Diddy Goes Racing

At first glance, Diddy Kong Racing looks like Mario Kart 64, which is so far the best multiplayer N64 racing game of '97. When you actually pick up a controller and play the game, it's easy to see that this game is nothing like Mario Kart at all - it's better.

The levels are expansive and the main area of the game encourages the player to explore the world around him. Racing games usually have very little or no exploration factor, but DKR requires the player to stop and look around even during races, to find keys, coins, and shortcuts, which are generously (but conspicuously) placed throughout each level. Since there are a couple of vehicles to choose from, some areas or secrets will only be accessible by using a different craft.

Bosses are scattered throughout the game and you need to beat them in a race to progress through the game. After beating a boss, the levels change to incorporate a Silver Coin Challenge where players have to win while collecting eight silver N64 coins that are placed throughout the track. The game isn't linear, in that you can go to the next level before completely finishing the previous one. The main map area of the game also has its own challenges, where you race a genie around variations of the main area.

Multiplayer racing is fun, but racing in a tiny box on a track that would go across two to three such boxes is kind of a drag. During multiplayer races, I found myself more often than not taking the wrong path (what I wouldn't give for an N64 link-up cable!). There are four "battle mode" type courses with some having tasks that you compete at. For instance, in the castle level you have to collect bananas (two at a time) and bring them back to your base and the first one with 10 wins. It's really a shame that there are only four of those types of levels.

It's evident that Rare has packed as much game as possible into Diddy Kong Racing. N64 fans who thought that Mario Kart lacked a strong one-player game will have plenty to enjoy in this game. Each level is different from previous levels, and there's a feeling that Rare really thought hard about the placement and design of each track in the game. Check out these pictures and start saving your money.