Diddy Kong Pilot (2003)

Diddy Kong Pilot is the name of a canceled Game Boy Advance racing title starring Diddy Kong and other Donkey Kong characters racing against each other in Planes. This build was entirely redone from the original version, before finally becoming Banjo-Pilot in 2005.

History
No information regarding this build of Diddy Kong Pilot was publicly known until October 3, 2011, when a former Rare employee, with the pseudonym "Transparentjinjo", posted a gameplay video on YouTube. According to its title, the game's build date was "February 19, 2003". About a month later, the game leaked onto an unrelated Rare fansite.

Gameplay
Diddy Kong Pilot has a few modes, including the Grand Prix-type mode "Cups", a Time Trial mode which has no default scores, or even the Cranky Challenge mode, in which the player's goal is to obtain six coins placed around the course while beating Cranky in a race. The multiplayer option is crossed out and cannot be accessed. Diddy Kong Pilot features three different teams: Team Kong (consisting of Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Donkey Kong, and Funky), Team Kritter (consisting of Kritter, Klap Trap, Klump, and K. Rool), and Team Cranky, whose only member is Cranky Kong; he even appears in all four character slots. The player can unlock the Kremlings by finishing every cup, and Cranky if the player beats all the Cranky Challenges.

Gameplay progression is as follows:
 * 1) Team Kong beats Team Krem in all four cups and boss fights, after which Cranky bets the player couldn't do it while playing as a Kremling.
 * 2) Team Krem beats Team Kong in all four cups and boss fights, after which Cranky laments the fact that the Kremlings have earned the rights to claim the title screen as Kremling Pilot, showing a lava temple area.
 * 3) Player beats all Cranky Challenges with any character, after which Cranky allows himself to be played.
 * 4) Cranky beats Team Krem in all four cups and boss fights, claiming the title screen in his own name. The title screen is restyled to Cranky Kong Pilot, which shows a scenery of the open sea and Enguarde jumping out on occasion.

Aside from basic gameplay, few elements return directly from Diddy Kong Racing. T.T.'s voice is still used as the announcer despite him never visually appearing, and air-based Zippers reappear with the same design and functionality as before. Additionally, waiting to press the accelerator at the beginning of the race until the space between T.T.'s "Get ready" and "Go" results in a large speed boost.

Cups
Cups mode is divided between two sub-modes, Race and Boss.

Race
The player needs to complete each of the four cups by first completing the four races to win a trophy, which allows them to fight the boss. Team Kong and Team Cranky have the same cups and tracks, while the tracks in Team Krem's cups are reversed and have different names. In each race, the player must place between first and fourth to qualify for the next race. Three retries are allotted if they fail to qualify, represented by flag icons on the retry screen. More retries can be earned by collecting all the KONG Letters in a course. At the end of a cup, the player must place third or higher overall.

Boss
After placing in the top three positions in a cup, the player gets to dogfight the boss, which is the character the cup is named for. Each take place above the clouds over the ocean, a vast forest, or the "Speedy Show" course. The fights alternate between having the player shoot at the boss from behind while avoiding their weapons, and having the player in front of the boss while avoiding their bullets. In both segments, item barrels appear and can be used by the player. Each cup's boss in the order they appear in the menu is more powerful and aggressive than the previous one, with four named difficulty levels shared by each team; however, the Kong bosses fought while playing as Team Krem are in general more dangerous than when the Kremlings are faced while playing as Team Krem, and when fighting the Kremlings as Team Cranky, they have their original behavior, but are much more durable. Each boss character has their own weapon which they drop in a chain behind them, making it dangerous to pursue them directly much of the time. After one of the participants loses all their health, a brief scene shows the winner shooting down the loser; unlike gameplay, this is shown from the side.

Time Trial
In Time Trial, the player can set their own high score on any track, including the reverse Kremling versions, with any character. Zippers and target balloons are present in this mode as in Cups, though barrels and the items within are not.

Cranky Challenge
In Cranky Challenge, the player must race Cranky Kong while collecting six coins he has hidden around the tracks. There is a Cranky Challenge for each of the 16 Team Kong courses, and they can be performed by any character.

Options menu
The options menu has six selectable options, most of which are related to debugging: "Language", "Sound", "Secret", "Multiplayer Weapons", "Ghost", and "Clear Scores". The Language option is highly unfinished, and is shown to have four other options, aside from English: French, Spanish, German, and Italian. The only text translated into German are the options from the title screen and options menu. The other languages use the same, default English text for a placeholder.

Despite having no relevance to sound, the Sound option redirects the player to an incomplete initials menu. After entering three characters, the rotating character input goes to the number 5. If the player presses while the number is highlighted, they are sent back to the options menu.

The Secret option unlocks everything in the game. The Multiplayer Weapons option shows a replay of the cutscene from the most recent defeat in a dogfight match. Despite its title, the Ghost mode has no relevance to Time Trial ghosts, and instead displays the victory photo of a team. The team displayed in the photo corresponds to the current title screen. The last option is Clear Scores, which erases all of the game data.

Race courses
All race courses have three laps, regardless of mode.

Glitches
Diddy Kong Pilot went considerably far in development, although it remains somewhat unpolished. The most notable bug is the continuous loop of a loud sound effect, which occurs when the player goes through a zipper just before a Buzz crashes into them. Another bug always shows a "22" in the top-left corner of the Options menu.

Cutscene

 * "Before we start, lets [sic] get a few things straight... you are racing for the pride of Team Kong, don't let us down... I did not suffer those interminable amounts of monotonous gameplay for you to blow it all now. Each cup is made up of four races... If you win that then you need to go head to head against a Kremling to show them who is boss.. Look out for the Target Balloons... shoot them and a secret boost will appear... fly through it and something special will happen.. Think you can handle it? I very much doubt it." - when beginning a cup race the first time
 * "C'mon, that was terrible, you're letting the whole team down...You need to finish in the top four places if you are going to qualify for the next race.." - after losing a race
 * "Pathetic! I've never seen such bad flying! Head for the barrels and use the weapons... That should make it easy... even for someone as terrible as you.." - after losing a second race
 * "Having trouble are we? If you collect all of the KONG letters then you get an extra retry... The way you are flying, you're going to need it." - after losing a third race
 * "Pah! That was awful... Shameful... you can't let them get the better of you... Get back out there and show them what you're made of" - after losing a boss fight
 * "That wasn't too difficult was it? Get on and race the rest of them, nothing is going to happen until you beat all four..." - after beating a Kremling boss
 * "See how easy this is? Just two more to go and we will put paid to those stupid Kremlings..." - after beating a second Kremling boss
 * "This is it, we are nearly there. When I first saw you I thought you were a terrible Pilot... You Know [sic] what? I was right, it's just that these dumb Kremlings are even worse!.. One more to go.." - after beating a third Kremling boss
 * "Four out of four? Well, look at you... thinking you're a fancy pilot. Frankly that was just too easy... If you want a real challenge, try racing as those dumb Kremlings... Then we will see how good you really are.." - after beating the final Kremling boss
 * "What's going on? This is a disgrace! This is a Kong game, not a Kremling game... I don't see your name on the title page. My boys will put a stop to this insolence.." - when beginning a cup race with Team Krem the first time
 * "What! How did that happen? That must have been a fluke... You Kremlings are all the same... Let's see you try that again..." - after beating a Kong boss
 * "Pah! That's enough of that! My boys are going to start taking it seriously now... Enough of this impudence..." - after beating a second Kong boss
 * "Three out of four? How did it come to this... Don't think it will be so easy next time..." - after beating a third Kong boss
 * "Aaaargh! That wasn't supposed to happen! I never thought it would come to this... this is serious you know... Whatever team beats all four bosses last, gets to claim the name of the game.. Next time you see the title page you are going to be in for a bit of a surprise.." - after beating the final Kong boss
 * "Let's see how good you are. I've left six coins on each track and you need to collect them all and still beat me in a race... Think you are up to it? You don't stand a chance" - when beginning a Cranky Challenge the first time
 * "What's the matter? Is it too tough for you? You didn't collect all the coins or win the race... In my day we would have done all this with just one retry" - after failing both Cranky Challenge criteria
 * "Were you not listening? You can't just collect all the coins, you have to beat me as well! Come back when you've learnt how to follow simple intructions.." - after failing to beat Cranky
 * "Pathetic! It doesn't count if you don't collect all the coins. You were just lucky anyway... If this plane were working properly you wouldn't get anywhere near me.." - after failing to collect all the coins
 * "Bah! How did that happen? There must be something wrong with my plane... Try another track, you won't beat me again..." - after completing one Cranky Challenge
 * "Humbug! I've got to hand it to you kid, you can actually fly that thing... I think it' time for you to move on... If you want a real challenge, try racing in the CUPS with TEAM CRANKY... The others will really give you a race then..." - after beating all Cranky Challenges
 * "Well thank you... I think you have just gone and proved what we knew all along, I am the best flier... You could change the title page back by racing as one of the other teams but why would you need too [sic] 'Cranky Kong Pilot'?.. It seems like the end of an era Things [sic] may never be the same again.." - after beating all Kremling bosses with Team Cranky

Gameplay

 * "Obviously!" - selected
 * "It's going!" - starting
 * "Oh, yeah!" - passing
 * "Not a problem." - being passed
 * "Move it!" - hitting a Kremling
 * "Why, you...!" - hit by Kremling
 * "Ha! Serves you right." - hitting a Kong
 * "What the?" - hit by Kong
 * "Wa-hooey!" - boosting
 * "Too easy!" - 1st place
 * "No competition." - 2nd place through 4th place
 * "Next time I WILL try!" - 5th place through 8th place

Diddy Kong

 * "C'mon!" - selected
 * "Here we go!" - starting
 * "Here I go!" - passing
 * "I'll catch up!" - being passed
 * "Gotcha!" - hitting a Kremling
 * "Typical..." - hit by Kremling
 * "Sorry..." - hitting a Kong
 * "Be careful..." - hit by Kong
 * "Wa-hey!" - boosting
 * "I'm a winner!" - 1st place
 * "Good enough..." - 2nd place through 4th place
 * "Oh, shucks!" - 5th place through 8th place

Dixie Kong

 * "Hahehehe..." - selected
 * "Let's go!" - starting
 * "Coming through!" - passing
 * "Hey, you!" - being passed
 * "Heehee!" - hitting a Kremling
 * "You puss!" - hit by Kremling
 * "Oops..." - hitting a Kong
 * "Hey!" - hit by Kong
 * "Wa-hey!" - boosting
 * "I'm the best." - 1st place
 * "That's OK." - 2nd place through 4th place
 * "I must do better." - 5th place through 8th place

Funky Kong

 * "Good choice!" - selected
 * "Let's go, dude!" - starting
 * "Awesome!" - passing
 * "Too bad!" - being passed
 * "Sorry, dude!" - hitting a Kong
 * "C'mon, dude!" - hit by Kong
 * "Tough luck." - hitting a Kremling
 * "Watch it, man!" - hit by Kremling
 * "Way-hey!" - boosting
 * "Check me out!" - 1st place
 * "Not bad!" - 2nd place through 4th place
 * "What was I thinking?" - 5th place through 8th place

Donkey Kong

 * "Donkey Kong!" - selected
 * "Time to go!" - starting
 * "You goin'!" - passing
 * "I'm not done!" - being passed
 * "Sorry, friend!" - hitting a Kong
 * "Hey, pal!" - hit by Kong
 * "How'd you like that?" - hitting a Kremling
 * "Hey, watch it!" - hit by Kremling
 * "Wa-hey!" - boosting
 * Yeah! First place." - 1st place
 * "Nice job!" - 2nd place through 4th place
 * "Uh oh..." - 5th place through 8th place

Kritter

 * "Shake it." - selected
 * 'Let's get it on." - starting
 * "See ya!" - passing
 * "Hey you!" - being passed
 * "Take that, ape!" - hitting a Kong
 * "Watch it, monkey!" - hit by Kong
 * "Sorry partner." - hitting a Kremling
 * "C'mon, partner!!" - hit by Kremling
 * "Way-hey!" - boosting
 * "Go, Kritter!" - 1st place
 * "I can do better." - 2nd place through 4th place
 * "That's bad!" - 5th place through 8th place

Klap Trap

 * "Oh yeah!" - selected
 * "Let's do this, hehe! Hehe!" - starting
 * "Yeah yeah, heh!" - passing
 * "No no no!" - being passed
 * "Take that ape! Hehe!" - hitting a Kong
 * "Watch it, ape!" - hit by Kong
 * "Oh dear!" - hitting a Kremling
 * "Watch it!" - hit by Kremling
 * "Wa-hey!" - boosting
 * "I rock, hehehehe!" - 1st place
 * "Yeah, heh!" - 2nd place through 4th place
 * "Stupid dumb lad!" - 5th place through 8th place

Klump

 * "Yes, siree!" - selected
 * "Very good, sir!" - starting
 * "So long!" - passing
 * "Come back here!" - being passed
 * "Get some, ape!" - hitting a Kong
 * "Hey, you!" - hit by Kong
 * "Sorry, soldier!" - hitting a Kremling
 * "Hey, watch it buddy!" - hit by Kremling
 * "Woo-hoo!" - boosting
 * "Yeah! Number one!" - 1st place
 * "All right!" - 2nd place through 4th place
 * "Hah, not good enough!" - 5th place through 8th place

K. Rool

 * "Okay, then!" - selected
 * "This is it!" - starting
 * "Come back!" - being passed
 * "Get outta here!" - passing
 * "Watch it, ape!" - hitting a Kong
 * "You'll get it!" - hit by Kong
 * "Too bad!" - hitting a Kremling
 * "How DARE you!" - hit by Kremling
 * "Wa-ha-hey!" - boosting
 * "Too easy!" - 1st place
 * "I'm not tryin'!" - 2nd place through 4th place
 * "Let's do it again!" - 5th place through 8th place

T.T. voiceover

 * "Get ready... Go!" - starting race
 * "Lap two!" - lap transition
 * "Final lap!" - lap transition
 * "Finish!" - ending race
 * "Monkey power!" - after going through final pink zipper
 * "Monkey madness!" - after going through yellow zipper

Trivia

 * A spelling error appears when the player loses at a boss fight: the text reads "YOU LOOSE" instead of "YOU LOSE".
 * All playable characters have voiced dialogue. Klump notably sounds like his cartoon counterpart, though the other characters sound quite different from theirs.
 * The generic Kritter in the game bears far more resemblance to Krunch than a typical Kritter. He also speaks in a Southern accent.
 * In the Cups mode, the point spread matches those of the first three Mario Kart games; Mario Kart: Super Circuit was the most recent Mario Kart game as of the prototype build. In Banjo-Pilot, the point spread was changed to match that of Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, which was released after the Diddy Kong Pilot prototype, and was the most recent Mario Kart game as of the final release.