Pros: > 3 ways to race > Adventure Mode
Cons: > Races are kinda slow paced > How the items are handled
The bottom line: Diddy Kong Racing DS < Mario Kart DS
Diddy Kong Racing DS

(Nintendo DS -> 2007)

BY: SEAN BEAULIEU


Grade Scale "0 to 100"

(0) - Worthless

(10) - Almost Worthless

(20) - Terrible

(30) - Bad

(40) - Mediocre

(50) - Average

(60) - Good

(70) - Very Good

(80) - Excellent

(90) - Almost Perfect

(100) - Perfect


Let's have a quick flashback to 1997. Diddy Kong Racing was released for the Nintendo 64, and sales were pretty good, despite the lack of advertisement
and build up. Flash-forward to 2007 a decade later as Diddy Kong Racing makes its way onto the Nintendo DS console. Has Diddy Kong Racing aged well in the past
decade?


"GAMEPLAY" Diddy Kong Racing DS is what I like to consider an alternate to Mario Kart DS, although not as good. A nice touch is how instead of just 1
way to race, players have 3. You can race in a car, plane, or a hovercraft. The car is the most regular way of driving, and also the most fun in my view. The plane
can also be fun as you fly through the air instead of always racing on a surface. Alternate race routes can also be discovered with the plane. The hovercraft is likely
the biggest flaw in the game. Controlling the craft can get very irritating as controling the craft can get more difficult than the course you're racing on. The items are
also different as players can get any item regardless of what place they are in. While this sounds like fun, it creates an un-balance in the gameplay because players
fall behind will likely have no way of catching up to the rest of the pack. (65)


"GRAPHICS" If you've seen the graphics for the Nintendo 64, then don't expect much different from the DS version. This isn't a bad thing as the graphics
still hold up as being pretty good. (69)


"REPLAY VALUE" You won't be playing forever like on Mario Kart DS, but this game does have staying power even if you've already beaten it. All of the
old Diddy Kong Racing courses, plus some new courses exclusively for the DS should keep you playing, if only for a little while longer. (67)


"OVERALL" Although it's just a remake of a previous game, There are enough changes in Diddy Kong Racing DS to make it seem like a different game,
which it is. Even if the game is not quite as good as it was a decade ago, Diddy Kong Racing proves that it still has enough staying power to keep long time
gamers satisfied. (66)