Game Review ( Diddy Kong Racing - N64 )

With Diddy Kong Racing DS just around the corner, I thought it'd be a good idea to review Diddy Kong Racing for the Nintendo 64.

Graphics: 3.75/5 Diddy Kong Racing came out in '97 but even for the early days of the N64, these graphics weren't as good as they were capable of. The graphics, although screaming with color, are just bland and boring. The framerate is damn good, though, so that is a plus.

Sound: 4/5 The sound for Diddy Kong Racing gets this score because of its music. The music in this game, I thought, was very nice. It may be kiddy and poppy, but it fits the game perfectly, and nothing else could fit better. Preventing it from being a higher score are the somewhat annoying voices, and grunts, made at times by racers.

Control: 3.75/5 Certainly not the best of controls, but they work decently. If you played Mario Kart 64, this is a downgraded version of those controls. Diddy Kong Racing plays like it came out several years before Mario Kart 64 control-wise, and it's kind of aggrivating. The controls are touchy, jerky, and overall don't work well. I blame it on the Nintendo 64's controller, though.

Fun: 4/5 Diddy Kong Racing was a good game in '97, it's a good game here in '07. It may not be quite AS good, but it's a fun game to play. The game may turn off some gamers because of it being more of an adventure-racing game, but I find it unique, and it turned out to be a great idea. The boss battles may get repetetive, coin collecting gets old, unlocking the secret characters isn't the easiest thing in the word, and the game may feel very unrewarding, but it is still a fun game to play a few races with. If you haven't played Diddy Kong Racing, I suggest you do, because it's a nice experience.

4/5