Diddy Kong Racing DS

[Miguel007]

This dropped through my door this morning from MovieTyme.

I've put 3hrs 49 into it tonight, quite impressed with it but it does have some slight niggles.

Starting races is a bit of a pain in the arse as to get a fast start you have to use the touch screen, or blow into the microphone which is just plain stupid. For example just before you race you have a wheel / propellor / Fan on the touch screen dependant on your chosen vehicle then to get a fast start you have to spin or blow to push a meter up in order to get a fast start from the get-go. Why couldn't they just have left it alone!

Single Player is basically the same although when you find a key to say unlock a battle arena - it unlocks a track editor where you draw a basic track and race TT on it. I haven't come across any of the Battle Arena's yet and am not sure whether you can unlock them, I hope you can cause I love Icicle Pyramid. Taj has a few more challenges up his sleeve and he has lost his Indian voice.

There is no Coin Challenge I have come across yet, it replaces it with Balloon Bust or something where you fly through the level first person style on Taj's magic carpet on a pre-determined path trying to pop all the balloons, which was initially disappointing but becomes quite addictive, gotta bust-em all sort of thing!

Online is quite good and I played six player and got my ass handed to me, a few of the stradlers dropped (No change there then!) and it just seemed to carry on regardless which was great!

It's seems very slow compared to MK as well. It's also got a Track Editor and customisable cars etc. but I haven't dabbled yet.

[ShadowDancer]

This game got 100's of hours of play on the n64, beaten normal and reverse and my brother and I played the racing and stuff all the time!

May i ask because even after that i can't remember...are all 5(i think 5) stages unlocked to race against multiplayer either on line or off?

[Miguel007]

May i ask because even after that i can't remember...are all 5(i think 5) stages unlocked to race against multiplayer either on line or off?

I'm upto Dragon Forest in Single Player and it looks as if all of the tracks can be unlocked in multi-player. It looks as if I have room for the other levels.

Some one played against me online with

->Open Spoiler<-

Drumstick

so I'm assuming he's unlockable.

I've just played Star City Online and I haven't got that far so they must be all unlockable and playable online.

[SUMIRE]

I'm tempted to pick this up, but am put off with this daft microphone blowing....is it really that bad?

[Yoshimax]

I'd love to pick this up but the fact they've changed/removed Taj's voice doesn't sit well with me - ****ing Political Correctness arseholes.

[Miguel007]

I'm tempted to pick this up, but am put off with this daft microphone blowing....is it really that bad?

You do feel a bit of a tit and it is a cheap and nasty way to incorporate the Touch Screen, but it's a minor gripe really. Overall if you loved DKR on the N64 I would say it's a must-buy, there is much enjoyment to be had especially Online.

[taurusnipple]

What about the music? The music was well catchy and made the game for me. The same tracks as the N64?

[Miguel007]

What about the music? The music was well catchy and made the game for me. The same tracks as the N64?

It still is good, I could swear some of the music has been slightly changed, I would guess at 90&#37; original score.

I'm glad to report the horrid spinning Rare sign with the kids laughing in the background at the beginning (From the N64) has been removed.

[wicky]

Has anyone found the coin challenges yet? I will be annoyed if they aren't in it

I can' t believe they changed the genies voice and that spinning part at the front is just annoying.

Nice little game but I think I would rather get my n64 back out tbh.

[ryodi]

I'm glad to report the horrid spinning Rare sign with the kids laughing in the background at the beginning (From the N64) has been removed.

It still takes an absolute age to start get to the menu screen from startup compared to most DS games. The initial load still is similar to the DKC ports in its length and unskippability.

Only have a brief play last night and the hovercraft it still as fun to control as I remember. I also prefer the handling of the karts in DKR to MKDS, you just seem to be able to throw them around more.

[kramer]

Has anyone found the coin challenges yet? I will be annoyed if they aren't in it

There's no need to be annoyed - you unlock them and they become available on the main menu.

[Mr.Do!]

Has anyone found the coin challenges yet? I will be annoyed if they aren't in it

.

Goto the tent

(see above ^ )

[MarioMark]

I got this on Monday and I?m getting into it now. It suits the DS lovely! I?m playing as Timber the Tiger

Anyone noticed the loading screen in between each race? It's not a problem because it's only there for about 2 seconds but I found it odd because it's a DS game cart.

[wicky]

There's no need to be annoyed - you unlock them and they become available on the main menu.

yay

[Ratso]

I'd love to pick this up but the fact they've changed/removed Taj's voice doesn't sit well with me - ****ing Political Correctness arseholes.

It does seem a bit odd. His name's Taj and he's an anthropomorphic Indian elephant. A poorly attempted accent - and there have been plenty of those in Rare games over the years - isn't racist in itself.