Diddy Kong Pilot (2001)

Template:Infobox Diddy Kong Pilot is a cancelled follow-up title of Diddy Kong Racing for the Game Boy Advance, and was developed by Rareware. As the title suggests, the main feature was Donkey Kong series characters racing around the courses in Planes. In 2005, the game was finalized as the Banjo-Kazooie title, Banjo-Pilot. The reason for its change was from Microsoft's acquisition of Rare in 2002. In 2002-2003, before the decision to make it a Banjo-Kazooie title, Diddy Kong Pilot was already being redeveloped into an entirely different game.

History

The game was first shown at E3 2001, and was later shown at Spaceworld. One of the builds consisted of a cast featuring both Donkey Kong Country and Mario characters - a first for a Donkey Kong Country spin-off. This version allowed players to take control of Diddy Kong, Princess Peach, Mario, Cranky Kong, Donkey Kong, King K. Rool, Yoshi (sitting atop a Lakitu's Cloud), Wario (piloting a red biplane similar to the Bulldog), Bowser, Funky Kong, Dixie Kong, and Toad.^[1]

A later build revised the roster to Kritter, Dixie Kong, Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong, King K. Rool, Cranky Kong, and a character tentatively called Redneck Kong,^[2] who was "killed off" early in development according to one of the developers. The character selection menu showed Candy Kong, who would have allegedly replaced him.^[3]

In 2002, Nintendo refused to publish Diddy Kong Pilot, as they found the game "substandard" (one of their criticisms was "There's no point in flying up and down on flat levels")^[2]

On September 15, 2011, after ten years of no new information regarding the game, a former Rare employee, under the pseudonym of Transparentjinjo, posted gameplay footage of the game on YouTube. A lot of details were revealed about the presumed final build of Diddy Kong Pilot, from September 7, 2001, before its cancellation.^[4]

Gameplay

It has been requested that this section be rewritten.

Diddy racing against K. Rool and Krunch from a beach-themed race course of Diddy Kong Pilot.

Diddy Kong racing in a beach-themed course

Diddy Kong Pilot featured six modes: Racing, Stories, Dogfights, Battles, Clock Race, and Options.

Like the predecessor, the player can collect bananas. When Races mode is selected and the player goes on to selecting a level, he or she can choose the difficulty of the level.

There is also a stories mode with three different stories: King of Kongs, Back to the Light, and K. Rool's Gold. King of Kongs set contains Beach Barricade, another beach level. It appears to be incomplete. There is also a lava level in the Back to the Light set, but it is unknown what the course's name is. There is also a Classic Dogfight in the K. Rool's Gold set on which appears to have Magma Mainland in it.

Another mode is the dogfight mode where the player may do a Classic Dogfight, a Dawn Duel, a Classic Variation, or a Focal Feud. This mode has players fighting against each other. The difficulty can also be chosen on this mode.

The Clock Race allows for the player to race on a selected course in a Time Trials-like way. They can also choose the difficulty level.

Options only allows the player to choose between D-Pad or tilt control. The tilt sensor capability was shown off at E3 2001.^[5]

Items

Rockets: These items slow down players.
Rocket Boost (green and red): These can be used to speed up temporarily. The red one causes the player to accelerate the fastest and farthest.
Peanuts (5 and 10): These can be used to shoot opponents into the ground.
Magnet (green and red): These can be used to make the player pass others when close by. It occasionally doesn't work.
DK Balloons: These contain an item with Cranky on it. It retires the player from advancing.
? Balloons: They contain regular items.

Courses

Sleepy Shores

Bounty Beach: A race track taking place on the beach as the name states. It has palm trees in the background along with the shore.
Farm Attract:
Jet Set Jungle:
Beach Race: The player races Donkey Kong in this area.

Kongo Kingdom

Swoop Swamp:
Jungle Race:
Magma Mainland: A lava-like area with volcanoes nearby.
Haunted Race:

Western Wastes

Lake Race:
Lava Race:
Swamp Race: Takes place in a Swamp-like area. Nothing else is known.
Crackpot Keep:

Island of Eggs

Vulture Valley:
Keep Race:
Lake Race:
Chicken Chase: There appear to be chickens in this level and takes place near a farm.

Polar Plateau

Frosty Lake
Farm Race
Desert Race
Snow Race

Battle stages

Jungle Jig
Sunset Scrap
Ice Escapades
Beach Brawl

Characters

Playable

Donkey Kong
Diddy Kong
Dixie Kong
Cranky Kong
Kritter
King K. Rool
Redneck Kong (removed)
Candy Kong (unimplemented)

Gallery

Artwork

DKP-Logo Art.PNG

Logo
Diddy Kong
Donkey Kong

Screenshots

Diddy flies at the camera.
The Racing mode is selected on the main menu.
The character select screen from E3 2001.
The character select menu for the "Racing" mode.
Redneck Kong is highlighted on character select.
K Rool DKP 2001.png

King K. Rool flies in a Zinger-based plane.
Diddy Snow Track DKP 2001.png

Diddy flies in a snowy racetrack.
Dixie Beach Track DKP 2001.png

Dixie in a beach racetrack.
Kongs Race Beach DKP 2001.png

All four characters race in a beach area.
The options menu.
World selection menu.
A Frog.

Course maps

A beach race course
A beach race course
A beach battle course
A lava race course
A lava battle course
A snow race course
A snow battle course
A keep battle course
A keep battle course
A keep battle course
(unfinished)
A lake battle course
A farm race course
A farm battle course
A haunted race course
A haunted battle course
A haunted battle course
A jungle battle course
A jungle battle course
A swamp battle course
A desert battle course

Sprites and models

SpaceWorld character sprites
SpaceWorld character icons
Diddy Kong
Dixie Kong
Donkey Kong
Krunch
King K. Rool
Frog Model - Diddy Kong Pilot.PNG

Frog

References

^ "Diddy Kong Pilot - Very Early Beta Spaceworld" on YouTube
^ ^a ^b DK Vine
^ Unseen64
^ NeoGAF thread
^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named nwr

External links

Template:DKGames Template:UnreleasedMedia

[1] "Diddy Kong Pilot - Very Early Beta Spaceworld" on YouTube

[DK_Vine-2] DK Vine

[3] Unseen64

[4] NeoGAF thread

[nwr-5] Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named nwr

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[Edit] Game Boy Advance games
Super Mario franchise	Super Mario Advance (2001) • Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001) • Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2001) • Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (2003) • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003) • Mario Golf: Advance Tour (2004) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004) • Mario Pinball Land (2004) • Mario Party Advance (2005) • Dr. Mario & Puzzle League (2005) • Mario Tennis: Power Tour (2005)
Donkey Kong franchise	Donkey Kong Country (2003) • Donkey Kong Country 2 (2004) • DK: King of Swing (2005) • Donkey Kong Country 3 (2005)
Yoshi franchise	Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (2002) • Yoshi Topsy-Turvy (2004)
Wario franchise	Wario Land 4 (2001) • WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (2003) • WarioWare: Twisted! (2004)
Classic NES series	Classic NES Series: Donkey Kong (2004) • Classic NES Series: Super Mario Bros. (2004) • Classic NES Series: Dr. Mario (2004)
Famicom Mini series	Famicom Mini: Mario Bros. (2004) • Famicom Mini: Wrecking Crew (2004) • Famicom Mini: Super Mario Bros. 2 (2004)
e-Reader	Donkey Kong Jr.-e (2002) • Pinball-e (2002) • Donkey Kong-e (2002) • Mario Bros.-e (2002) • Mario Party-e (2003) • Donkey Kong 3-e (2003) • Golf-e (2003)
Other	Game & Watch Gallery 4 (2002) • Densetsu no Stafy 3 (2004) • Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers (canceled) • Diddy Kong Pilot (2001/2003) (canceled)