Mario Kart 64 Vs Diddy Kong Racing: Which Was Actually Better?

"Mario Kart" is one of the most popular gaming series on the market – "Mario Kart 8" sold nearly 50 million copies alone. While the series seems to hold a monopoly on Nintendo racing games now, it wasn't always like that, though. In fact, in the Nintendo 64 era, Mario was challenged by none other than Diddy Kong.

Anyone who grew up with an N64 might remember "Diddy Kong Racing" — those with a DS may even recall the remake of the game with the same title. However, despite the fact that the game deserves yet another remake, it never went further than that. Where "Mario Kart 64" would let players drift around as various Mario characters wielding fun items and odd glitches that made the game better, "Diddy Kong Racing" enticed players with different vehicles like a plane and a campaign mode that made the game great for single players. People loved both games, but there was one that most people generally consider the better game – at least in most situations.

In a Reddit forum, people debated the topic and ultimately came up with the answer that "Diddy Kong Racing" is the better game. Whether it was because of something small, like the dinosaurs in the game, or because of the fact that the game was just leagues better in terms of how the game looked and played, most people argued that "Diddy Kong Racing" was the better game.

Even the critic scores on Metacritic back the sentiment up – "Diddy Kong Racing" earned an 88 on Metacritic while "Mario Kart 64" received an 83.

However, even those that thought "Diddy Kong Racing" was better, most people could admit that there's just something more appealing about the multiplayer in "Mario Kart 64" because of the RNG elements. Many argued that "beeriokart," i.e. playing the game and drinking alcohol, also makes the racing game stand above its competition. It's safe to say that both games are great, and there are many ways to enjoy racing games on the Nintendo 64.