Drumstick (character)

"I'm a flyer, not a fryer. Get me out of this place."

- Drumstick Drumstick is an overalls-wearing rooster and an unlockable character in Diddy Kong Racing and Diddy Kong Racing DS. He is said to be the best racer on all of Timber's Island, but prior to the game's events, during Wizpig's attack on the island, he seemingly goes missing. His name is based on a leg cut of poultry.

Diddy Kong Racing
In Drumstick's debut in Diddy Kong Racing, the instruction manual mentions how Drumstick is the most experienced racer and could have been the cast's best chance at defeating Wizpig. Unfortunately, during Wizpig's attack on Timber's Island, he brainwashed certain characters to be villains, and transformed Drumstick into a frog.

To unlock Drumstick, the player's character must have the complete Wizpig amulet, and have completed all Trophy Races. In doing so, a frog with a rooster comb appears in the center area of Timber's Island. The frog makes chicken noises as it hops. The player character can unlock Drumstick by driving over the frog. His theme instrument from the character selection screen is a fiddle or a violin. Like Banjo and Krunch, Drumstick is a heavyweight racer, which means that he has high top speed but poor acceleration and handling. Drumstick's top speed without bananas is 61.5 mph.

The player can find Drumstick hopping as a frog again if they use the magic menu to set "Control Drumstick" to off and returning to adventure. Running over him again will trigger the cut scene as if unlocking him but without the message displaying.

Diddy Kong Racing DS
Drumstick reprises the same role in the remake of the game, Diddy Kong Racing DS. A different method is used to unlock Drumstick in this game: in the center hub of Timber's Island, the player must use the stylus to flick a frog from the bottom screen onto a cliff next to the Wizpig head. This causes Drumstick to hop back down with a rooster's comb. Just like the original version, the player's character must drive over the frog to unlock Drumstick. In the remake, Drumstick is slightly slower, but his acceleration was significantly improved to being one of the highest. Drumstick also got slightly higher handling.

4-koma Gag Battle
Drumstick appears throughout the 4-koma Gag Battle manga adaptation of Diddy Kong Racing.

Mario Artist: Paint Studio
His Diddy Kong Racing artwork appears as a stamp in Mario Artist: Paint Studio.

Diddy Kong Racing

 * Character stats
 * Weight: Heavy
 * Acceleration: 2/5
 * Handling: 1.5/5
 * Top Speed: 4.5/5
 * Vehicle Color: Red
 * Instruction booklet bio (page 25): "The most experienced racer on the island, Drumstick was the animals’ best hope for getting rid of the intruder. Unfortunately, something seems to have gone wrong and he hasn’t been seen since he went off to make a stand. Could he have fallen afoul of one of Wizpig’s spells?"
 * Player's Guide (page 7): "Drumstick was the foremost racer on Timber’s Island, but rumor has it that he fell victim to one of Wizpig’s spells. If you open the race courses successfully, you may find out more about Drumstick’s fate."
 * Rarewhere: "The most experienced racer on the island, Drumstick was the animals’ best hope for getting rid of the intruder - but unfortunately, something seems to have gone wrong and he hasn’t been seen since he went off to make a stand. Could he have fallen fowl of one of Wizpig’s spells?""

Diddy Kong Racing DS

 * Character stats
 * Speed: 4/5
 * Acceleration: 5/5
 * Handling: 2/5