Basics
Basics
Stuff | Characters | Racing | Items | Vehicles |
Welcome to the Basics section of our guide for Diddy Kong Racing DS. Here, you can find a plethora of information on the many facets of the game that'll help you on your way.
Controls |
There are some important and functional controls in Diddy Kong Racing DS that you'll most certainly need to use. The instruction manual that comes with the game separates two control schemes (called "Standard" and "Advanced"), but for ease of use we've combined the two into a more fundamental list of useful controls as seen below.
- Directional ("D") Pad - The D-Pad is the cross-shaped button on the left side of your Nintendo DS. As with most games, the direction in which you press the D-Pad will bring your vehicle to left or right, forward or back, et cetera. When used in conjunction with the A Button (discussed below), you can accelerate and turn your vehicle in any direction you choose. The D-Pad is also used to navigate various in-game menus and the like.
A Button - The A Button will no doubt be your most-used button (in conjunction with the directional pad) because it's what makes your vehicle accelerate. In general (unless you're using, for instance, the hovercraft), you'll want to hold down the A button almost exclusively in order to race forward and jockey for position.
B Button - The B Button is the antithesis to the A Button in that while the A Button allows you to accelerate, the B Button allows you to brake. Furthermore, if you're not moving at all (or are, in otherwords, a still position), pressing and holding down the B Button will allow you to move in reverse. Keep in mind, however, that the latter option is not available on the hovercraft (after all, how logical would that be!?)
X Button - If you've managed to collect a "Power-Up" upgrade for your weapon or accessory, pressing the X Button at any time during a race will activate the Power-Up. Easy enough!
Y Button - If you're not a fan of what you've collected in the race (say you've run headlong into a red balloon and want the accelerator the blue balloon holds instead of the red balloons' missiles), then press the Y Button and your weapon or accessory will be thrown away so that you're free to collect another one of your choice (alternatively, you can simply use up your weapon or accessory until it leaves your inventory permanently).
L Button - We discussed at length the Y Button's function to throw away a weapon or accessory collected during a race, but if you want to use that weapon or accessory (and chances are, you're going to want to), press L to unleash its fury. Missiles will fly forward, accelerators will activate, et cetera. It all depends on just what you have in your inventory at that given time! (If you don't have anything in your inventory, the L Button will simply act as a useless horn).
R Button - Finally, we come to the R Button. The R Button is seldom used, although it can be extremely useful in tough, faster-paced races. Pressing the R Button will activate a special function in whatever vehicle you're in. In the Cart, a power slide will activate, while a similar "tight turn" will come to fruition if you're flying the plane.
Touch Screen Madness
You can use the touch screen with your Nintendo DS stylus in order to navigate some in-game menus (especially the initial menus as you turn the game on). However, the touch screen is also used as a mandatory (but somewhat arbitrary) way of racing, as you will run into throughout the game (primarily in Adventure Mode).
We'll touch on this more in the Adventure part of the guide (pardon the pun), but there are two primary ways in which the touch screen is used in Diddy Kong Racing DS apart from your standard menu navigation. The first is in races where you progress automatically through a track but must use the stylus to touch (and therefore collect) balloons floating about (you can also drag coins into a purse in the corner of the screen). The second is when you must literally draw your way through a track when racing an opponent or series of opponents. The latter touch screen function provides some of the most intense and difficult gameplay Diddy Kong Racing DS has to offer.
Game Modes |
When Diddy Kong Racing DS is turned on, you'll soon have a choice to make as the menus prompt you. The first choice is to choose (after choosing your appropriate save file) a single player game, or a multiplayer game.
Single player mode is the real meat and potatoes of Diddy Kong Racing DS, and will probably be what you check out first, and at length. Initially, you won't have many options - you can play "Adventure Mode" (which we have an entire section of the guide dedicated to), or you can race a single race. For the latter, you'll then have to choose an available character of your choice, as well as an open track. Tracks are generally unlocked via Adventure Mode when you win that particular race, but others must be unlocked by way of coins and other means. We cover the primary sixteen tracks and eight characters in this guide, but keep in mind through detailed and extensive gameplay, there's plenty more to unlock for the dedicated player.
In the realm of multiplayer, you can play via Nintendo Wi-Fi (a popular choice), but there are other alternatives if friends have a DS in your vicinity but not necessarily the game. This is called "Download Play," and is an option on Diddy Kong Racing DS. You can also play with multiple Nintendo DS units if everyone has the game, as well. There are, therefore, many options to enjoy the game with a friend or multiple friends.
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