Diddy Kong Pilot

Diddy Kong Pilot was a planned follow-up game of Diddy Kong Racing, but with flying as the only means of transport. However, Nintendo found the game substandard (one of the point of criticism provided was "There's no point in flying up and down on flat levels") and did not want to publish it. After Rare was sold to Microsoft, which caused the company to lose the rights to the Donkey Kong franchise's characters, Diddy Kong Pilot was converted into the game Banjo-Pilot in 2005. However, on November 5th 2011, a collector who had purchased a prototype cartridge leaked its ROM onto the internet.

The game was first shown at Spaceworld 2001, where its cast consisted of both Donkey Kong Country and Mario characters - a first for a Donkey Kong Country spin-off. This version allowed players to take control of Diddy Kong, Princess Peach, Mario, Cranky Kong, Donkey Kong, King K. Rool, Yoshi (sitting atop a Lakitu's Cloud), Wario (piloting a red biplane similar to the Bulldog), Bowser, Funky Kong, Dixie Kong, and Toad. However, a later build revised the roster to Krunch, Dixie Kong, Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong, King K. Rool, Candy Kong, Cranky Kong, and a character tentatively called Redneck Kong, who was "killed off" early in development according to one of the developers. There is a screenshot showing a rocket boost in it which revealed that rocket boosts were probably going to be an item in the game. This game was also going to use the tilt sensor.

Gameplay
There were 2 gameplay videos that a Rare employee named "Transparentjinjo" posted on YouTube on September 15, 2011 to reveal more information about the game before its demise, and on October 3, 2011 to reveal even more details about the game. The game was shown to have a Racing mode, Stories mode, Dogfights mode, Battles mode, Clock Race, and Options mode. Options had a feature the player could decide if they wanted to use the D-Pad or the tilt sensor, implying that the game was going to use the tilt sensor.

Like the predecessor, the player can collect bananas. When Races mode is selected and the player goes on to selecting a level, he or she can choose the difficulty of the level.

There is also a stories mode with three different stories: King of Kongs, Back to the Light, and K. Rool's Gold. King of Kongs set contains Beach Barricade, another beach level. It appears to be incomplete. There is also a lava level in the Back to the Light set. It is unknown what the course's name is. There is also a Classic Dogfight in the K. Rool's Gold set on which appears to have Magma Mainland in it. There is also Cranky's Challenge where the player has to be first and collect all of the Banana Coins. This was later replaced by Jiggy Challenge in Banjo-Pilot.

Another mode is the dogfight mode where the player may do a Classic Dogfight, a Dawn Duel, a Classic Variation, or a Focal Feud. This mode has players fighting against each other. The difficulty can also be chosen on this mode.

There is also a Clock Race mode where the player can race on any track in a Time Trials-like way. The difficulty can also be chose.

The player can also enter his or her name and Cranky aids the Kongs instead of being playable by sitting next to his hut.

Early build

 * Rockets: These can be used to slow down players.
 * Rocket Boost (green and red): These can be used to speed up temporarily. The red one causes the player to accelerate the fastest and farthest.
 * Peanuts (5 and 10): These can be used to shoot opponents into the ground.
 * Magnet (green and red): These can be used to make the player pass others when close by. It occasionally doesn't work.
 * DK Balloons: These contain an item with Cranky on it. It retires the player from advancing.
 * ? Balloons: They contain regular items.

Later build

 * K-O-N-G Letters: Collectibles later replaced by Jiggies in Banjo-Pilot.
 * Buzzes (pink and blue): Sent after opponents to attack. The blue one acts like the Spiny Shell from the Mario Kart series.
 * Zingers: Can be sent behind as a weapon.
 * TNT Barrel: Can be used as a nearby weapon for opponents tailed behind the player, and also boosts them greatly.
 * Wrench Barrel: Temporarily disables opponents to go fast.
 * Rambi the Rhino: Allows invincibility.

Sleepy Shores

 * Bounty Beach: A race track taking place on the beach as the name states. It has palm trees in the background along with the shore.
 * Farm Attract:
 * Jet Set Jungle:
 * Beach Race: The player races Donkey Kong in this area.

Kongo Kingdom

 * Swoop Swamp:
 * Jungle Race:
 * Magma Mainland: A lava-like area with volcanoes nearby.
 * Haunted Race:

Western Wastes

 * Lake Race:
 * Lava Race:
 * Swamp Race: Takes place in a Swamp-like area. Nothing else is known.
 * Crackpot Keep:

Island of Eggs

 * Vulture Valley:
 * Keep Race:
 * Lake Race:
 * Chicken Chase: There appear to be chickens in this level and takes place near a farm.

Polar Plateau

 * Frosty Lake
 * Farm Race
 * Desert Race
 * Snow Race

Klaptrap Cup/Dixie Kong Cup

 * Steamy Swoop: Jungle-themed with Donkey Kong's treehouse in the background.
 * Plain Pursuit: Desert-themed with Expresso as an Easter egg.
 * Chilly Length: Ice-themed with whales as Easter eggs.
 * Magma Spurt: Lava-themed with a golden K. Rool statue in the background.

Kritter Cup/Diddy Kong Cup

 * Shore Strife: Beach-themed with DK Isle in the background, and Enguarde as an Easter egg.
 * Jungle Jostle: Jungle-themed.
 * Temple Heat: Lava-themed.
 * Wild Wilderness: Wilderness-themed.

Klump Cup/Funky Kong Cup

 * Frosty Feud: Ice-themed.
 * Vine Rush: Jungle-themed.
 * Speedy Show: Lava-themed.
 * Reef Encounter: Beach-themed.

K. Rool Cup/Donkey Kong Cup

 * Lava Dispute: Lava-themed.
 * Frantic Beach: Beach-themed.
 * Prairie Dash: Prairie-themed.
 * Icy Passage: Ice-themed.

Battle stages

 * Jungle Jig
 * Sunset Scrap
 * Ice Escapades
 * Beach Brawl

Playable

 * Donkey Kong
 * Diddy Kong
 * Dixie Kong
 * Funky Kong (2002 build only)
 * Cranky Kong
 * Klaptrap (2002 build only)
 * Krunch
 * Klump (2002 build only)
 * King K. Rool
 * Candy Kong (2001 build only)
 * Redneck Kong (2001 build only)
 * Mario (2001 build only)
 * Princess Peach (2001 build only)
 * Yoshi (2001 build only)
 * Wario (2001 build only)
 * Bowser (2001 build only)
 * Toad (2001 build only)