Editing Diddy Kong Racing

{{redirect|DKR|the canceled [[Nintendo GameCube]] follow-up starring [[Donkey Kong]]|[[Donkey Kong Racing]]|the [[Wii]] game referred to as "Donkey Kong Returns" in Japan|[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]}}
{{italic title}}
{{game infobox
|image=[[File:Diddysracing.jpg|300px]]
|developer=[[Rare Ltd.|Rareware]]
|publisher=Rareware (publication)<br>[[Nintendo]] (distribution)
|release={{release|Europe|November 21, 1997|Japan|November 21, 1997|USA|November 24, 1997}}
|genre=[[Genre#Racing games|Racing]], adventure
|modes=Single-player, multiplayer
|ratings={{ratings|esrb=K-A|pegi=3}}
|platforms=[[Nintendo 64]]
|media={{media|n64=1}}
|input={{input|n64=1}}
}}

'''''Diddy Kong Racing''''' is a [[Genre#Racing games|racing]]/adventure game developed and published by [[Rare Ltd.|Rareware]] for [[Nintendo 64]]. Featuring gameplay elements equivalent to the ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' series, the game includes the use of airplanes, hovercrafts, and cars. The game features a story mode, a multiplayer mode, and two characters who would eventually receive their own franchises, [[Banjo]] and [[Conker]]. It received a [[Reissue#Remakes|remake]] for the [[Nintendo DS]] in 2007, titled ''[[Diddy Kong Racing DS]]''.

''Diddy Kong Racing'' has sold 4.5 million copies upon release.<ref>[http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/02/month_of_kong_the_making_of_diddy_kong_racing Nintendo Life's Month of Kong: The Making of ''Diddy Kong Racing'', interview with Lee Musgrave]</ref> It even received the [[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Record]] for the fastest-selling game of the time, with 800,000 copies before Christmas 1997. The game was even successful enough to become a [[Player's Choice]] title.

Two sequels were planned, but both were subsequently canceled in the aftermath of {{wp|Microsoft}}'s acquistion of Rare in 2002. These included ''[[Donkey Kong Racing]]'' for the [[Nintendo GameCube]] and ''[[Diddy Kong Pilot]]'' for the [[Game Boy Advance]], the latter of which was eventually converted into the ''Banjo-Kazooie'' title, ''{{wp|Banjo-Pilot}}''. Around 2004, Climax pitched their own sequel idea to Nintendo, ''[[Diddy Kong Racing Adventure]]'', but it was ultimately rejected.
==Story==
[[File:Taj introduction DKR.png|thumb|left|200px|Taj introduces himself to Diddy.]]
According to the instruction manual, the story begins with [[Diddy Kong]] sitting on the porch of his tree house opening a letter delivered by a carrier pigeon. The note reads, "Dear Diddy, Help!!!" The message is from his old friend, [[Timber]], the son of the [[Kong]]s' guests, the Tigers. Diddy reads the note and invites his friends, [[Banjo]] and [[Conker]] to join him in the fight against [[Wizpig]]. Diddy calls [[Squawks]] to deliver the message to his friends.

While Diddy is in the jungle, two [[Kremling]]s watch him from behind a boulder. One Kremling, [[Krunch]], suggests they follow Diddy, but the other Kremling ignores him; Krunch eventually follows Diddy Kong.

Meanwhile, Timber is trying to calm [[Pipsy]], where she exclaims that she had just seen [[Taj]], who said he would help. [[Tiptup|TipTup]], confused, protests that Taj has been missing for 50 years. Afterwards, the group thinks about the Wizpig face that was carved onto the mountainside overnight and the race courses that were magically sealed. The group knows they need to solve the problem before Timber's parents return. [[Bumper (character)|Bumper]] then concludes the conversation by telling his friend that everybody needs to start practicing. Agreeing with Bumper, Timber and his friends leave, hoping that Diddy Kong does not mention this to Timber's parents.

When the first four worlds are completed, the carving of Wizpig's head on the mountainside opens and allows one of the characters [[Wizpig's First Strike|to race Wizpig]]. After beating him, the group has a party along the beach. However, Wizpig interferes in the party before a spaceship arrives and takes him into space. The lighthouse on the beach transforms into a rocket ship that takes them to [[Future Fun Land]]. 

After the character completes all the tasks in that world and gets the whole [[T.T. amulet]], [[Wizpig Strikes Back|Wizpig can be faced again]], racing against him in their plane, while he rides a rocket. After winning, Wizpig's rocket short circuits and blasts him into an unknown planet. Once again, the characters celebrate their victory without Wizpig interfering and with the carving of Wizpig's head on the mountainside turned into a golden carving of Taj's head. 

Right before the credits roll, one of Wizpig's spaceships appears, and Wizpig's laughter is heard, leaving the game on a cliffhanger.

==Gameplay==
[[File:Windmill Plains.png|thumb|left|One of ''Diddy Kong Racing'''s main mechanics is the use of different vehicles. For example, [[Diddy Kong|Diddy]] is riding a [[plane]].]]
''Diddy Kong Racing'' features ten playable characters—eight of which are available by default, and two unlockable—and three different types of vehicles for different terrain: [[car]]s for land, [[hovercraft]]s for water or land, and [[plane]]s for air. Each character and vehicle has different strengths and weaknesses, sometimes in combination. For example, [[Krunch]] normally has low steering, but his steering is higher in a hovercraft due to that vehicle's emphasis on weight.

In the Adventure mode, the player is placed on [[Timber's Island]] and tasked with collecting [[Golden Balloon]]s to access various challenges. There is a total of five worlds that can be accessed from the main Timber's Island hub, and each has four main racetracks, a [[trophy]] championship, a boss track, and—aside from the last one—a special battle minigame. Different vehicles are sometimes required for different tracks, and the player can change them at any time by speaking with [[Taj]], located in the center of the Timber's Island map. Each of the smaller worlds, meanwhile, instead has [[T.T.]] walking around the hub, and he tells the player's progress when approached.

In races, [[banana]]s can be picked up to increase speed, while [[Weapon Balloon]]s provide items to use in the race. The color of the Weapon Balloon determines what item it will be, and collecting multiple of the same color in sequence improves the item's effects by up to a total of three levels. Collecting a balloon of another color cancels it out and replaces it with the new item.

Golden Balloons can be found scattered on Timber's Island or won from races, either from tracks or from Taj on the island. All of the standard tracks have two Golden Balloons available: one from a standard race, and one from completing a [[Silver Coin]] collection challenge. The standard races must be completed first to race the world's boss, who then challenges the player to complete the Silver Coin races; after they are completed as well, the player can rematch the boss for a piece of the [[Wizpig amulet]]. The boss then challenges the player to complete the Trophy Race championship. Each of the first four worlds has a [[Wish Key|key]] hidden in one track that opens a gate to the respective world's battle minigame, which awards a piece of the [[T.T. amulet]].

When all four pieces of the Wizpig amulet are gathered, the player is able to race Wizpig himself to banish him from the island. Upon losing, he throws a tantrum and retreats to his own planet (the final world), and the player must have all four trophies to reach it. To race him again, the player must complete all races and Silver Coin challenges in this last world (itself requiring every Golden Balloon in the game) and collect all four pieces of the T.T. amulet from the battle stages. The adventure is complete once Wizpig is defeated here.

The game also has a time trial mode, where the player needs to race to beat T.T.'s best times. This is optional in the main game, but it is required to unlock T.T. himself. Additionally, "magic codes" can be used to affect the game in various ways, with one being told to the player after they complete the adventure.

==Characters==
===Playable characters===
[[File:Character Selection DKR.png|thumb|All of ''Diddy Kong Racing''{{'}}s playable characters unlocked]]
There are 10 playable characters in ''Diddy Kong Racing'', with eight available from the start and two being unlockable. All of these characters except [[Diddy Kong]] debut in this game. Some characters have discrepancies depending on the vehicle they use; [[Tiptup|TipTup]] and [[Pipsy]] have the same speed as Diddy on a car when they have 4 to 10 bananas and have the same speed as Diddy on a hovercraft and a plane, while [[T.T.]] has the same speed and acceleration as [[Krunch]] on a plane.<ref>William5000000 (Feb 25, 2017). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkeqPxKQ_Tk ''Diddy Kong Racing'' - Character Stats]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 5, 2020.</ref> This is the first game to introduce [[Banjo]], [[Tiptup|TipTup]] (later renamed Tiptup), and [[Conker]], three characters who appear in other [[Rare Ltd.|Rare]] games with Banjo being one of the main characters in ''[[Wikipedia:Banjo-Kazooie|Banjo-Kazooie]]'' and Tiptup appearing as a minor character in Bubblegloop Swamp inside Tanktup's shell. Conker would appear in ''Conker's Pocket Tales'' and would've appeared in ''Twelve Tales: Conker 64'' until it was reworked into the adult-oriented title, ''Conker's Bad Fur Day''. Banjo and Conker would be removed in ''[[Diddy Kong Racing DS]]'', replaced by [[Tiny Kong]] and [[Dixie Kong]] respectively. However, Tiptup still appears in both versions.
<center>
{|class="wikitable dk" border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style="text-align:center;overflow:auto;border-collapse:collapse;" 
|-
!colspan=4|Default characters
|-
|width=25% style="height:300px"align="center"|
{|class="wikitable dk" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 margin=0 padding=0 style="border:1px solid black; border-collapse:collapse; height:100%" width=100%
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:burlywood; height:90px" align="center"|[[File:Krunch-CSS-DKR.png]]<br><big>{{color-link|Krunch|white}}
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:white; height:250px" align="center"|[[File:Krunch1.png|300x250px]]
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Weight group:
|align="center"|Heavy
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Acceleration:
|align="center"|1/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Turning:
|align="center"|1/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Top speed:
|align="center"|4/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Vehicle color:
|align="center"|Orange
|}

|width=25% style="height:300px"align="center"|
{|class="wikitable dk" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 margin=0 padding=0 style="border:1px solid black; border-collapse:collapse; padding:0px; margin:0px; height:100%" width=100%
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:burlywood; height:90px" align="center"|[[File:Diddy-CSS-DKR.png]]<br><big>{{color-link|Diddy Kong|white}}</big>
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:white; height:250px" align="center"|[[File:Diddy0.png|300x250px]]
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Weight group:
|align="center"| Middle
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Acceleration:
|align="center"| 3/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Turning:
|align="center"| 3/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Top speed:
|align="center"| 2.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Vehicle color:
|align="center"| Blue
|-
|}

|width=25% style="height:300px"align="center"|
{|class="wikitable dk" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 margin=0 padding=0 style="border:1px solid black; border-collapse:collapse; padding:0px; margin:0px; height:100%" width=100%
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:burlywood; height:90px" align="center"|[[File:Bumper-CSS-DKR.png]]<br><big>{{color-link|Bumper (character)|white|Bumper}}</big>
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:white; height:250px" align="center"|[[File:Bumper0.png|300x250px]]
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Weight group:
|align="center"| Middle
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Acceleration:
|align="center"| 2.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Turning:
|align="center"| 2.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Top speed:
|align="center"| 3/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Vehicle color:
|align="center"| Yellow
|-
|}

|width=25% style="height:300px"align="center"|
{|class="wikitable dk" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 margin=0 padding=0 style="border:1px solid black; border-collapse:collapse; padding:0px; margin:0px; height:100%" width=100%
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:burlywood; height:90px" align="center"|[[File:Banjo-CSS-DKR.png]]<br><big>{{color-link|Banjo|white}}</big>
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:white; height:250px" align="center"|[[File:Banjo0.png|300x250px]]
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Weight group:
|align="center"| Heavy
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Acceleration:
|align="center"| 2/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Turning:
|align="center"| 2/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Top speed:
|align="center"| 3.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Vehicle color:
|align="center"| Teal
|-
|}

|-
|width=25% style="height:300px"align="center"|
{|class="wikitable dk" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 margin=0 padding=0 style="border:1px solid black; border-collapse:collapse; padding:0px; margin:0px; height:100%" width=100%
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:burlywood; height:90px" align="center"|[[File:Conker-CSS-DKR.png]]<br><big>{{color-link|Conker|white}}</big>
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:white; height:250px" align="center"|[[File:Conker DKR front art.png|300x250px]]
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Weight group:
|align="center"| Middle
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Acceleration:
|align="center"| 2.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Turning:
|align="center"| 2.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Top speed:
|align="center"| 3/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Vehicle color:
|align="center"| White
|-
|}

|style="height:300px"align="center"|
{|class="wikitable dk" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 margin=0 padding=0 style="border:1px solid black; border-collapse:collapse; height:100%" width=100%
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:burlywood; height:90px" align="center"|[[File:Tiptup-CSS-DKR.png]]<br><big>{{color-link|Tiptup|white|TipTup}}</big>
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:white; height:250px" align="center"|[[File:Tiptup2.png|300x250px]]
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Weight group:
|align="center"| Light
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Acceleration:
|align="center"| 4.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Turning:
|align="center"| 4.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Top speed:
|align="center"| 1.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Vehicle color:
|align="center"| Cyan
|-
|}

|style="height:300px"align="center"|
{|class="wikitable dk" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 margin=0 padding=0 style="border:1px solid black; border-collapse:collapse; height:100%" width=100%
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:burlywood; height:90px" align="center"|[[File:Pipsy-CSS-DKR.png]]<br><big>{{color-link|Pipsy|white}}</big>
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:white; height:250px" align="center"|[[File:pipsy0.png|300x250px]]
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Weight group:
|align="center"| Light
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Acceleration:
|align="center"| 5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Turning:
|align="center"| 5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Top speed:
|align="center"| 1/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Vehicle color:
|align="center"| Pink
|-
|}

|style="height:300px"align="center"|
{|class="wikitable dk" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 margin=0 padding=0 style="border:1px solid black; border-collapse:collapse; height:100%" width=100%
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:burlywood; height:90px" align="center"|[[File:Timber-CSS-DKR.png]]<br><big>{{color-link|Timber|white}}</big>
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:white; height:250px" align="center"|[[File:Timber.png|300x250px]]
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Weight group:
|align="center"| Middle
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Acceleration:
|align="center"| 3/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Turning:
|align="center"| 2.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Top speed:
|align="center"| 3/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Vehicle color
|align="center"| Green
|-
|}

|-
!colspan=4|Unlockable characters
|-

|width=50% colspan=2 style="height:300px" align="center"|
{|class="wikitable dk" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 margin=0 padding=0 style="border:1px solid black; border-collapse:collapse; height:100%" width=100%
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:burlywood; height:90px" align="center"|[[File:Drumstick-CSS-DKR.png]]<br><big>{{color-link|Drumstick (character)|white|Drumstick}}</big>
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:white; height:250px" align="center"|[[File:DDR Drumstick.jpg|300x250px]]
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Weight group:
|align="center"| Heavy
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Acceleration:
|align="center"| 2/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Turning:
|align="center"| 1.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Top speed:
|align="center"| 4.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Vehicle color:
|align="center"| Red
|-
|colspan=2 style="height:50%" align="center"|To unlock:<br>The player must get all four Grand Prix trophies, which reveals a frog with a rooster crest in Timber's Island hub. The racer must run over it to return Drumstick to normal.
|}

|width=50% colspan=2 style="height:300px" align="center"|
{|class="wikitable dk" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 margin=0 padding=0 style="border:1px solid black; border-collapse:collapse; height:100%" width=100%
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:burlywood; height:90px" align="center"|[[File:TT-CSS-DKR.png]]<br><big>{{color-link|T.T.|white}}</big>
|-
!colspan=2 style="background:white; height:250px" align="center"|[[File:TickTock.jpg|300x250px]]
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Weight group:
|align="center"| Middle
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Acceleration:
|align="center"| 5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Turning:
|align="center"| 2.5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Top speed:
|align="center"| 5/5
|-
!width=50% style="background:burlywood"|Vehicle color:
|align="center"| Silver
|-
|colspan=2 style="height:50%" align="center"|To unlock:<br>Completing a course in time trials within a certain time, then racing on it again and beating T.T.'s ghost. This must be done for every course with any vehicle.
|}

|}
</center>

===Non-playable characters===
A single non-playable ally appears in the game; the remainder of the non-playable cast are bosses.
<center>
{|class="wikitable dk"
|-
!{{color-link|Taj|white}}
|-
|align="center"style="background:white"|[[File:Taj the Genie.png|300x250px]]
|-
|align="center"|A magical elephant and the legendary guardian of Timber's Island, he was last seen 50 years before. Wizpig evicted him from his home (and with it, his lamp), so he helps Diddy and friends in various ways, such as changing the vehicle type on request and presenting [[Golden Balloon]]s the player has earned. He also has a race against him around the hub world for each vehicle type.
|}
</center>
====Bosses====
''Diddy Kong Racing'' has five bosses, all of which are raced twice. The first four, the Island Guardians, have been enchanted by the final boss, [[Wizpig]], into racing on his behalf. For the Island Guardians, the only difference between the first and second race is a slight increase in difficulty, though Wizpig's races are completely different from each other. Each boss cheats by beginning before the starting countdown ends, with this becoming more and more obvious the further into the game it happens.
<center>
{|class="wikitable dk"
!colspan="12"style="background:#000000; color:white;"|<span style="background:teal;display:inline-block;">[[File:DKR Wizpig ghost alt.png|x25px|top|link=List of bosses]]</span> Bosses <span style="background:teal;display:inline-block;">[[File:DKR Wizpig ghost alt.png|x25px|top|link=List of bosses]]</span>
|-
!width=25%|{{color-link|Tricky the Triceratops|white}}
!width=25%|{{color-link|Bluey the Walrus|white}}
!width=25%|{{color-link|Bubbler the Octopus|white}}
!width=25%|{{color-link|Smokey the Dragon|white}}
|-
|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:DKR Trickythetriceratops.png|300x250px]]
|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:Bluey Artwork - Diddy Kong Racing.png|300x250px]]
|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:Bubbler DKR.png|300x250px]]
|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:Smokey DKR.png|300x250px]]
|-
|align=center|[[Dino Domain]] - [[Car]]
|align=center|[[Snowflake Mountain]] - [[Hovercraft]]
|align=center|[[Sherbet Island]] - [[Hovercraft]]
|align=center|[[Dragon Forest]] - [[Plane]]
|-
|align=center|The first boss, Tricky races the player character up a spiraling mountain. Beyond constantly charging forward and potentially flattening the player, he has no special behavior. [[Boulder]]s occasionally travel down the mountain. In the second race, more boulders as well as falling pillars are added.
|align=center|The second boss, Bluey races on a jagged, icy, downhill ski slope full of trees to act as obstacles. As with Tricky, his only behavior is stampeding forward, though he does not squish the player character. In the second race, a few [[snowball]]s are added as further obstacles.
|align=center|The third boss, Bubbler swims three laps circling the sea around a small island, tossing explosive mines around him. In the second race, he instead launches giant bubbles that can trap the player character.
|align=center|The fourth boss, Smokey runs and flies three laps through a series of caves and fields. He attacks by spitting clouds of hot ash to be ran into. In the second race, he spits much more.
|-
!colspan="4"width=100%|{{color-link|Wizpig|white}}
|-
|colspan="2"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:Wizpig.jpg|300x250px]]
|colspan="2"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:Wizpig 2.png|300x250px]]
|-
|colspan="2"width=50% align=center|[[Timber's Island]] - [[Car]]
|colspan="2"width=50% align=center|[[Future Fun Land]] - [[Plane]]
|-
|colspan="2"align=center|The villain of the game, Wizpig is a giant sorcerous pig-man from outer space, an interstellar conqueror, and a racing-obsessed bully. During his race, he runs and floats three laps through a stormy flooded canyon. Once he is defeated, it appears the island is saved. However, he then crashes the victory celebration before taking off in his spaceship, leading to the final world.
|colspan="2"align=center|Wizpig's second race takes place on his homeworld, where he rides on a giant silver rocket three laps around his kingdom. Many obstacles appear here, such as floating asteroids, random laser blasts, attacking spaceships, and giant arcs of electricity. Once he is defeated, his rocket goes out of control and sends him into deep space, stranding him on an asteroid. However, the ending implies he made it back to his ship.
|}
</center>

==Vehicles==
There are three different vehicles:
{|class="wikitable dk"style="vertical-align:center;width:85%;margin:auto"
!Vehicle
!Description
|-
|align=center|[[File:DKR Car.png|150px]]<br>[[Car]]
|The car is a simple-to-control vehicle, and it can drift. It is affected by off-road, however, and water slows it to a crawl.
|-
|align=center|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|130px]]<br>[[Hovercraft]]
|The hovercraft has slippery controls, requiring players to hop to turn. The hovercraft, however, is not affected by off-road, and it can ride on water and lava without losing speed.
|-
|align=center|[[File:DKR Plane.png|130px]]<br>[[Plane]]
|Planes can fly over any terrain. They can turn the most sharply and players can perform stunts with them. If players are hit by items or bump into obstacles, however, the plane crashes into the ground, losing speed and altitude, making them more costly than hits on a car or hovercraft.
|}

==Modes==
===Adventure Mode===
[[File:Diddy Kong Racing Overworld.png|200px|thumb|The overworld for adventure mode.]]
Adventure mode is the main mode of the game. While exploring [[Timber's Island]], the players must find a number of golden balloons to defeat Wizpig. In order to find them, they must win races. After the players win all the races in one of the five worlds, they will race a boss. If the players beats the boss they will be given the challenge of collecting eight silver coins in each course of that world and then win simultaneously. When the challenge is complete, the player will face the boss again. After beating the boss again, the racer receives a piece of [[Wizpig amulet]], and the player can participate in a world's Grand Prix mode, the [[Trophy Race]], which the boss even suggests. The player obtains a gold trophy if they win first place, a silver one for second place, and a bronze one for third place.

===Adventure Two Mode===
Adventure Two is played the same as the standard Adventure Mode, but harder. The balloons are silver, the tracks are flipped (very similar to [[Mirror Mode]] in the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]]), and the locations of the silver coins are different, often in hard to reach places. It is unlocked by defeating Wizpig at Future Fun Land in Adventure Mode.

===Tracks Mode===
Players can freely play all the race tracks unlocked. Tracks with a Taj symbol are completed tracks, and players can choose any vehicle that is compatible with the track. Tracks with a Wizpig symbol have not been cleared, and players will be unable to play that track at all.

Trophy Races and Battle Stages are also accessible through Tracks mode, however players will always use each track's default vehicle, regardless if a Taj symbol is present.

==Types of races and other challenges==
===Normal races===
During standard races, eight characters travel three laps around the track in the same type of vehicle as each other. Each world has four standard race tracks, and a [[Golden Balloon]] is the prize for winning.

===Boss races===
Races against bosses are always one-on-one, and depending on the track layout may be three laps or a single end-to-end run. The four Island Guardians must be raced twice, once after each normal race and once after each Silver Coin challenge in their world is completed; winning the second race earns a piece of the [[Wizpig amulet|amulet]] needed to reach the first [[Wizpig]] race. Both Wizpig races lead to endings when completed.

===Silver Coin challenges===
Silver Coin challenges are much like normal races, except that the eight [[Silver Coin]]s scattered across the track must be collected before winning. For the first four worlds, they are recommended after the boss is defeated the first time and are necessary to rematch them. In Future Fun Land, they are simply done after all the normal races with no boss race in between. As with normal races, a Golden Balloon is earned by beating them.

===Trophy races===
Trophy Races are a grand prix-style challenge where the player goes through all four of a world's normal tracks back-to-back (sometimes in an order different from unlocking), trying to get a higher ranking than the opponents. Winning within the top three earns a different trophy for each placement. Collecting a trophy in each of the first four worlds is necessary to reach the final world.

===Challenge Levels===
[[File:DKR BattleStageDoor.png|thumb|A key unlocks a door leading to a Challenge Level]]
Challenge Levels are challenges that appear in each of the four main worlds. Each world has a single Challenge Level that matches the world's theme, and has a unique objective and layout. Each Challenge Level's door can be unlocked by a [[Wish Key|key]] located a specific course of that world. The player obtains a part of the [[T.T. amulet]] when they win at a challenge.

====Fire Mountain====
In [[Fire Mountain (battle course)|Fire Mountain]], the players, using planes, complete to be the first to gather three dinosaur eggs from the center of the arena into their respective nest.

====Icicle Pyramid====
In [[Icicle Pyramid]], players, using cars, battle each other directly using items, with each player getting four hit points (represented by a total of eight bananas). It is functionally equivalent to the [[Battle Mode#Balloon Battle|Balloon Battle]] from the ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' games.

====Darkwater Beach====
The gameplay in [[Darkwater Beach]] is identical to Icicle Pyramid, but uses hovercrafts instead of cars.

====Smokey Castle====
In [[Smokey Castle]], players, using cars, complete to gather ten bananas into their respective treasure chest, with only two at a time being able to be carried.

===Taj's challenges===
[[File:DKR TajRace.png|thumb|left|TipTup racing Taj in a plane]]
After the player collects enough Golden Balloons in Adventure Mode, Taj will appear and challenge the player to a race in a specific vehicle. The player has to race Taj, who rides a flying carpet. The racetrack is marked with red flags showing the Nintendo 64 logo and the player has to follow them. If they leave the set track by too far a margin, they will be disqualified. After Taj is beaten, he will reward the player with another Golden Balloon. There are three different challenges and each of them can be repeated at any time after they have been unlocked (the player will only obtain one Golden Balloon per challenge however). 

Car Challenge is a relatively easy race done in a car. This race goes around a dirt road right in front of Dino Domain and reaches into a tunnel. This should be very easy for the player because of Taj's slow movement.

Hovercraft Challenge is the second of Taj's races and is somewhat more difficult than the Car Challenge. The track is mostly in water and begins next to the bridge which leads to Dino Domain. In the race the player will hover into a waterfall that is on the far east of the river. Here, they will be in a cave leading to Snowflake Mountain and eventually fall down two small waterfalls taking them to the ocean. Going east will take the player back on shore where they need to go through a small tunnel leading to the finish line.

Plane Challenge is considered to be the hardest of Taj's three races and a plane is used in it. This race begins at the same place where the Car Challenge begins. From the start the player must fly up to the tunnel leading to Snowflake Mountain and then move east, going over a long river. From there, the player must glide to the beach and go east again. After going through a small tunnel, the player should end up at the finish line.
{{br|left}}

==Tracks and progression==
''Diddy Kong Racing'' contains twenty race tracks split between five worlds. In most races (marked with a check mark), racers are able to choose what type of vehicle to bring into the race, which can affect the paths in the course they are able to take. For some races, there are vehicles that are not able to be taken into it (marked with a red X). Every race also has a default vehicle type to use (marked with a D), which is usually the best type of vehicle to use for the race.
{|border="1"cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2 align="center"style="background:#fdfffd"width=100% class="wikitable dk"
!colspan=8 style="background:#9C6936;color:white"align=center|<big>{{color-link|Timber's Island|#FFF8DC}} Areas</big>
|-
!colspan=8 style="background:#BE9966"align=center|{{color-link|Dino Domain|white}}
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:#CFBB88"align=center|[[File:Dino Domain map.jpg|250px]]
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:wheat"align=center|A prehistoric area full of [[dinosaur]]s and [[pterodactyl]]s. It is accessed across the bridge in the central part of Timber's Island and requires one balloon to enter.
|-align=center
!width=5% style=background:#CFBB88|#
!width=28% style=background:#CFBB88|Track
!width=8% style=background:#CFBB88|Map
!width=24% style=background:#CFBB88 colspan=3|Vehicles
!width=24% style=background:#CFBB88|Unlock requirements
!width=11% style=background:#CFBB88|Rewards
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|1
|rowspan=2|[[File:DKR-AncientLake.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Ancient Lake]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Ancient Lake.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|1}}
|rowspan=2|{{DKR balloons|2}}, [[Wish Key|key]]
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|6}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|2
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|[[File:DKR-FossilCanyon.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Fossil Canyon]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Fossil Canyon.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|2}}
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|7}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|3
|rowspan=2|[[File:DKR-JungleFalls.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Jungle Falls (Diddy Kong Racing)|Jungle Falls]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Jungle Falls.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|3}}
|rowspan=2|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|8}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|4
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|[[File:DKR-HotTopVolcano.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Hot Top Volcano]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Hot Top Volcano.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|5}}
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|10}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|Boss
|rowspan=2|[[File:Tricky1.png|x107px]]{{br}}'''[[Tricky's Course|Tricky the Triceratops]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Tricky the Triceratops.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|First{{br}}All four default races complete
|rowspan=2|Wizpig amulet piece
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Second{{br}}All four Silver Coin Challenges complete
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|Challenge
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|[[File:DKR-FireMountain.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Fire Mountain (battle course)|Fire Mountain]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Fire Mountain.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|Dino Domain key
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|T.T. amulet piece
|-align=center
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|-align=center
|Trophy Race
|[[File:WizpigGoldStatue.png|x107px]]{{br}}'''Ancient Lake, Fossil Canyon, Jungle Falls, Hot Top Volcano'''
|N/A
|colspan=3|N/A
|2nd boss race complete
|Trophy
|-
!colspan=8 style="background:#BE9966"align=center|{{color-link|Snowflake Mountain|white}}
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:#CFBB88"align=center|[[File:Snowflake Mountain DKR map.jpg|250px]]
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:wheat"align=center|A snowy, Christmas-themed area. It is accessed from the frosty northeast corner of Timber's Island and requires two balloons to enter.
|-align=center
!style=background:#CFBB88|#
!style=background:#CFBB88|Track
!style=background:#CFBB88|Map
!style=background:#CFBB88 colspan=3|Vehicles
!style=background:#CFBB88|Unlock requirements
!style=background:#CFBB88|Rewards
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|1
|rowspan=2|[[File:DKR-EverfrostPeak.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Everfrost Peak]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Everfrost Peak.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|2}}
|rowspan=2|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|10}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|2
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|[[File:DKR-WalrusCove.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Walrus Cove]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Walrus Cove.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|3}}
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|11}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|3
|rowspan=2|[[File:DKR-SnowballValley.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Snowball Valley]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Snowball Valley.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|6}}
|rowspan=2|{{DKR balloons|2}}, key
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|14}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|4
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|[[File:DKR-FrostyVillage.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Frosty Village]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Frosty Village.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|9}}
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|16}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|Boss
|rowspan=2|[[File:Bluey2.png|x107px]]{{br}}'''[[Bluey's Course|Bluey the Walrus]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Bluey the Walrus.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|First{{br}}All four default races complete
|rowspan=2|Wizpig amulet piece
|-align=center
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Second{{br}}All four Silver Coin Challenges complete
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|Challenge
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|[[File:DKR-IciclePyramid.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Icicle Pyramid]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Icicle Pyramid.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|Snowflake Mountain key
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|T.T. amulet piece
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|-align=center
|Trophy Race
|[[File:WizpigGoldStatue.png|x107px]]{{br}}'''Everfrost Peak, Walrus Cove, Snowball Valley, Frosty Village'''
|N/A
|colspan=3|N/A
|2nd boss race complete
|Trophy
|-
!colspan=8 style="background:#BE9966"align=center|{{color-link|Sherbet Island|white}}
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:#CFBB88"align=center|[[File:Sherbet Island DKR artwork.jpg|250px]]
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:wheat"align=center|An oceanside area extensively requiring the hovercraft. It is accessed from the small island to the east of Timber's Island and requires ten balloons to enter.
|-align=center
!style=background:#CFBB88|#
!style=background:#CFBB88|Track
!style=background:#CFBB88|Map
!style=background:#CFBB88 colspan=3|Vehicles
!style=background:#CFBB88|Unlock requirements
!style=background:#CFBB88|Rewards
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|1
|rowspan=2|[[File:DKR-WhaleBay.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Whale Bay]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Whale Bay.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|10}}
|rowspan=2|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|17}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|2
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|[[File:DKR-CrescentIsland.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Crescent Island]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Crescent Island.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|11}}
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|{{DKR balloons|2}}, key
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|18}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|3
|rowspan=2|[[File:DKR-PirateLagoon.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Pirate Lagoon]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Pirate Lagoon.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|13}}
|rowspan=2|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|20}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|4
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|[[File:DKR-TreasureCaves.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Treasure Caves]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Treasure Caves.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|16}}
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|22}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|Boss
|rowspan=2|[[File:Bubbler DKR art.jpg|x107px]]{{br}}'''[[Bubbler's Course|Bubbler the Octopus]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Bubbler the Octopus.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|First{{br}}All four default races complete
|rowspan=2|Wizpig amulet piece
|-align=center
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Second{{br}}All four Silver Coin Challenges complete
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|Challenge
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|[[File:DKR-DarkwaterBeach.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Darkwater Beach]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Darkwater Beach.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|Sherbet Island key
|rowspan=2 style="background:#FFF8DC"|T.T. amulet piece
|-align=center
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|-align=center
|Trophy Race
|[[File:WizpigGoldStatue.png|x107px]]{{br}}'''Whale Bay, Pirate Lagoon, Crescent Island, Treasure Caves'''
|N/A
|colspan=3|N/A
|2nd boss race complete
|Trophy
|-
!colspan=8 style="background:#BE9966"align=center|{{color-link|Dragon Forest|white}}
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:#CFBB88"align=center|[[File:Dragon Forest DKR map artwork.jpg|250px]]
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:wheat"align=center|A medieval countryside. It is accessed from behind a waterfall in the central part of Timber's Island and requires sixteen balloons to enter.
|-align=center
!style=background:#CFBB88|#
!style=background:#CFBB88|Track
!style=background:#CFBB88|Map
!style=background:#CFBB88 colspan=3|Vehicles
!style=background:#CFBB88|Unlock requirements
!style=background:#CFBB88|Rewards
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|1
|rowspan=2|[[File:DKR-WindmillPlains.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Windmill Plains]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Windmill Plains.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|16}}
|rowspan=2|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|23}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|2
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|[[File:DKR-GreenwoodVillage.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Greenwood Village]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Greenwood Village.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|17}}
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|24}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|3
|rowspan=2|[[File:DKR-BoulderCanyon.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Boulder Canyon]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Boulder Canyon.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|20}}
|rowspan=2|{{DKR balloons|2}}, key
|-align=center
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|30}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|4
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|[[File:DKR-HauntedWoods.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Haunted Woods]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Haunted Woods.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|22}}
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|37}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|Boss
|rowspan=2|[[File:Smokey.png|x107px]]{{br}}'''[[Smokey's Course|Smokey the Dragon]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Smokey the Dragon.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|First{{br}}All four default races complete
|rowspan=2|Wizpig amulet piece
|-align=center
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|Second{{br}}All four Silver Coin Challenges complete
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|Challenge
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|[[File:DKR-SmokeyCastle.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Smokey Castle]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Smokey Castle.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|Dragon Forest key
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|T.T. amulet piece
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|-align=center
|Trophy Race
|[[File:WizpigGoldStatue.png|x107px]]{{br}}'''Boulder Canyon, Greenwood Village, Windmill Plains, Haunted Woods'''
|N/A
|colspan=3|N/A
|2nd boss race complete
|Trophy
|-
!colspan=8 style="background:#BE9966"align=center|{{color-link|Timber's Island|white}}
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:wheat"align=center|Once the player has obtained the full [[Wizpig amulet]] by beating all four Island Guardians twice, the giant Wizpig carving in the central part of Timber's Island opens, leading to the race against Wizpig himself.
|-align=center
!style=background:#CFBB88|#
!style=background:#CFBB88|Track
!style=background:#CFBB88|Map
!style=background:#CFBB88 colspan=3|Vehicles
!style=background:#CFBB88|Unlock requirements
!style=background:#CFBB88|Rewards
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|Boss
|rowspan=2|[[File:Wizpig.jpg|x107px]]{{br}}'''[[Wizpig's First Strike]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Wizpig's First Strike.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|rowspan=2|All four pieces of the [[Wizpig amulet]]
|rowspan=2|Ending 1
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|-
!colspan=8 style="background:#BE9966"align=center|{{color-link|Future Fun Land|white}}
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:#CFBB88"align=center|[[File:Future Fun Land DKR map.jpg|250px]]
|-
|colspan=8 style="background:wheat"align=center|Wizpig's homeworld, accessed from the lighthouse in the southeastern corner of Timber's Island. To reach it, the player needs to complete the four previous trophy races in a high enough position to earn a trophy in each, then approach the sign near the lighthouse after Wizpig's first race has been beaten.
|-align=center
!style=background:#CFBB88|#
!style=background:#CFBB88|Track
!style=background:#CFBB88|Map
!style=background:#CFBB88 colspan=3|Vehicles
!style=background:#CFBB88|Unlock requirements
!style=background:#CFBB88|Rewards
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|1
|rowspan=2|[[File:DKR-SpacedustAlley.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Spacedust Alley]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Spacedust Alley.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|39}}
|rowspan=2|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|43}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|2
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|[[File:DKR-DarkmoonCaverns.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Darkmoon Caverns]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Darkmoon Caverns.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|40}}
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|44}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|3
|rowspan=2|[[File:DKR-SpaceportAlpha.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Spaceport Alpha]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Spaceport Alpha.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|41}}
|rowspan=2|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|45}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|4
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|[[File:DKR-StarCity.png|150px]]{{br}}'''[[Star City]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#BE9966"|[[File:DKR Map Star City.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|Default{{br}}{{DKR balloons|42}}
|rowspan=2 style="background:wheat"|{{DKR balloons|2}}
|-align=center
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|[[File:Check mark.svg|x27px|Yes]]
|Silver Coin Challenge{{br}}{{DKR balloons|46}}
|-align=center
|rowspan=2|Boss
|rowspan=2|[[File:Wizpig 2.png|x107px]]{{br}}'''[[Wizpig Strikes Back]]'''
|rowspan=2 style="background:#CFBB88"|[[File:DKR Map Wizpig Strikes Back.png]]
|[[File:Car DKR art.png|82x40px|Car|link=Car]]
|[[File:DKR Hovercraft.png|82x40px|Hovercraft|link=Hovercraft]]
|[[File:DKR Plane.png|82x40px|Plane|link=Plane]]
|rowspan=2|All 4 pieces of the [[T.T. amulet]] and all four Silver Coin Challenges complete
|rowspan=2|Ending 2
|-align=center
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:X mark.svg|x27px|No]]
|[[File:DKR D.png|Default]]
|-align=center
|style="background:wheat"|Trophy Race
|style="background:wheat"|[[File:WizpigGoldStatue.png|x107px]]{{br}}'''Spacedust Alley, Darkmoon Caverns, Star City, Spaceport Alpha'''
|style="background:wheat"|N/A
|colspan=3 style="background:wheat"|N/A
|style="background:wheat"|Boss race complete
|style="background:wheat"|Trophy
|}

==Items and objects==
{|class="wikitable dk"style="vertical-align:center;width:85%;margin:auto"
!width=20%|Item/object
!Description
|-
|align=center|[[File:DKR Banana.png]]<br>[[Banana]]
|Bananas are scattered in every course. By collecting them, the player is able to increase the top-speed of his or her vehicle until the banana counter reaches ten. After that, the bananas do not affect the vehicle any further. If players get hit, they lose some bananas. Additionally, bananas play a key role in the battle games of Icicle Pyramid and Darkwater Beach, where they act as the player's life gauge, and in Smokey Castle, where they need to be collected and stored in a treasure chest.
|-
|align=center|[[File:DKR Egg.png]]<br>Egg
|Eggs only appear in the [[Fire Mountain (battle course)|Fire Mountain]] battle course, where the goal is to gather and hatch three in one's own nest as quickly as possible.
|-
|align=center|[[File:DKR Flag.png]]<br>Flag
|Flags mark the path around [[Timber's Island]] during [[Taj]]'s races.
|-
|align=center|[[File:Golden Balloon DKR64.png]]<br>[[Golden Balloon]]
|Golden Balloons are the key items in the game. The player must collect a specified amount access each course and world. After the player's character wins at a race, [[Taj]] gives them a Golden Balloon. A total of 47 Golden Balloons appear in the game.
|-
|align=center|[[File:DKR Wish Key model.png|40px]]<br>[[Wish Key|Key]]
|The game features four keys. One is hidden in a race course of each world. Their purpose is to unlock the door to the Challenge Level in the corresponding world's hub, where the racer can compete against CPUs or other players. A key appears in [[Ancient Lake]] of [[Dino Domain]], [[Snowball Valley]] of [[Snowflake Mountain]], [[Crescent Island]] of [[Sherbet Island]], and lastly, [[Boulder Canyon]] of [[Dragon Forest]].
|-
|align=center|[[File:DKR Silver Coin.png]]<br>[[Silver Coin]]
|Eight Silver Coins appear in each standard race course for their Coin Challenges.
|-
|align=center|[[File:Zipper Ground DKRDS.png|75px]] [[File:DKR Zipper hovercraft model.png|75px]] [[File:DKR Zipper plane model.png|75px]]<br>[[Dash Panel|Zipper]]
|Zippers can be used to give the player an extra speed boost. They are found in every track. Letting go of the {{button|n64|A}} button before hitting one will make the player go slightly faster. There are three Zipper variants, one for each vehicle: Cars, Hovercrafts, and Planes.
|}
===Weapon Balloons===
During the challenges on the different race tracks throughout the game the player can find these [[Weapon Balloon]]s on the track. Similar to the [[Item Box]]es of the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]], these objects will give the player an Item when they break them. There are five different types of Weapon Balloons, each with a unique color and a specific type of Item. A special feature of the Weapon Balloons is their ability to power up, meaning that the player will receive stronger items if they collect more balloons of one color. An item can be upgraded two times, making a total of three items obtainable from one type of balloon.
{{br}}
{|class="wikitable dk"style="vertical-align:center;width:85%;margin:auto"
|- 
!rowspan="2" style="width:19%"|Type of Balloon
!colspan="6"|Number of Balloons
|-
!style="background:burlywood;width:27%"|1
!style="background:burlywood;width:27%"|2
!style="background:burlywood;width:27%"|3
|-
|align="center"|'''Red Balloon'''<br>[[File:DKR64 BalloonRed.png]]<br>'''Missiles'''
|align="center"|[[File:RedMissile 1.png|left]]One forward-firing missile
|align="center"|[[File:RedMissile 2.png|left]]One homing missile
|align="center"|[[File:RedMissile 3.png|left]]One 10x multi-shot missile
|-
|align="center"|'''Blue Balloon'''<br>[[File:DKR64 BalloonBlue.png]]<br>'''Speed boosts'''
|align="center"|[[File:BlueBoost 1.png|left]]A small speed boost. As with the Zippers, releasing the accelerator button gives a larger boost.
|align="center"|[[File:BlueBoost 2.png|left]]A larger speed boost
|align="center"|[[File:BlueBoost 3.png|left]]The most significant speed boost
|-
|align="center"|'''Yellow Balloon'''<br>[[File:DKR64 BalloonYellow.png]]<br>'''Shield'''
|align="center"|[[File:Shield 1.png|left]]A short-lasting shield which protects against hits. If the players run into opponents, the opponents spin out.
|align="center"|[[File:Shield 2.png|left]]A longer-lasting shield which protects against hits. If the players run into opponents, the opponents spin out.
|align="center"|[[File:Shield 3.png|left]]A long-lasting shield. If the players run into opponents, the opponents spin out.
|-
|align="center"|'''Green Balloon'''<br>[[File:DKR64 BalloonGreen.png]]<br>'''Dropper'''
|align="center"|[[File:GreenDropper 1.png|left]]An oil slick or gas cloud
|align="center"|[[File:GreenDropper 2.png|left]]A land mine or floating mine
|align="center"|[[File:GreenDropper 3.png|left]]A snare bubble which delays enemies for a significant time
|-
|align="center"|'''Rainbow Balloon'''<br>[[File:DKR64 BalloonRainbow.png]]<br>'''Special'''
|align="center"|[[File:RainbowMagnet 1.png|left]]A weak pull toward the racer in front of the player, if in range
|align="center"|[[File:RainbowMagnet 2.png|left]]A magnet with a stronger pull and longer range
|align="center"|[[File:RainbowMagnet 3.png|left]]A powerful magnet that pulls opponents towards the player
|}

===Special rewards===
{|class="wikitable dk"style="vertical-align:center;width:85%;margin:auto"
!width=15%|Reward
!Description
|-
|align=center|[[File:DKR TrophyRaceTrophy.png|160px]]<br>[[Trophy Race#Trophies|Trophy]]
|Trophies can be gained by placing high enough in a world's [[Trophy Race]], racing through the world's four tracks back-to-back to accumulate the most points. First place earns a golden [[Wizpig]] trophy, second place earns a silver [[Taj]] trophy, and third place earns a bronze [[T.T.]] trophy. Four trophies are needed to access [[Future Fun Land]].
|-
|align=center|[[File:Wizpig Amulet.png|160px]]<br>[[Wizpig amulet]]
|One fourth of this magical amulet is held by each of the four Island Guardians. Each must be beaten twice to collect them all, leading to [[Wizpig's First Strike]].
|-
|align=center|[[File:TT Amulet.png|160px]]<br>[[T.T. amulet]]
|One fourth of the T.T. amulet can be found by beating each of the four Challenge Levels around the island. Collecting them all is needed to open [[Wizpig Strikes Back]].
|}

==Magic Codes==
[[File:Magic Codes Menu DKR.png|thumb|200px|The Magic Codes menu.]]
[[Cheat code#Diddy Kong Racing|Magic Code]]s are game cheats, always accessible in the options menu. These cheats mostly alter only the tracks mode rather than the Adventure mode, while some others do miscellaneous tasks such as allowing players to listen to music in the game. At the end of the game credits, a random magic code is given to players.
{|class="wikitable dk"width=40%
|-
!Code
!Description
|-
|ARNOLD
|Large players
|-
|BLABBERMOUTH
|Changes horn sounds into character sounds
|-
|BODYARMOR
|All balloons are yellow
|-
|BOGUSBANANAS
|Bananas slow players down
|-
|BOMBSAWAY
|All balloons are red
|-
|BYEBYEBALLOONS
|Balloons are disabled
|-
|DODGYROMMER
|Displays ROM Checksum
|-
|DOUBLEVISION
|Multiple players can be the same character
|-
|EOLAOBFENRLONE
|Free balloon
|-
|EPC
|EPC lockup display
|-
|FREEFORALL
|Fully powered-up balloons
|-
|FREEFRUIT
|Players start with ten bananas
|-
|JOINTVENTURE
|A second player joins Adventure mode. Players take turns racing bosses.
|-
|JUKEBOX
|Adds Music Test to audio menu
|-
|NOYELLOWSTUFF
|No bananas in Tracks mode.
|-
|OFFROAD
|Four-wheel drive
|-
|OPPOSITESATTRACT
|All balloons are rainbows
|-
|ROCKETFUEL
|All balloons are blue
|-
|TEENYWEENIES
|Small players
|-
|TIMETOLOSE
|CPUs are harder
|-
|TOXICOFFENDER
|All balloons are green
|-
|VITAMINB
|Unlimited bananas
|-
|WHODIDTHIS
|Players can view credits
|-
|ZAPTHEZIPPERS
|Disables Zippers
|}

==Regional differences==
{{stub|section=yes}}
{{multiple image
|align=center
|direction=horizontal
|header=Rareware logo
|width=320
|image1=Rareware logo DKR.png
|caption1=International
|image2=Rareware logo JP DKR.png
|caption2=Japan
}}
The Japanese version of ''Diddy Kong Racing'' redesigned the font for the English text. One example is the start-up screen for the Rareware logo, which uses a different and larger font for the copyright information.
{{multiple image
|align=center
|direction=horizontal
|header=Font difference
|width=320
|image1=File Select DKR.png
|caption1=International
|image2=File Select JP DKR.png
|caption2=Japan
}}
The English letters of the yellow-green font were redesigned in the Japanese version.

==Development==
[[File:Diddy-kong-racing-beta-01.jpg|thumb|100px|A mammoth character repurposed from the RTS build.]]
''Diddy Kong Racing'' found its root in a short-lived prototype. According to Lead Designer Lee Schuneman, a team of four at [[Rareware]] was developing a caveman/time travel-themed real time strategy game for the [[Nintendo 64]]<ref name=GamesTM>''GamesTM'', Issue 79, ''Behind the Scenes of Diddy Kong Racing''</ref>; however, the idea was quickly abandoned and the developers decided to create a "fun" racing game named ''Wild Cartoon Kingdom'' using assets from the canceled RTS (3D artist Lee Musgrave denies, however, that the two projects were ever related).<ref>[http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/02/month_of_kong_the_making_of_diddy_kong_racing Nintendo Life: Month Of Kong: The Making Of ''Diddy Kong Racing'']</ref>

The racing aspect was heavily inspired by ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' while the concept of an "adventure" mode  was inspired by {{wp|Disney World}} according to Schumenam.<ref name=GamesTM/> The initial concept featured a hub world based on theme parks.  Development was initially slow until a larger team was brought in to help accelerate the project, and the game was renamed to ''Adventure Racers''.

The project was renamed ''Pro Am 64'' (in reference to Rare's [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] hit ''{{wp|R.C. Pro-Am|R.C. Pro-AM}}'') later in development and briefly featured the characters using three-wheeled {{wp|trike}}-like vehicles.<ref name=GamesTM/> The game was demoed to [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] in June 1997, who approved of it and suggested that it should feature [[Diddy Kong]].<ref name=GamesTM/> The development team initially hated the idea,<ref name=GamesTM/> but eventually agreed with Miyamoto's suggestion as featuring Diddy Kong brought stronger marketing from [[Nintendo]] and greater visibility to the game due to the popularity of the ''Donkey Kong'' brand.
===Pre-release and unused content===
{{main|List of Diddy Kong Racing pre-release and unused content}}
All objects are assigned a name according to the files. One unfinished track remains in the game, Horseshoe Gulch. It can be accessed with cheats. 
<gallery>
DKR Horseshoe Gulch 1.png|No animation. Adventure Two doesn't work right.
DKR Horseshoe Gulch 2.png|Only available vehicle is a [[car]].
DKR Horseshoe Gulch 3.png|The first part of the unfinished track.
DKR Horseshoe Gulch 4.png|Driving through the only curve in the track.
DKR Horseshoe Gulch 5.png|The other end of the track.
</gallery>
{{br|right}}

==Reception==
{| class="wikitable reviews"
!colspan="4"style="font-size:120%; text-align:center; background-color:silver;"|Reviews
|-style="background-color:#E6E6E6"
|Release
|Reviewer, Publication
|Score
|Comment
|-
|N64
|Doug Perry, [https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/11/25/diddy-kong-racing IGN]
|8.4/10
|align="left"|"''In the end, Diddy Kong Racing is a calculated, copy of a game that Nintendo, not Rare, originated. But as is the case with Rare, the company has that amazing knack for taking an idea and crafting it into something beautiful. Diddy Kong Racing is a deep, colorful game with an overly kiddy feel and look. But after a few minutes, you'll be compelled with subtle details, blissful gameplay and graphics, and the full, rich world that makes Diddy Kong Racing an even better game than Mario Kart.''"
|-
|N64
|Jeff Gerstmann, [https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/diddy-kong-racing-review/1900-2544317/ GameSpot]
|6.6/10
|align="left"|"''Diddy Kong Racing is a game that shouldn't have been released for at least another six months. The foul taste left behind by Mario Kart 64 is still too fresh in my mind to accept a game as similar as this, even though this is a much better game than [[Mario Kart 64|Kart 64]] ever was. Also, the game could have used a few more worlds and more tracks, as the repetitiveness of DKR is what ultimately kills it.'"
|-
!colspan="4" style="background-color:silver; font-size:120%; text-align:center;"|Aggregators
|-style="background-color:#E6E6E6"
|colspan=2|Compiler
|colspan=2|Platform / Score
|-
|colspan=2|Metacritic
|colspan=2 style="background-color:LimeGreen"|[https://www.metacritic.com/game/nintendo-64/diddy-kong-racing 88]
|-
|colspan=2|GameRankings
|colspan=2|[https://www.gamerankings.com/n64/197118-diddy-kong-racing/index.html 88.65%]
|}

==Canceled sequels==
Owing to the game's success, numerous attempts at sequels were made. However, each ended up canceled due to [[Rare Ltd.|Rare]]'s sale to {{wp|Microsoft}} in 2002, among other reasons.
{|class="wikitable dk"style="vertical-align:center;width:100%;margin:auto"
!Game
!Description
|-
|align=center|[[File:Diddypilot.jpg|200px]]<br>''[[Diddy Kong Pilot]]''
|Rare planned to make a ''Diddy Kong Pilot'', based solely around the plane. It was intended to release on the [[Game Boy Advance]], and several [[Kong]]s, as well as [[King K. Rool]] and [[Krunch]], were set to be playable in the original [[Diddy Kong Pilot (2001)|2001 iteration]], including [[Dixie Kong|Dixie]], [[Donkey Kong|Donkey]], [[Cranky Kong|Cranky]] and [[Candy Kong]]. The [[Diddy Kong Pilot (2003)|second iteration in 2003]] is based around the rivalry between the Kong family and the Kremlings, but ended up reworked into ''[[jiggywikki:Banjo-Pilot|Banjo-Pilot]]'', an indirect sequel to ''Diddy Kong Racing''.
|-
|align=center|[[File:DKRacing.jpg|200px]]<br>''[[Donkey Kong Racing]]''
|Rare and [[Nintendo]] also planned to make ''Donkey Kong Racing'' for the [[Nintendo GameCube]]. However, this game was also canceled along with ''[[Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers]]'' in August 2002, one month before Rare's move to Microsoft. Very little had been revealed about it, but Animal Buddies (including some that are normally enemies) would have replaced the mechanical vehicles, and Taj and [[Kiddy Kong]] were supposed to reappear.
|-
|align=center|[[File:Diddy Kong Racing Adventures title screen.png|200px]]<br>''[[Diddy Kong Racing Adventure]]''
|The {{wp|Climax Group}} planned a different GameCube sequel, featuring new vehicle types and the ability to switch between them during races. The plot was to involve saving [[Donkey Kong Island]] and the Kong family from a team-up of Wizpig and [[King K. Rool]]. The pitch ended up rejected, in part due to the ambiguities over who held the rights to most of the ''Diddy Kong Racing''-original characters.
|}
While no sequel ended up happening, a remake for the [[Nintendo DS]] was released: ''[[Diddy Kong Racing DS]]''. Although a remake, it featured more characters, tracks, and some different challenges. Some music had also changed. Eventually, another ''Donkey Kong''-themed racing game was released, the unrelated ''[[Donkey Kong Barrel Blast]]'' for the [[Wii]].

==Gallery==
{{main|Gallery:Diddy Kong Racing}}
<gallery>
Diddy car.jpg|[[Diddy Kong]]
Carbanjo.png|[[Banjo]]
Conker the Squirrel DKR artwork.jpg|[[Conker]]
Timber Plane DKR.png|[[Timber]]
Hoveringtiptup.jpg|[[Tiptup|TipTup]]
Taj Walking.png|[[Taj]]
</gallery>

==Quotes==
{{main|List of Diddy Kong Racing quotes}}

==Media==
{{more media|section=yes|More music samples}}
{{media table
|file1=DK (Diddy Kong Racing).oga
|title1=Diddy Kong's theme
}}

==References to other games==
*''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'': The introduction to the story found in the instruction booklet has an opening on [[Donkey Kong Island]], the setting of this game. In addition, [[Squawks]] is mentioned. Diddy's character select theme is an arrangement of [[DK Island Swing]].

==References in later games==
*''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'': The [[Kritter]]s in this game are physically similar to [[Krunch]].
*''[[Diddy Kong Pilot (2001)|Diddy Kong Pilot]]'': Krunch's sound effects were reused, as was Diddy's. T.T.'s voice is also used.
* ''[[Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)]]'': Krunch's sound effects were reused at a different pitch for [[Kritter]], as was Diddy's.
*''[[Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance)]]'': Krunch's sound effects were reused for [[Kannon]], as was Diddy's.
*''[[Donkey Kong Country 3 (Game Boy Advance)]]'': Krunch's sound effects were reused for [[Rekoil]], as was Diddy's.
*''[[DK: King of Swing]]'': Diddy's sound effects were reused.

==Staff==
{{main|List of Diddy Kong Racing staff}}
'''Software director:'''
*Robert Harrison
'''Software engineers:'''
*Paul Mountain
*John Pegg
*Richard Gale
'''Art director:'''
*[[Kevin Bayliss]]
'''3D artists:'''
*Lee Musgrave
*Keith Rabbette
*Dean Smith
*Johnni Christensen
*Brian Smyth
*Paul Cunningham

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=ディディーコングレーシング
|JapR=Didī Kongu Rēshingu
|JapM=Diddy Kong Racing
|Kor=디디콩 레이싱
|KorR=Didikong Reising
|KorM=
|Chi=迪迪剛的赛车
|ChiR=Dídí Gāng Desàichē
|ChiM=
|Fre=Diddy Kong Racing
}}

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
{{NIWA|StrategyWiki=1}}
*[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_ndyj/index.html Japanese site]
*[https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-64/Diddy-Kong-Racing-269448.html Nintendo UK site]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/19981203020725/http://www.dkr.com/ North American site (Archived)]
{{DKR}}
{{Donkey Kong games}}
{{N64}}
[[Category:Nintendo 64 games]]
[[Category:Racing games]]
[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Diddy Kong Racing|*]]
[[Category:1997 games]]
[[Category:Player's Choice]]
[[de:Diddy Kong Racing]]
[[it:Diddy Kong Racing]]