Hot Top Volcano

Hot Top Volcano is the fourth track in Diddy Kong Racing and Diddy Kong Racing DS. It is also the fourth and last course of Dino Domain. Hot Top Volcano is a barren, volcanic area with pools of lava, some caves, and orange-brown clouds in the sky. The player's racer is required to have at least five Golden Balloons to access Hot Top Volcano and ten for the Silver Coin Challenge (or the Balloon Touch Challenge in the Nintendo DS remake).

Hot Top Volcano is the first course to use a plane as a default vehicle. In Time Trials and subsequent races, the player is provided with an option to have the characters race in Hovercrafts.

Layout
The course begins with a sharp drop. There are two red balloons and two balloons only planes can reach. Some bananas are found behind the rock structure. Then, there are two tunnels; on the right, there is a blue balloon both hovercrafts and planes can reach. Hovercrafts fall into the lava after this. Planes can collect red balloons on the main left path, but they can also collect some bananas on a narrow corridor on the left.

There is a large slope after this with a red balloon on the left and a blue balloon on the right. Hovercrafts enter the lava after a sharp downward slope. Planes can use a dash ring on the left. An arch is found here with two red balloons on the left and two blue balloons on the right.

Soon, there is a turn to the left, leading into another room. A green dinosaur roams in this room, being an obstacle. There is relatively rough terrain. Players can opt for balloons and dash rings on the sides of the room or for bananas in the middle. After an archway, racers complete the lap.

Silver Coin Challenge locations

 * Behind the structure.
 * The left path in the tunnel.
 * At the wide left path.
 * On the hill.
 * On the arch.
 * At the entrance of the last room.
 * In the penultimate dash ring.
 * In the last boost ring.