Topic: Diddy Kong Racing: New details

[NWR_pap64]

These are brand new details found on the latest issue of Nintendo Power. Some interesting stuff:
* Characters Banjo and Conker have been replaced by Dixie Kong and Tiny Kong. Other characters include Pipsy, Tiptup, Diddy Kong, Timber, Bumper, and Krunch. Four additional blank spaces are on the title screen for unlockable characters, for a total of 12 characters overall.

* “All of the great character animation that you remember from the old game is in the new version, and it looks even better than you remember it: the textures — often supersaturated and blurry on the N64 — are crisp and bright on the DS.�

* When boosting off the starting line, players must rub the touchscreen for the car and plane, and blow into the microphone for the hovercraft.

* The speed-boosting bananas that littered tracks in the N64 version are gone; players will now have to rely on power-ups and skills alone to win.

* The Silver Coin Challenges from the N64 game are gone. Replacing them is an on-rails target-shooting minigame, where you fly through each course on Taj’s magic carpet, popping balloons from a first-person perspective.

* Before, two red balloons snagged you the homing missile power-up, then a third red balloon gave you ten rockets. Now the missile power-up goes single rocket –> five rockets –> homing missile.

* As reported in an earlier GoNintendo update, every track you unlock in single player mode can be played in single-card multiplayer mode. There is an online mode as well.

* All of the courses from the old game, as well as the bosses and the overworld, have returned, and NP hints there is more still to come. The game hits North America this February.

Not surprised that Banjo and Conker got the axe. 4 more characters? Well, there was that chicken and the clock guy, maybe some more Donkey Kong characters?

[Arbok]

Sounds like good changes all around (although I will kind of miss the banna aspect), great to hear that Dixie is in it though. However, still not sure if it merits buying at this point, although its definitely sounding more appealing since I first heard the "remake" news.  

[Nick DiMola]

"* When boosting off the starting line, players must rub the touchscreen for the car and plane, and blow into the microphone for the hovercraft.

* The speed-boosting bananas that littered tracks in the N64 version are gone; players will now have to rely on power-ups and skills alone to win.

* The Silver Coin Challenges from the N64 game are gone. Replacing them is an on-rails target-shooting minigame, where you fly through each course on Taj’s magic carpet, popping balloons from a first-person perspective."

Suddenly I no longer want this game. Seriously, Silver Coin challenges were awesome and really made you a better racer. The bananas weren't just freebies, there was skill around getting those while hitting all the boosts and that starting line boost stuff is gimmicky and seems like it will be annoying. Why can't they just make a new game and not tamper with a classic?  

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: Mr. Jack
The bananas weren't just freebies, there was skill around getting those while hitting all the boosts...

Agree there, although I would imagine they were removed in order to make online play work smoother.

[couchmonkey]

Ha ha, it's a bad sign for this game that the only thing that gets me excited is how this....

* Characters Banjo and Conker have been replaced by Dixie Kong and Tiny Kong. Other characters include Pipsy, Tiptup, Diddy Kong, Timber, Bumper, and Krunch. Four additional blank spaces are on the title screen for unlockable characters, for a total of 12 characters overall.

...shows off the first clash between Rare's respective obligations to Microsoft and Nintendo.

I like Diddy Kong Racing, but I think I'd rather buy the original.