just have to whip out the N64 again to play it... oo Excite Bike *throws DKR aside*
NintendoFanbot @ Feb 7th 2007 6:39PM
Too bad, but yeah, the touch screen elements seem unnecessarry if people are using the traditional buttons anyways.
The original was AWESOME. Whatchoo talkin' about?
Granted you had to be a master to even beat Wizpig.
IggyChaotix @ Feb 7th 2007 6:42PM
Anyone that thinks the original Diddy Kong Racing was bad is a friggin moron. I played that game for months on end. Such good memories. Perhaps I'll skip on this version and wait for a (hopefull) Wii shop channel download.
bootsielon @ Feb 7th 2007 6:43PM
I agree with IggyChaotix in the fact that anyone that dislikes the original is a moron. "Bloated reviews" my ass, bloated bloggers.
Probot @ Feb 7th 2007 6:51PM
Personally, I've always though Mario Kart 64 was the superior game, but I have a lot of friends that disagree. It seems the game you play first determines your expectations for the mascot-racing genre.
I even have a friend that swears Crash Team Racing is beter than MK.
Also, I think it's great that game reviewers can complain about the lack of touch screen features in Mario Kart DS and yet complain about the use of them in this game.
I would think by now most people know to expect an unnecessary amount of useless collecting in a Rare game.
wait in the car @ Feb 7th 2007 6:49PM
I didn't like the original much at all.
Sincerely,
Moron
SLiFE @ Feb 7th 2007 6:49PM
I loved the original DKR so much back in the day.
Shame the tacked on DS controls seem to detract from the core gameplay so much.
Jury's still out on whether or not I'll pick this one up.
RDX @ Feb 7th 2007 6:58PM
I agree with pretty much everyone who has already posted. Joystiq, you're being WAY too hard on the original DKR. The game was great. Not as good as MK64 mind you, but solid fun none the less. Haven't played the DS version but the touch screen stuff sounds really lame.
Jason T. @ Feb 8th 2007 12:29AM
I'd give it a 9, personally. It stays close to the original, adding a few extra stuff. The touch screen stuff isn't that bad since there really isn't much.
Besides, the original DKR was a huge part of my childhood, and I thought - and still do think - it's better than Mario Kart 64.
Author X @ Feb 7th 2007 7:02PM
Yes, yes, you're incapable of commenting on something without trying to offend as many readers as possible. We know already.
Naught but stupid commentary on the original aside, it's dissapointing to hear that they tacked DS controls onto it. From what I've heard of the changes, it's actually got quite a few improvements, especially in making the coin-levels not required. Of course, nowadays I don't scoff at a challenge, but seriously, I hated those when it came out >.>
BPM @ Feb 7th 2007 7:05PM
"It seems the game you play first determines your expectations for the mascot-racing genre."
Hmm, I disagree. I played Mario Kart 64 before Diddy Kong Racing, but liked the latter more.
As much as I liked the original, I'm not sold on the DS remake. Wi-Fi and custom tracks are solid gameplay addtions, but the talk of using the Touch Screen and mic for boosts sounds... weird.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but to flatout say the original DKR was a bad game seems like a very misguided opinion. You can dislike a game, and still respect it for the merits it holds (I'm not fond of the Final Fantasy franchise, overall, but I don't hate it, either... just to serve as an example).
Mr Khan @ Feb 7th 2007 7:07PM
I'm surprised Rare had a hand in making this, if they actually did, why aren't Conker and Banjo in there? (unless it is now Microsoft, and not Rare, that owns the rights to both of those)
Either way, i'm not sure "like" would be a good word to describe Diddy Kong Racing 64, a better phrase would be "I have to beat this game to prove that that F*cker Wizpig isn't better than me,"
Roddie @ Feb 7th 2007 7:09PM
Get to fuck with this review, anyone with any sense knows that DKR was far better than MK64. The only reason people liked MK64 was because it had Mario Kart in the title, but really it was a disgrace to the original on the SNES. When DKR came out, it felt like the true sequel to SMK.
rockintom99 @ Feb 8th 2007 10:15AM
Diddy Kong Racing owned, pure and simple. I played that game so damn much, and had a lot of fun the entire way through. It was *way* better than Mario Kart 64 (come on, who *doesn't* love an adventure mode?).
The DS version, though... ehh.
Fatass of Kickassness @ Feb 7th 2007 7:23PM
Probot, Crash Team Racing IS better than Mario Kart. And I promise you that everyone who has played it, EVER, agrees.
Jake @ Feb 7th 2007 7:27PM
I've always loved Mariokart, but can honestly say I never liked Diddy Racing that much. It was decent, not terrible by any means, but not awesome like Mariokart, imo. I always found the younger kids were drawn more towards Diddy and the older ones towards Mariokart.
BPM @ Feb 7th 2007 7:30PM
Mr. Khan...
Rare did make this. While they're exclusive to Microsoft for console games, they have been working on Nintendo handhelds even since they became 100% owned by Microsoft (the GBA ports of the DKC series, two GBA Banjo games, Sabre Wulf, etc.).
As for Conker and Banjo missing... Well...
Conker is no longer the kid-friendly squirrel he used to be (see: Bad Fur Day on N64, and the remake on Xbox).
Banjo is starring in an upcoming 360 game, so Nintendo probably didn't want to advertise a competitor's game.
I still miss them, though. :(
h0mi @ Feb 7th 2007 7:41PM
Crash team racing? Isn't there a "tag" in there? (trying to find in gamely so I can rent it)
Sean @ Feb 7th 2007 7:52PM
I loved the original DKR - way better than Mario Kart 64, which was a huge disappoint for most fans of the original SNES version. DKR was a bizarre game but it was by far one of my favorite N64 games. So, poo on you, Joystiq :)
suresh0t29 @ Feb 7th 2007 9:14PM
I agree. DKR was great. You're a douche.
Morale @ Feb 18th 2007 3:02PM
MK64 and DKR are both great games.
I can remember playing MK64, it has a great sense of speed at 150cc (something I felt Double Dash lacked greatly) and the power sliding was tight.
I didn't understand DKR when it first came out but once you get into it, it almost plays like a 'hardcore' game, one you have to practice a lot to master, like maybe the hovercraft level in Battletoads or Ikaruga. Don't be fooled by the childish character quips in the game, some of the reverse-track Silver Coin challenge races had to be executed perfectly through the whole race to complete them.
Great soundtrack, nice graphics, and an interesting twist on item powerups and powerslides made it an equally great game to play.
Pikachelsea @ Feb 8th 2007 2:37AM
DKR is one of the best games from the N64 era, and certainly a contender with the likes of Mario Kart 64. It was not a bad game. Maybe you just sucked at it.
I will concede that this DS port is nothing close to what it could have been, and I won't be getting it for that reason. I would've considered getting it if:
a) It was not a port. I'm sick of old games being re-made with marginal "afterthought" new content to lure you into buying it. I want a real sequel to the original DKR, not yet another remake. Unfortunately, the promise of Wi-Fi play is enough to convince me to replay a game I've already played to death years ago.
b) It didn't have those horrible, tacked-on and poorly devised microphone/touch screen controls.
c) The graphics weren't so unimpressive. This is far from the most important factor to me, but come on... Mario Kart DS came out ages ago and it looked 10 times better than this. They should have known that the comparisons would be inevitable and at least done SOMETHING to make DKR look like a 2007-quality title.
d) They didn't remove the tight-cornering ability. In the N64 version you could slide with the R shoulder button to do a cornering move, but according to the various reviews I've seen, that has been removed from this DS version. wtf? Why would they do this? Don't mess with a good formula.
Markster @ Feb 8th 2007 1:15AM
Throwing hate on Diddy Kong Racing is not winning you any friends, Joystiq!
required @ Feb 7th 2007 8:39PM
I think the touch screen comments are very very funny.
Steve 3.2 @ Feb 7th 2007 8:40PM
The original DKR on the N64 was a jack of all trades / master of none racing game. While Rare did bring fully polygonal characters and new kinds of vehicles to the kart racing genre, Mario Kart 64 was just more fun. It's a shame that Rare delivered the same game 10 years later without any major improvements. Then again they seem to have been doing that for a while now...
Joe P @ Feb 7th 2007 10:09PM
I'm not sure what you're talking about, the original one was amazingly fun. What I want is for them to release it for the Wii VC. Not some shoddy DS port.
Decoy Octopus @ Feb 8th 2007 12:52PM
What's this nonsense about Mario Kart 64 being a better game than Diddy Kong Racing?
While MK64 is a decent game in its own right, it's marred by the fact that its difficulty was weighed far too low. Whether 50cc, 100cc, or 150cc... the game was not challenging. This in its own right is not damning but combined with the fact that there was so very few modes in the game, MK64 lacked a good deal of replay value. Unless you had friends to constantly join you in multiplayer or enjoyed time trial runs, this game didn't have a lot to offer in the long run.
Diddy Kong Racing, on the other hand, brought quite a bit to the table. It had everything MK64 had plus the adventure and collecting aspects and a much more rewarding time trial system (T.T. challenges, anyone?). And, lest me forget, it included another superb musical score composed by David Wise. Not to say MK64 had poor music, it didn't. DKR simply has a soundtrack that was much more a part of the experience.
No, I'm sorry to say that Diddy Kong Racing WAS and IS fun. I'm disappointed to hear that its DS remake doesn't do its predecessor justice.
bootsielon @ Feb 7th 2007 9:33PM
lol, joystiq's been owned again
I know it's a blog and opinion and blah blah blah but it's a blog where you get paid to be read by millions of the joystiq audience, thousands of commenters and hundreds of fanboys. Insulting a best-selling critically acclaimed game with names that are obviously accompanied by fanboys probably does warrant the aggressive response.
DKR was definitely a great game. I loved MK64. I don't care which is better, both were great, each had its own. DKR had awesome single player missions while MK64 was awesome as a multiplayer game.
Alan @ Feb 7th 2007 9:40PM
Diddy Kong Racing wasn't fun
lol
schiftya2 @ Feb 8th 2007 11:49AM
James Ransom-Wiley, you have no idea what you are talking about. Diddy Kong Racing was an awesome game. I agree with Author X. It seems as though you Joystiq bloggers purposely try to post commentary that will piss the most amount of people off. I think you guys might do it just so that you can create more controversy and maybe get more people to visit your site and comment.
NeoSkye @ Feb 7th 2007 10:33PM
@11 Conker and Banjo were in the 64 title, if they were cut from this release, it's a crime, but it sounds like the tacked on DS controls will be a crime anyways.
BTW James Ransom-Wiley, the dash in the name doesn't mean you can trounce some of the best racing ever. Where's the other Mario Kart style game with hovercraft and airplanes?
madato @ Feb 7th 2007 11:50PM
"Probot, Crash Team Racing IS better than Mario Kart. And I promise you that everyone who has played it, EVER, agrees."
Very true. I played it. It's 10 times better than MarioKart. It's just better tuned and everything.
CTR is to MK as Quake is to Doom. (faster, better controls, awesomer multiplayer)
ntriusbil @ Feb 7th 2007 11:59PM
I gave DKR a shot on the N64 and thought it was a horrible, horrible, horrible game. When the reviews started coming in I was so dumbfounded that my nose started bleeding.
I'm honestly shocked that so many are showing up here claiming they liked it. I guess I was wrong, but man - I still don't get it. Wow.
flamecannon @ Feb 8th 2007 12:10AM
I played the DS version, it was...boring. Not necessarily bad, just completely lacking the fun factor from MKDS. I never played the N64 version, but it seems most of the gripes are with the unnecessary touch controls when honestly the races themselves bore me, so I doubt I would have liked the N64 version either.
Bizarro @ Feb 8th 2007 2:37AM
At that particular time period, here is my opinion of Kart racers:
Crash Team Racing>Mario Kart 64>Diddy Kong Racing.
CTR was, IMO, one of the best kart racers ever. It's something that has to really be played for yourself, and you can't just blindly follow Mario Kart like most people do to truly appreciate it. (MKDS takes my top spot now, with CTR still a close second)
Mario 64 was good, but flawed. It ranks about third on my list. Enough to warrant buying it on the Virtual Console, at any rate.
Diddy Kong Racing? I hated the game as a kid. It just never stood up against the Mario Kart series or CTR. I don't recall what made me hate it, but I haven't played it since I was a kid. I'm sure if I replayed it, I would feel the same way.
Zach @ Feb 8th 2007 10:08AM
I also have a short review of the game on my site...
http://blackmarketkittens.com/wp/?p=459
For what it's worth. Which is, admittedly, not much. :)
Simon @ Feb 8th 2007 4:35AM
I'll echo other comments and say: what the shit are you talking about JRW? I expected to see this was written by VC after I'd finished reading it. Bloated reviews my ass, even the review that gave DKR64 the weakest score on metacritic said it was a better game than MK64. Just because you didn't find a game fun doesn't mean that nobody else did.
the411monkey @ Feb 8th 2007 4:54AM
I loved the original 64 version, I thought it was a lot better than the Mario Kart, DS version is a slight rehash of it. Reviewers make fun of it because they use the touch screen in random areas (really rare when you actually use it) but at least they made an attempt to incorporate it unlike MK DS it was just a map!
DS version is great if you loved the original, online play is way better than mario kart (battle and race with 6 players online, really awesome)\
I have been playing it since release and haven't got bored of it yet. There is a LOT of content you can unlock in the game, way more than the original. The adventure mode is a lot easier with the removal of the silver coin challenge, but it's still great either way. To many sites review games as a business, they try to compare it to better games instead of giving it its own league. Overall if you love Mario Kart or the original DKR this is a really great game.