Editing Diddy Kong Pilot (2001)

{{italic title|''Diddy Kong Pilot'' (2001)}}

{{Infobox

|image=[[File:Diddypilot.jpg|280px]]

|publisher=Cancelled

|released='''Japan:''' Cancelled<br>(planned for February 2002<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhIOGuHbAeA SpaceWorld 2001 trailer (YouTube)]</ref>)<br>'''USA:''' Cancelled<br>(planned for March 4, 2002<ref name="nwr">[http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/6577/ Nintendo's New Release Dates - Nintendo World Report]</ref>)

|genre=Racing

|modes=Single player, Multiplayer

'''''Diddy Kong Pilot''''' is a cancelled follow-up title of ''[[Diddy Kong Racing]]'' for the [[Game Boy Advance]], which was developed by [[Rare, Ltd.|Rareware]]. [[Diddy Kong]] was the main and titular character of the game. The game involves ''[[Donkey Kong (series)|Donkey Kong]]'' characters racing in [[Plane]]s on {{wp|Mode 7}}-rendered courses. In 2005, the game was finalized as the ''[[wikipedia:Banjo-Kazooie (series)|Banjo-Kazooie]]'' title, ''[[wikipedia:Banjo-Pilot|Banjo-Pilot]]''. The reason for its change was from [[wikipedia:Microsoft Corporation|Microsoft]]'s acquisition of Rare in 2002. In 2002-2003, before the decision was made to design it a ''Banjo-Kazooie'' title, ''Diddy Kong Pilot'' was already being redeveloped into an entirely [[Diddy Kong Pilot (2003)|different game]].

== History ==

The game was first shown at [[Wikipedia:Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3 2001]], and was also shown a few months later at [[Wikipedia:Nintendo Space World|Spaceworld 2001]].

One of the characters, tentatively named Redneck Kong,<ref name="DK Vine"/>, or "Crappy Kong"<ref>http://nintendoeverything.com/diddy-kong-pilot-screenshots-videos-details-and-more/</ref> was "killed off" early in the game's development, according to Jens Christian Restemeier, one of the game's developers.<ref>[https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,182799/ Jens Christian Restemeier - MobyGames profile]</ref> [[Candy Kong]] would subsequently appear in the background for character selection menus.<ref>[http://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/07/diddy-kong-pilot-banjo-pilot-beta Unseen64]</ref>

One of the builds, said to be presented at a Spaceworld, consisted of a cast featuring both ''[[Donkey Kong Country (series)|Donkey Kong Country]]'' and ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' characters, which would have been a first for a ''Donkey Kong'' series spinoff. This version allowed players to select between six ''Donkey Kong'' characters ([[Diddy Kong]], [[Cranky Kong]], [[Donkey Kong]], [[King K. Rool]], [[Funky Kong]], and [[Dixie Kong]]) and six ''Mario'' characters ([[Princess Peach]], [[Mario]], [[Yoshi]] [sitting atop a [[Lakitu's Cloud]]], [[Wario]] [piloting a red biplane similar to the [[Bulldog]]], [[Bowser]] and [[Toad]]). Not much information is known regarding this build or its history.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DRAqj__5eA "Diddy Kong Pilot - Very Early Beta Spaceworld" on YouTube]</ref>

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")<ref name="DK Vine">[http://www.dkvine.com/?p=1082 DK Vine]</ref> Some Rare employees believed the company was prejudiced since it occurred in a time period just before the Microsoft acquisition. ''Diddy Kong Pilot'' was not presented at E3 2002.

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.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEE1si5bxEM YouTube video]{{dead link}}</ref> According to the video's title, the build was dated "September 7, 2001".<ref>[https://www.neogaf.com/threads/new-diddy-kong-pilot-footage-appears.447203/ NeoGAF thread]</ref>

''Diddy Kong Pilot'' featured six modes: Racing, Stories, Dogfights, Battle, Clock Race, and Options. The build is largely unfinished since most of the stages are almost empty, with some only having a backdrop and a few assets. Many of the modes, such as dogfights, are non-functional. Upon starting up the game, the player is led onto a debug menu, allowing them to select a course, a player, and a blend option.

According to Rare, the player would have been able to customize their own plane.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20010709053857/http://www.rareware.com:80/the_site/e3/dk_pilot.html Rareware.com (Wayback Machine)]</ref>

When Races mode is selected and the player goes on to selecting a level, he or she can choose the world, each at a different difficulty level. Like the predecessor, the player can collect [[banana]]s and weapons, which can also be upgrade like in ''Diddy Kong Racing''.

The stories mode consists of three different stories: King of Kongs, Back to the Light, and K. Rool's Gold. Each story would center around a specific character, and each would have a boss battle at the end.<ref>[http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/6322 New Tidbits on Various Rare Titles - Nintendo World Report]</ref>

The Dogfight mode features players fighting against each other. There are four options, none of which are implemented: Classic Dogfight, a Dawn Duel, a Classic Variation, or a Focal Feud.

The Battle mode was planned as a multiplayer mode, and its icon shows a crate with miscellaneous objects. Another version of the game had a different icon showing four original Game Boy Advance models hooked up with a Link Cable.

The Clock Race mode would have presumably been the Time Trials mode. It has little difference from the "Racing" mode, aside from how the player can more easily choose the stage, like with the start-up debug menu.

Options only allows the player to choose between D-Pad or tilt control. The tilt sensor capability was shown off at E3 2001.<ref name="nwr" />

===Controls===

*{{button|GBA|L}} and {{button|GBA|Pad}} Down (twice): U-turn

The character selection menu is highly incomplete, as highlighting a character would trigger a sound effect from an unrelated character. Selecting a character causes the game to choose an entirely different character instead. [[Donkey Kong]] cannot be normally selected without the use of cheats.<ref name="dkcatlas">[http://www.dkc-atlas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1329#p32980 DKC Atlas thread]</ref>

*[[Diddy Kong]]

*[[Dixie Kong]]

*[[Donkey Kong]]

*[[Cranky Kong]]

*[[Kritter]]

*[[King K. Rool]]

*Redneck Kong (removed)

*[[Candy Kong]] (unimplemented)

Aside from stages and stories, some unlockable characters were also planned to be included in ''Diddy Kong Pilot''.<ref name="np">[[Media:NP 06 2001 Rareware page.jpg|''Nintendo Power'' #145, page 15]]</ref>

*DK Balloons: These contain an item with [[Cranky Kong|Cranky]] on it. It retires the player from advancing.  

*? Balloons: They contain regular items.

*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.

*Beach Race: The player races Donkey Kong in this area.

===Kongo Kingdom===

*Magma Mainland: A lava-like area with volcanoes nearby.  

*Swamp Race: Takes place in a swamp-like area.

===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===

*Snow Race

== Stories ==

=== King of Kongs ===

* Beach Barricade

=== Back to the Light ===

* Grub Grab

* Farm Feud

* Swamp Swoop

* Dark Tower

=== K.Rool's Gold ===

* Classic Dogfight

== Battle stages ==

* Hatch Match

* Ghost Grasp

* Swamp Showdown

* Wasteland Wipe Out

{{Main|Gallery:Diddy Kong Pilot (2001)}}

DKP3.jpg|K. Rool and Redneck Kong racing in Magma Mainland

Diddy Model - Diddy Kong Pilot 2001.png|Diddy Kong model

*[http://web.archive.org/web/20010523044647/e3.nintendo.com/gallery/dkpilot/index.html Official American E3 2001 page (Internet Archive)]

*[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/event/sw2001/softlist/gba/diddy/index.html Official Japanese SpaceWorld 2001 page]

{{DKGames}}

{{UnreleasedMedia}}

[[Category:Canceled Games]]

[[Category:Game Boy Advance Games]]

[[Category:Racing Games]]