Diddy Kong Racing – Characters Guide

You’ll need to select one of eight animal drivers to begin your adventure in Diddy Kong Racing, but before you start your engines, it would be wise to brush up on their stats and skills. Luckily, we’ve provided a quick rundown for each racer, detailing their abilities in handling, acceleration and top speed along with a quick biography and some choice action shots.

You can click on any racer on the Character Select screen below, and you’ll be whisked to their information section further down the page.

CLICK ON A RACER OF YOUR CHOICE BELOW

KRUNCH THE KREMLING


–ACCELERATION———–HANDLING—————TOP SPEED

Krunch is generally considered to be the worst racer on Timber Island; his acceleration and handling are both equally low, which means that it’s going to take a while to build up enough speed, which you’ll manage to lose entirely on one dodgy turn. Krunch does have a high Top Speed however, so you’ll be rewarded for your perseverance – but it’s arriving at this point that does require quite an investment. Novice players will struggle with Krunch initially, but he does shine on straightaways and courses that don’t involve too many hair-pin turns.

KRUNCH’S BIOGRAPHY

“Seeing Diddy Kong rush off so suddenly makes the Kremlings very suspicious, so Krunch goes bounding after him to make sure that there aren’t any anti-Kremling plots in the works. Diddy Kong, Timber and company don’t exactly trust him, but Krunch insists he’s only there to lend a hand…”

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DIDDY KONG THE MONKEY


–ACCELERATION———–HANDLING—————TOP SPEED

Diddy Kong is a solid all-round racer, which means that he’s a very good pick for novice and experienced players alike. While he might not be particularly strong in any one given area, his handling, acceleration and top speed are all equally balanced across the board, making him easy to handle and quick to start building up speed. He’s extremely forgiving in the challenging courses and if you find yourself on the opposite end of an Oil Slick or a Missile, it won’t take too long for him to recover his lost momentum and make way for the finish line.

DIDDY’S BIOGRAPHY

“Regarded as a hero after all his adventures in Kong country, the young primate is a long-time friend of Timber and doesn’t think twice about responding to his call for help. With his family tending to their guests, he even manages to sneak off without their interference.”

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BUMPER THE BADGER


–ACCELERATION———–HANDLING—————TOP SPEED

Another racer that finds himself in the middle-of-the-road, Bumper the Badger is an all-round racer with his stats equally balanced. While he might not have any stand-out skills that will have place him ahead of the competition, this also means that he doesn’t have any short-comings that would trail him behind either. With medium handling, acceleration and top speed, Bumper will be able to handle whatever demands the courses throw his way with a fair degree of control, and is an excellent choice for both novice and experienced players alike.

BUMPER’S BIOGRAPHY

“Unlike most of his kind, Bumper the badger prefers speed and thrills to a quiet nocturnal lifestyle. He gets even more worked up than his friends when he realizes how much racing and excitement will be involved in the crusade to get rid of Wizpig…”

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BANJO THE HONEY BEAR


–ACCELERATION———–HANDLING—————TOP SPEED

Sharing the heavy-weight spotlight with Krunch, Banjo the Honey Bear also shares a few of his stats, with the exception of handling. It’ll take a while to build up any serious speed with Banjo, but once you’ve reached his full potential with a rocket or a zipper, you’ll leave the competition far behind. Luckily, the bear does have fair handling, which will save him from a few unforgiving hair-pin turns that would have tripped up the likes of Krunch. Novice players may struggle with Banjo initially, whereas more experienced players will make him a formidable foe on the track.

BANJO’S BIOGRAPHY

“Even before the start of his future partnership with Kazooie, Banjo isn’t one to turn down the chance of an adventure.
So when Squawks brings the message from his pal Diddy Kong, the Honey Bear stuffs a few things into his trusty backpack and takes to his heels.”

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CONKER THE SQUIRREL


–ACCELERATION———–HANDLING—————TOP SPEED

Considerably less skittish than the other squirrels in Willow Woods, Conker the Squirrel is extremely approachable with his middling stats that should handle well for both novice and more experienced players. You’ll be able to build speed fairly quickly with Conker, should you need a quick start after dealing with your adversaries, and his fair handling should see you to the end of any tricky segments – aside from that, you won’t get any startling action from the squirrel, but you’ll be able to remain in control and master the courses you take him on.

CONKER’S BIOGRAPHY

“Another friend made by Diddy Kong on one of his endless adventures with Donkey Kong, Conker is also an exploration nut who’ll jump at any chance to break free of a squirrel’s less than exciting daily routine. He’s eager to join up with Banjo as the bear passes through.”

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TIPTUP THE TURTLE


–ACCELERATION———–HANDLING—————TOP SPEED

Contrary to what you might have been told about tortoises, Tiptup isn’t about to be taking anything slow. His stats are very impressive, with excellent acceleration and handling, with a fair top speed. You should be able to make the most of his ability to turn on a dime and get up to speed in seconds flat. His top speed is a little to be desired, but it’s a fair trade for essentially flawless stats everywhere else. Tiptup caters especially to novice players, but he’s downright lethal in the hands of more experienced players.

TIPTUP’S BIOGRAPHY

“TipTup the turtle is another member of the close group of animal friends, but because of his nervous (and maybe even slightly clumsy) nature, he’s never been particularly fond of the racing that the others seem to like so much.
Now, though, he doesn’t seem to have much choice!”

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PIPSY THE MOUSE


–ACCELERATION———–HANDLING—————TOP SPEED

Paired with Tiptup as the other lightweight racer, Pipsy the Mouse is an excellent choice for novice players who favor superior handling and quick acceleration. In the hands of more experienced players, Pipsy will be able to maintain her momentum on hair-pin turns and weave through even the most twisting of tracks – the only downside is that her top speed is a bit lacking, which will prevent her from reaching the eyebrow raising mileage that the other racers can achieve. Still, this mouse will prove to be a popular choice for those looking to set records while remaining in control.

PIPSY’S BIOGRAPHY

“Evicted from her mountain home by the wicked Wizpig, Pipsy the mouse turns to her friends for help and gives them yet another reason to want the intruder out. She might seem delicate, but take her on in a race and you’ll find that she’s a lot tougher than she looks!”

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TIMBER THE TIGER


–ACCELERATION———–HANDLING—————TOP SPEED

You wouldn’t expect checkered flags to go well with stripes, but well, here we are. Timber the Tiger is the last of the truly balanced racers, with even stats across the board for acceleration, handling and top speed. While the trickier courses may throw him for a bit of a loop, you should be able to take on the competition with a fair degree of control and good rate of speed. If you’re an entirely new driver, Timber will prove to be extremely accessible from the start, and if you’re more experienced you’ll find that this tiger can pull some serious tricks on the tracks.

TIMBER’S BIOGRAPHY

“A playful young tiger, Timber has been left in charge of the island while his parents visit their old friends over in Kong Country. Desperate to get Wizpig out and everything else back to normal before they return, Timber rallies his friends to join up with Taj’s resistance!”

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