It really felt that, for the time, Diddy Kong racing took everything that Mario kart set out and really ran with it. Even if it's very clear that this wasn't made to be in the same vein as Mario kart. I love the hub world with the changing music, I love the boss races, and I think the addition of hovercrafts and planes are huge in terms of keeping things fresh. I just think it's really endearing to be able to so clearly see a dev's passion bleeding through the final product to this degree. I wish we saw it more often!

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

I know there were business reasons surrounding a lot of this game's decisions, but Rare's output at the time still felt very personal. Lots of pet projects during that time. Gripes aside, I'm happy that Rare made Diddy Kong Racing, a game they clearly wanted to make. Thank you for the comment. :)

What an awesome game, I don't think you said anything new but I'm always happy to hear someone talk about DKR

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

I try to provide as much of a new perspective as I can in my videos, so that's actually kind of a bummer to hear. Still, thank you for watching and commenting! I appreciate the feedback!

@TheGunmanChannel

2 ай бұрын

@@PostMesmeric sorry I wasn't meaning to be rude or negative, I am just such a big fan of the game I've listened to most KZread reviews on it and played the living heck out of it 😆

I personally liked the silver coin challenge. I usually collected them in first 2 laps and then Sped through the race on the final lap

Unlocking T.T was one of my top achievements back in the day as a kid.. it was insanely hard! Remains one of my favorite games of all times, still play it from time to time and listen to the soundtrack for nostalgia purposes.

No wonder people keep talking about this, this is a near revolutionary (for lack of a better word) game. Alot of this was only re-explored much later by other racing games, I never played, but I see this game deserves its accolades

I'm surprised you didn't talk about T.T. (and Drumstick). I never ended up unlocking him as a kid and it's something I feel like I missed out on.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

I did unlock those characters. Drumstick has a very interesting method of unlocking, one that plays to the game's charm. T.T. though...I mean, those time trials just got tiresome after a while.

One of my favorite racing games, or games in general of all time. To me it isn't repetitive and it has enough variety in the adventure mode to keep me entertained. The fact there is an adventure mode is something different when talking about racing games where it was just mostly grand prix racing in most games. I like how that once you beat adventure mode, well you can do it again but with a twist and some added difficulty. I also enjoy collecting the bananas in races and really getting that max speed for your kart but other racers eat up the bananas too so you have to knock it out of them. Diddy Kong Racing is just one of those games I have a lot of nostalgia for and enjoy revisiting every now and then. I also enjoyed this fair critical review of the game.

I would love this on the Switch N64 app.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

I'm genuinely surprised it hasn't been added to the Switch online catalog yet.

Just picked this up again off eBay, after selling my original copy in 2009, and my entire N64 collection. Repurchased an N64 last year, and enjoying it immensely! My brother and I got Diddy Kong Racing for Christmas 1997, and I purchased GoldenEye with my Christmas money shortly afterwards. Never beat DKR, but plan on completing it now. Since the gameplay and my adult sensibilities are mingling for the first time, I hear what you're saying about repetition fatigue and a feeling something is just missing. I love the game, but damn if it doesn't stress me out and piss me off to keep playing the same track a dozen times to complete the silver coin challenge or grand prix. Still love following Taj around until he starts singing along with the island theme song, haha!

You're batting 1,000 with the Donkey Kong retrospective dude. Really loved this video and I welcome everybody talk about this gem of a mascot racer. Always looking forward to your next video sir!

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

I'm doing my best. Thank you. :)

I loved it in the old Sears kiosk in the 1990s and when I finally got a console in the 2010s, I snagged a cart for $5 and spent a couple weeks 100%ing it. I ended up doing the same with the DS version a few years later!

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

$5 for a retro game is a great deal, especially for a game as enjoyable as Diddy Kong Racing!

Man, I'm just now realizing- imagine how good Double Dash would've been if it had item mechanics like this giving meaning to the double characters And if you combine those mechanics with Mario Kart's larger variety of items, that still keeps room for unpredictability in race outcomes

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

Rare does what Nintendon't.

As someone who was a kid in that generation, and played both games, Diddy Kong Racing was by far the better racer when compared to Mario Kart 64. It just leaves Mario Kart in the dust. It had more features, more ways to play, a cuter/more whimsical and fun aesthetic, it had it all.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

I love how much personality Diddy Kong Racing has. Compared to Mario Kart 64, it's no contest. Even just watching the cutscenes of the characters rocking out and dancing is a total joy.

@stephenallen224

2 ай бұрын

@@PostMesmeric Personality is right! The whole game and all of the interactions, even the smallest ones like the character selection (as you pointed out in your video), were bursting with personality. You aren't wrong with your assessment that it is very hard and unforgiving though. It's kind of ironic - it is obvious that Diddy Kong Racing was intended for kids. But needless to say, it was more likely to make kids give up!

Awesome seeing this series back, and where you're taking it from here. I really liked the section on the silver coin challenges and grand prix modes. While I haven't played DKR, I'm realizing I have a similar sentiment towards that type of challenge more broadly (I have similar gripes with CTR even as a CTR enthusiast) - and have always felt like grand prix modes are particularly suited to multiplayer. Making them single player completion requirements can feel a bit redundant, especially when the tracks don't change to adapt for a longer marathon structure. I'd be curious to see what that kind of change might look like... Also loved the ending. Your passion for Rare's creative output is always much appreciated.

I loved the silver coin challenges and the trophy races. These were deliberate design choices made to get the player to experiment with different racers. One of the things I love about DKR over MK was that almost every racer (sorry Krunch) felt great to use in a specific circumstance. With MK I would find my favorite racer and just stick with my choice throughout the whole game. The silver coins forced you to pick a racer based on handling instead of just speed. The trophy races forced you to pick a racer that would handle the best across multiple vehicles.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

I can see that to an extent, but even switching between racers, I don't think the game really incentivized that. The characters didn't seem quite as mechanically distinct from each other as I'd like, though the gameplay itself still remained compelling.

The island-as-an-overworld kinda reminds me of MarioGalaxy1's hub world. Sure it's not mind-blowing and on paper it doesnt seem to add much of anything, but if you were to remove it (like MarioGalaxy2 did for the larger part) then you do notice something of value is lost. The island may not be very complex, large in scope or have many activities, but the feeling of connectedness and worldbuilding it brings to the table surely is worth something, especially since the courses are all brought together by the themes of the island/world itself

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

That's an interesting comparison. That element of connectivity is pretty clear in Super Mario Galaxy's hub, and though I do like Super Mario Galaxy 2 a lot (maybe even more than Galaxy 1), I know there's something missing with a connective hub absent. Good to think about!

Back when I was working with this game for a video I definitely remember the when I realized "okay, maybe this won't be a 100% playthrough style video". The demands of this game seem like the kind of that draw you in when you're primed for it, when you're a kid and need a game to last as long as possible. I only came at this game in my 20's, and I've got stuff to do. It's super fun, but there's so much of it. Still amazing how much agility fast twitch play Rare managed to get out of the N64 for this. I always remember DKR being so much faster and more fluid than Mario Kart 64, but maybe that's just misconstrued due to time.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

Rare really encouraged (or in some ways, demanded) getting absolutely everything in their games, though that was just as much a blessing as it was a curse. Diddy Kong Racing wasn't the most egregious example of that "get everything" push, but that fatigue sinks in quicker than I think many expected. Still, it's easy to appreciate the imagination behind this game, while still having a bit of bite and challenge behind its kart-racing gameplay. Thank you!

It’s rare that I see a critique of diddy kong racing and one that shares a lot of my thoughts and feelings on the game perfectly. Diddy Kong racing is a really good kart racing game, though it’s extra content can make the experience drag when the core of it is strong enough as is. It is kinda funny you bring up that DKR doesn’t feel like a DK game, because I saw it more in line as a link between DK but mostly banjo and conker to some extent. Which btw it is odd but kinda neat to see a pre Bad fur day conker in a game.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

It felt like Rare was trying to build out some alternate side of Kong lore, beyond what was in Donkey Kong Country, which is something I can appreciate in some ways. I did end up playing as Conker a lot throughout my DKR playthrough and it is interesting seeing the character in a pre-Bad Fur Day vibe. Thanks, man!

This was my second N64 game after Mario Kart. Those silver coin challenges are no joke. I could never complete them as a kid so I returned to it later as an adult and NOPE, still impossible for me to beat. One mistake in those later races kills the entire run.

@Tur713

2 ай бұрын

That said, its still one of my favorite kart racers

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

I don't think many other kart racing games nail what Diddy Kong Racing did so well. It feels very special, in that regard.

I love this Game so much! Its pure magic!

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

It's definitely a wild ride. Thanks!

Disagree on the silver coin challenge. It’s so fun

I loathed the silver coin challenges as a kid. Felt like a task master school teacher - "did you get all the coins AND come in 1st?" tormenting a captive audience to pad out the game time

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

I think the silver coin challenges are an interesting idea, one that really pushes players to chart their racing course differently, but I don't think their implementation was that natural at all. Good concept, rough execution.

I never was able to beat this game as a kid, it was almost frustratingly difficult at times. But despite that... the charm this game oozes is undeniable and I still love it lol

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

It's tough and there's a lot of content that doesn't always hit the mark, but the presentation is so endearing. Really enjoyed how charming it is!

I've got to disagree on the Silver Coin Challenges, those were always my favorite part of 100%! Of course, this is coming from a guy who's done that on both Adventure 1 and 2 multiple times each, beat all TT Times twice, and even defeated every Dev time, so I _might_ be biased... but I felt that way even back when I thought Wizpig was extremely difficult. That doesn't mean I'm an absolute master of this racing style though... There's a Romhack that changes the track layouts completely, and the time trials basically require a mechanic I just cannot internalize in order to pull off.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

The Silver Coin challenges are a good idea in my eyes, but they don't fit exactly with the track designs themselves. I do appreciate Rare's desire to draw the player into a different type of play, so at the very least, I can honor that decision. Great to see avid Diddy Kong Racing experts providing their experiences too. Thank you!

I dunno I love the Silver Coin Challenges, I couldn’t get enough, I would have been happy with even more extra challenges! The game was so much fun to play, I actually don’t have any criticism for this game. I never fully understood the complaint of it being repetitive, the very nature of kart racers is to play the levels multiples times anyway no? If anything those extra challenges give you another way to enjoy the levels if anything.

I remember liking DKR, but I did find it a bit difficult when I was a kid. Unfortunately, never got too far in it since it was usually a rental. That said, it is kind of amazing the amount of things it did, especially for the time it released.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

It is noticeably challenging, especially if you're out to unlock everything. The time trials in particular struck a chord for me.

A few loose thoughts: - As is probably common knowledge by now, there's a peculiarity with how the car works compared to the hovercraft and plane. Because of how acceleration is treated, you go faster by repeatedly tapping the gas rather than holding it. Between this and the Zippers, once you start abusing this even the developer times are pretty easy to beat. It's unfortunate, because it makes playing against CPUs a lot easier and forces human opponents to use the same strategy or else inevitably fall behind. (Not to mention that if you're playing as anyone not named T.T. or Drumstick, your odds of winning are already pretty low.) - You brought up the character select screen and the dances each character does, but I think the icing is how the main theme correlates with whoever you picked. A few other titles have done something similar (in terms of Nintendo 64 games, Snowboard Kids 2 seems like the closest comparison), but none have done it nearly as well. - I love the Magic Codes and wish you had brought them up. It allows for so many more options in terms of how the game is played. Make all the balloons one color! Make the balloons disappear! Make the zippers disappear! Even something as simple as allowing the Adventure to be played cooperatively is a fun time, making little games of tag on Timber Island or allowing for a bit of teamwork in finding the stupid Silver Coin behind the waterfall in Windmill Plains.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

During my playthrough, I did tinker with some Magic Codes, and yeah, they're very inventive and show a lot of creativity in what they change. Makes me wish secret codes were still commonplace in single-player games! Thank you for the comment!

great vid!

Bruh I used to play the SHIT out of Diddy Kong Racing! Airplanes and hover boats??? My kid self was floored

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

The different vehicles are very nice touches. Rare once again being ahead of the curve!

It's the Dark Souls of kart racing games. Getting 100% completion is a brutal challenge. The silver coin races can go from challenging to nightmare at the drop of a hat, and Greenwood Village alone will push you far beyond your limits. That said, the game is incredibly creative, and a must-play even if you don't strive to fully complete it.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

Oh man, Greenwood Village is where the biggest headache came from for the Silver Coin challenges for me. I do like its aesthetics, though!

It was a really fun game, but I feel this was also a game that forced you to master it, with the silver coin challenge

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

That's an interesting way of looking at it, though I feel silver coin challenges didn't really seem like the "right way" to master it. Getting the best possible time and top ranking would be "mastering" Diddy Kong Racing, but considering how differently the silver coin challenges made you play, it seemed like it was wanting you to figure things out in a less conducive form. Interesting thought, though.

Weird I was just looking for DKR videos an hour ago then this pops up in my subs tab

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

Happy to be of service. :)

Great video…but I completely disagree about the silver coin challenges. I loved these, this was a genuine challenge. Also loved that there were no “cheat” items that helped you catch up, it was just pure skill. More difficult than Mario kart the same way donkey Kong country was more difficult than Mario.

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

The item balancing is approached very differently in Diddy Kong Racing, and yeah, it does focus more on unfettered skill than zipping around from last to first place on a whim. I think that's what gives Diddy Kong Racing a unique vibe in its races. Mario Kart 64 may be more interesting and dynamic, but it doesn't feel as firmly balanced as its counterpart.

How is your DKC footage so clean?

solid video

@PostMesmeric

2 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Did my goatee comment get diddykonged just now

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