Diddy Kong Racing

 Nintendo 64
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 215 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 170 out of 215
  2. Mixed: 41 out of 215
  3. Negative: 4 out of 215
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Watermelon789
    Jul 27, 2011
    9
    A copy-cat of Mario Kart 64 , nether-less is a packed fun game with more interactions and more diversity in the tracks. In fact, it could be even better than Mario Kart 64. The music tunes reminds good times for those that played back then.
  2. ImNotTubby
    Nov 15, 2019
    10
    This game basically gave me a mental breakdown as a small child, and I couldn't recommend it more to anyone. Diddy Kong Racing is a true masterpiece.
  3. thealexmott
    Mar 27, 2017
    9
    This game gets compared to Mario Kart 64 a lot, but there are things that each game does better (and differently) than each other. While MK64 has better Battle Mode and the multiplayer racing is pretty equally good between them, the Adventure Mode in DKR is phenomenal. Alone or with a friend, you navigate the overworld and complete races and challenges and even fight bosses. MK64 is forThis game gets compared to Mario Kart 64 a lot, but there are things that each game does better (and differently) than each other. While MK64 has better Battle Mode and the multiplayer racing is pretty equally good between them, the Adventure Mode in DKR is phenomenal. Alone or with a friend, you navigate the overworld and complete races and challenges and even fight bosses. MK64 is for multiplayer.

    DKR is for adventure.    … Expand
  4. Amora
    Apr 2, 2018
    10
    It's an amazing kart game that shows that not only Mario Kart is the good kart game. Diddy Kong Racing has a cute cast of characters with an amazing story, I recommend you buy it.
  5. castillo2war
    Mar 3, 2019
    9
    This is the only Racing kart game I played and enjoyed. It has fun story and some room to explore.
  6. jacob4
    Jun 6, 2015
    10
    Who knew that racing and a fun campaign mixed so well together! That's exactly what Diddy Kong Racing did. Full of fun and iconic characters from different games, challenging race tracks and challenges, crazy bosses, and even a good time racing. This isn't your typical racing game. If you like Mario Kart you'll like this game as well.
  7. Pivot1022
    Dec 24, 2011
    6
    Have any of you played through the full adventure mode? Okay this game is fuun, and adds alot more to mario karts formula. but the single player adventure gets SO BORING! if i remebre, you have to beat like every track 4-5 times just to beat the adventure mode... and i did. Oh and when you do that, you can do adventure 2... all of the tracks are just backwards... ADVENTURE HO!
  8. Uter
    Nov 19, 2003
    8
    It's little better than Mario Kart 64 in the gameplay department. The 1 player mode is deep and challenging. There's kart, plane, and hovercraft racing here. It's a nice addition to the Mario Kart formula.
  9. BrettSiebenhaar
    Jun 1, 2018
    7
    This game had its moments. It wasn't as good as Mario Kart, but at least it tried. I did enjoy the different vehicles; the cart, the airplane, and the boat. I also liked the central hub of the game, this is something that Mario Kart should adopt!
  10. RobertC.
    Mar 12, 2004
    10
    Let's face it...this game is incredible. The gameplay was awesome, the races were great fun, the multiplayer is addictive, and I don't even what to begin with the open format DKR had.
  11. NickK.
    May 2, 2005
    10
    A truly engrossing gaming experience. Perfectly balanced, dangerously addictive and dripping with charm, DKR still stands as the finest kart-based racer on any platform.
  12. SilentNinja
    Sep 3, 2005
    10
    I definentaly love this game. it's so awsome for a raceing game because you can not only be in cars but in hovercrafts and planes too. i definentaly played this game alot when i was younger heck i still play it now!!!!
  13. PersonKiller
    Feb 6, 2004
    10
    It is a kool game the music is hella cool.
  14. JonD.
    Feb 24, 2006
    10
    this game was great i played this almost every day i remember the graphics being great it was difficult but it was just extreemly fun i havent played it in a while but i have memorys of playin it every day for months when i was younger.
  15. RobertA
    Jul 15, 2004
    9
    Great racer, i could never beat the end boss though :( maybe i should try again someday.
  16. Tubie
    Jan 24, 2011
    9
    What a great game. You could spend hours and hours on this and not notice. A great game to play on your own or with a group of friends. One of the best games of the N64 era.
  17. Caestus
    Mar 4, 2013
    8
    Real fun to play and easy better then mario kart 64 with the graphics and all the vehicles in it.
  18. bestbloodyday
    May 29, 2012
    9
    Mario Kart-style racer with the characters from Donkey Kong. Long and funny game, very addictive. Although it copies Mario Kart, also DKR knows how to bring some new ideas like planes (so you can fly instead of just drive). Very good game in general terms.
  19. zeta204
    Aug 16, 2012
    9
    Not all companies can make as fun of a kart racer as Nintendo did with Mario Kart, but Rare was a very close second on the N64 with Diddy Kong Racing. As with other competitive "racers," such as Mario Kart and 1080, this game will have you screaming in joy as your friends pass you again after you just barely nudged ahead. The controls are very fluid and work well even with the N64'sNot all companies can make as fun of a kart racer as Nintendo did with Mario Kart, but Rare was a very close second on the N64 with Diddy Kong Racing. As with other competitive "racers," such as Mario Kart and 1080, this game will have you screaming in joy as your friends pass you again after you just barely nudged ahead. The controls are very fluid and work well even with the N64's oft-awkward controller. Rare made another blockbuster with this game.… Expand
  20. VideoGameCritic
    Sep 12, 2013
    10
    This is really hard for me to say but its the truth, this game is way better than MarioKart 64. I think that it was just so much better than a simple kart game. This was a weird, creepy, and the best part tons of fun! The whole point of this game was to kill a pig king or some really lame story that no one really carries about, but the thing that people really liked was the way you raced.This is really hard for me to say but its the truth, this game is way better than MarioKart 64. I think that it was just so much better than a simple kart game. This was a weird, creepy, and the best part tons of fun! The whole point of this game was to kill a pig king or some really lame story that no one really carries about, but the thing that people really liked was the way you raced. I was like a 6 year old the last time I played this game and will always love the fact that you can pick a character that really you never heard of other than diddy, banjo, and the other monkey girl that was DK's sister, other than that the characters were all unknown and that was the best cause it felt like an original game even tho really this characters were over shadowed by the giant blue elephant genie that was always in my nightmares and will never leave. The actual races were the best you moves from the road to the sky and the water, this game was very awesome and it only took almost twenty years for Mariokart to steal this and make it there own. I love this game and I hate racing games, one of the greats for one of the best systems ever.… Expand
  21. NathanJones
    Sep 11, 2013
    9
    First off I love this game! It's just as fun as Mario Kart, but with carts, hovercrafts, and planes. The gameplay is fun, the music rocks, and the graphics are beautiful.

    Diddy Kong Racing is just awesome. Score: 4/5.
  22. Yankeee007
    Oct 26, 2013
    8
    Diddly kong racing is a great racing game it's like mario kart but it's different in the same way. You race in karts ,boats and planes The level design is great and it's an amazing game buy it now
  23. wegie125
    May 4, 2018
    7
    This game was so hard honestly, I am not trying to say that it is impossible but even to this day I can not beat this game. I know that I am not that good at racing games and I often find that I struggle with even some of the easy ones but this one was insane. I tried for so long to beat this game but I just never could. I'm sure there are people that think the game is easy and I respectThis game was so hard honestly, I am not trying to say that it is impossible but even to this day I can not beat this game. I know that I am not that good at racing games and I often find that I struggle with even some of the easy ones but this one was insane. I tried for so long to beat this game but I just never could. I'm sure there are people that think the game is easy and I respect that but I could just never find it in myself to fully beat the game. I know I will never get the chance again however because this is a game that was developed by rare and the rights are spread all over the place.… Expand
  24. Shady313
    Mar 22, 2015
    10
    10/10 ................................................................................................................................................
  25. Barnes1987
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    This game was way better than anything i was expecting. I personally prefer this over Mario Kart 64. It's an amazing game and Diddy Kong's finest hour in video games.
  26. GamecubeLover
    Aug 1, 2016
    10
    This game is nostalgic and amazing. I think its better than Mario Kart 64 and that is most of the time said the best racer on the N64 but this game has more and is MORE nostalgic.
  27. Chliconcarnag
    Nov 13, 2016
    10
    I was fortunate enough to receive a Nintendo 64 in 1996 at the age of 4, Mario was my first game. My older sister and I poured our free time into this wonderful world. Our second 2 games were Mario Party 1 & Diddy Kong racing.
    For me Diddy kong racing was exactly what I wanted because similar to Mario64; single player mode was a unique adventure. While the multiplayer mode is equally    I was fortunate enough to receive a Nintendo 64 in 1996 at the age of 4, Mario was my first game. My older sister and I poured our free time into this wonderful world. Our second 2 games were Mario Party 1 & Diddy Kong racing.
    For me Diddy kong racing was exactly what I wanted because similar to Mario64; single player mode was a unique adventure. While the multiplayer mode is equally as fun, just in a different way. Of course Mario Cart has something special that Diddy Kong Racing simply does not have. However, as a whole game Diddy Kong Racing    … Expand
  28. Kamiyasi
    Feb 26, 2017
    10
    At a first glance, Diddy Kong Racing doesn't look all that special but there's a good reason it has stayed my all time favorite racing game for this long. DKR is jam packed full of content. Tons of characters, maps, battle stages, collectables, and more make DKR feel as much like a single player adventure as it does a multiplayer racing game. When your add the mirrored courses and silverAt a first glance, Diddy Kong Racing doesn't look all that special but there's a good reason it has stayed my all time favorite racing game for this long. DKR is jam packed full of content. Tons of characters, maps, battle stages, collectables, and more make DKR feel as much like a single player adventure as it does a multiplayer racing game. When your add the mirrored courses and silver coin missions to the mix, there is a ton of content in the main campaign. I haven't even mentioned the multiple vehicles, which not only add variety to the game overall, but to each stage as well as many stages are designed around multiple vehicles with alternate routes and shortcuts to discover. The stackable powerup upgrades are also something that makes this game more fun and unique. Great music, graphics, gameplay, and variety makes this game special.… Expand
  29. daManne
    Mar 31, 2017
    9
    This game really challenged Mario Kart. Too bad there were never any sequels. I thought the single player adventure mode was far more fun than playing Mario Kart 64 alone.
    The multiplayer modes were fun as well, but I always thought Mario Kart 64 had a slight advantage in that department.
  30. AKthaBeast
    Mar 22, 2018
    9
    A story mode Mario Kart with multiple vehicles and multi level power ups is exactly what this game is. With that being said this game has a lot of depth to it and is one of the most underrated multiplayer games of all time.
  31. Olicomix
    Feb 7, 2019
    10
    With adorable visuals, great track design, fantastic music, awesome roster, fantastic adventure mode, and vehicle variety, this really might be the best kart racer on the N64 thanks to the sheer amount of content and fun times this brings.
  32. TheMaskedGamer
    Jul 21, 2018
    9
    The best Mario Kart 64 copy-cat of the late 90's, Diddy Kong Racing had a great roster, fun story mode, great race tracks, and an amazing kart selection system that today has never been truly matched.
  33. Leontorres7
    Nov 15, 2018
    10
    A Masterpiece, loved everything about this game, it is definitely a must play!
  34. Heribucc
    May 24, 2020
    10
    Juego muy bueno y divertido, con un buen catalogo de pistas, poder utilizar 3 tipos de vehiculos y por ultimo un multijugador divertido!
  35. KatRat
    May 20, 2019
    10
    It should come as a shock to see that no remakes have been done since the original release of the title. This is a game that combines the best of racing with a platform feel. I had this game growing up and remember spending hours playing it. I recently bought it again and it is just as I remembered it to be.
  36. DarCbrGr
    Jun 26, 2021
    8
    Another one of my favorite games growing up. My brother has beaten this more than I have tho lol.
  37. Phased
    Jan 3, 2020
    10
    Just played through this game for the first time since release. It brought back memories of when games were pure fun. The coin challenges are somewhat difficult on some maps but what a great nostalgia trip it was. Just as good as back in the day.
  38. ChesterField
    May 1, 2020
    9
    A great karting game although comparisons are inevitable with mario kart. In my opinion it is superior to its direct competition as it added new features like airplanes or ships. Good soundtrack. Essential.
  39. ProfAmateur
    Dec 29, 2021
    9
    There is so much fun. It even has a story. Furthermore you can drive as a car, dinghy or a plane.
  40. Okevin212
    Jul 19, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was fun I finished the story many times. After the first play through you have to collect coins then the maps get inverted it's like a different game. Multiplayer is super fun too.… Expand
  41. neojotic
    Aug 27, 2020
    9
    A great alternative to Mario Kart 64!

    Awesome characters to choose from and you can select different vehicles. Not only does it serve as a great multiplayer game but it's rewarding for single players as well!

    It's another N64 classic from Rareware!
  42. ehtaco
    Jun 21, 2022
    10
    For its time, this game is insanely good in almost every aspect. I love it. It's one of my favorite games ever, to the point that I recently picked up an N64 for the first time in almost two decades just so I could shell out even more money on a copy of this game - and just this game for the time being. It holds up. It shows its age, of course, it's over 20 years old. But all thingsFor its time, this game is insanely good in almost every aspect. I love it. It's one of my favorite games ever, to the point that I recently picked up an N64 for the first time in almost two decades just so I could shell out even more money on a copy of this game - and just this game for the time being. It holds up. It shows its age, of course, it's over 20 years old. But all things considered, this holds up surprisingly well. For my entire life, I have stood beside my opinion that Diddy Kong Racing is superior to Mario Kart 64 in almost every way, and I still believe this. This game has to come back. Not a shoddy port, but a full-blown legitimate remake. This is all I want from Nintendo, and it's all I've wanted forever. Pls, Nintendo. Bring this game back.… Expand
  43. Yarun64
    Jun 17, 2021
    10
    I think it's a masterpiece, even much better than all Mario Kart versions.

    Diddy Kong Racing OST is amazing, the different worlds have their own aesthetics. Bosses are a very good idea included in its story. I would love to see a remasterization of this videogame.
  44. konjakthesober
    Sep 24, 2021
    10
    The best kartraecer ever. Fun to have plane car and hovercraft. Maybe a little bit difficult to set up a multiplayer race but still a sure 10.
  45. FireBroFilms
    Aug 15, 2022
    9
    ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎
  46. Yojimbo2015
    Apr 26, 2023
    6
    One of the better Mario Kart clones out there but the single player game lacks challenge and it's just not as good as its inspiration.
  47. Shamrock97
    Apr 30, 2023
    6
    Although the selection of different vehicles, charming cast of adorable critters, fire soundtrack and vivid, colourful and stunning visuals are all what make this game fun, the adventure mode can prove to be very a tedious and difficult chore at times when you have to constantly collect all the balloons and keys in every course and I sincerely don't have the patience for that, I just wannaAlthough the selection of different vehicles, charming cast of adorable critters, fire soundtrack and vivid, colourful and stunning visuals are all what make this game fun, the adventure mode can prove to be very a tedious and difficult chore at times when you have to constantly collect all the balloons and keys in every course and I sincerely don't have the patience for that, I just wanna kick Wizpig's ass already lmao. The controls haven't really aged well either and can be hard to use but other than that pretty solid game I guess… Expand
  48. GameMan2005
    Aug 22, 2023
    9
    Not only the best racing game on the Nintendo 64, but also the best racing game of the generation. Rareware was pumping out bangers left and right on this system.
  49. M1sfiT
    Sep 3, 2023
    6
    Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dkr

Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best N64 Game of 1997
4
#4 Most Discussed N64 Game of 1997
4
#4 Most Shared N64 Game of 1997

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Nintendorks
    80
    Though it tries to be Kiddy Kong, Diddy Kong Racing is not a kiddie game. This is challenging, full blown racing at its best.
    Read full review
  2. Electric Playground
    100
    Diddy Kong Racing is almost too good to be true. It is an exquisitely animated, color-rich racing game that bubbles over with character and charm. A triumph.
    Read full review
  3. Gaming Age
    98
    All I can say is that this is what Mario Kart 64 should have been. Awesome.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »