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Diddy Kong Racing DS
Developer(s)	Rare Ltd.
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Release date(s)	February 5, 2007 April 19, 2007 [1] April 20, 2007 [2][3] TBA 2007
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer, Online multiplayer
Rating(s)	OFLC (AU): G ESRB: E
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS
Media	Nintendo DS Game Card

Diddy Kong Racing DS is a racing game developed by Rare for the Nintendo DS. It is Rare's first Nintendo DS game, and was released on February 5, 2007 in North America. It shall be released on April 20, 2007 in Europe and April 19, 2007 in Australia. No official release date has been made yet for Japan. It is a remake of the critically-acclaimed Diddy Kong Racing for the Nintendo 64.

Diddy Kong Racing DS contains several features that were not present in the original Nintendo 64 version. Most notable is the inclusion of a six player multiplayer mode, and a two-four player battle mode. The game also makes use of the Nintendo DS touch-screen and microphone, with the ability for sound effect recording. The remake includes several new characters, with the exclusion of two original characters. The game also boasts remodeled and retextured tracks, with new modes, weapons and challenges; as well as fully customizable vehicles and tracks.

Every track has been graphically enhanced with more variations with an increased quality in the textures used. Despite this however, the game performs at a higher and more consistent frame-rate than the original Nintendo 64 game. Several new tracks including; Thunder Cove, Meandering Mount, Splashdown Pass, and Strangled Shrine, all DK-themed jungle tracks, have been included. Background music in various tracks including; Jungle Falls, Snowball Valley, Pirate Lagoon, Treasure Caves, Windmill Plains, and Spaceport Alpha, has been changed, nevertheless all the background music in the game has been significantly improved quality-wise. A feature present in most games from the Donkey Kong series, bananas, is not available in the remake, however coins have been added as a replacement. Also, silver coin challenges have been replaced (though it is now an unlockable mode) by balloon-popping challenges, where the player is able to use Taj's magic carpet to pop balloons using the stylus.

Several minor feature changes have occurred in the remake, including the absence of magic codes in the options menu. Also, the homing missile is now the last upgrade, when using red balloons, whereas it was the second upgrade in the original version. Also, the second upgrade, when using red balloons, is five semi-homing missiles. An option for the use of a car in Everfrost Peak was removed, because it is not suitable for ice. The ability to perform a barrel roll or a loop for the plane has been removed. In the original version four balloons were scattered around the isle from the beginning of the game, however in the remake they are available via other obstacles.

A feature not present in the original Nintendo 64 game is the ability to create customisable player display icons. In Diddy Kong Racing DS, up to six display icons can be created. This is done in a style similar to the Mario Kart DS Decal Maker, however in Diddy Kong Racing DS, the digital control pad cannot be used to draw. Unlike Mario Kart DS, the icons used will not appear on your vehicle, they are used as avatars for your character, and can be placed on the tracks using the track editor.

• Single Player Mode - The game has 24 unique tracks, four of which that were not in the Nintendo 64 version. The tracks are in Dino Domain, Snowflake Mountain, Sherbet Island, Dragon Forest, Future Fun Land, and DK Island.

• Multiplayer Mode - After completing a track in Adventure mode, the track becomes available for single card multiplayer. Also battle stages can be used in multiplayer, once bought from Taj. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is available as well.

• Wish Race Mode - After purchasing the single or multiplayer Wish Mode, the track editor is unlocked, allowing for tracks to be custom made, with the ability of distribution over Wi-Fi. Up to 30 tracks can be saved.

• Time Trial Mode - A time trial mode can be accessed by touching T.T.

Diddy Kong, Tiptup and Bumper in the opening of the game.

Diddy Kong Racing DS contains 12 playable characters; 2 more than the original Diddy Kong Racing game for the Nintendo 64.

Banjo the Bear and Conker the Squirrel are not a part of the cast anymore, because Rare was purchased by Microsoft in 2002. However the new playable characters are Taj the Genie and Wizpig, who were NPCs in the original game, and Dixie Kong and Tiny Kong, who are completely new to the game.

Playable Characters

• Diddy Kong
• Timber
• Pipsy the Mouse
• Tiptup the Turtle
• Bumper the Badger
• Krunch the Kremling
• Dixie Kong
• Tiny Kong
• Drumstick the Rooster
• T.T.
• Taj the Genie
• Wizpig

Throughout the game, players can find balloons. There are five different kind of balloons, each containing different weapons or items. When a balloon is collected, the item can be used immediately, or the player can wait for another balloon with the same colour. When they pick up a second balloon of the same colour, the item will be upgraded. A third balloon of the same colour will upgrade the item to its maximum level. Power-Up Tokens can be used to change a weapon into an alternative form.

• Although the Rare logo was officially removed from Dixie Kong's beret after Rare was sold to Microsoft, Dixie's avatar, whether she is either taunting or feeling displeased when the computer uses her, has the Rare logo on her beret, and she had only appeared that way in the SNES version of Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Country 3, prior to that game.
• The render of the group featuring Diddy Kong, Tiny Kong, Bumper, and Tiptup, shows Tiny carrying Diddy over the back of her neck, which is equivalent to the Team-Up in Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Country 3.
• Rare changed Tiny Kong's appearance drastically, to make her seem less like a duplicate of Dixie, although Nintendo owns the rights to Tiny Kong, but Tiny Kong had also appeared in her original design in the GBA port of Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Country 3, and in Donkey Konga 3.

• Diddy Kong Racing DS at Official Website
• Diddy Kong Racing DS at IGN
• Diddy Kong Racing DS at GameSpot
• Rare at Company Website