Diddy Kong

Diddy Kong
Game appearances
	Super Smash Bros. Brawl; Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS; Super Smash Bros. for Wii U; Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (unlockable)
Special moves
	Standard: Peanut Popgun ; Side: Monkey Flip ; Up: Rocketbarrel Boost ; Down: Banana Peel ; Final Smash: Rocketbarrel Barrage (Brawl, for 3DS / Wii U); Hyper Rocketbarrel (Ultimate)
Battle entrance
	Diddy Kong explodes out of a DK Barrel.

Diddy Kong
	; Artwork of Diddy Kong from Diddy Kong Racing DS
Franchise	Donkey Kong
First appearance	Donkey Kong Country (1994)
Latest appearance	Mario Strikers: Battle League (version 1.2.0) (2022, overall); Diddy Kong Racing DS (2007, Rare-developed games)
Latest portrayal	Katsumi Suzuki (2004–present)
Species	Kong

“I am the brave Diddy Kong. Show yourself, if you are friendly. If not, then get ready for the fight of your life!”

—Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong Country

Diddy Kong, also known simply as Diddy, is the deuteragonist of the Donkey Kong franchise as well as the best friend, sidekick, and nephew of Donkey Kong. Diddy has a girlfriend named Dixie Kong. Like many other Donkey Kong characters, Diddy is a creation of Rare. He first appears in Donkey Kong Country. Since then, Diddy has gone on to star in some of his own adventures, notably Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Diddy Kong Racing. Shortly after Microsoft's acquisition of Rare, Diddy has become a recurring character within Mario spinoff games, with Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour being Diddy's first appearance outside the Donkey Kong franchise and within a game not developed by Rare. The Mario spinoff titles rarely make direct references to Diddy's original appearances in the Rare-produced Donkey Kong games.

Diddy has a red shirt with yellow stars and a red hat with the Nintendo logo printed on it. The name "Diddy" is a slang word used in some parts of northern England for "small," which is Diddy Kong's size.

Concept and creation

Diddy Kong's original look

During the development of Donkey Kong Country, the designers wanted the player to be capable of taking multiple hits, but they also aimed for the screen to be as "clutter-free" as possible, thereby forbidding the usage of a health bar. Having noted the "Big Mario to small Mario" system used in the Super Mario games, Rare created Diddy Kong as a visual "extra hit". The design for the character was originally intended to be a redesign of Donkey Kong Jr., but Nintendo felt that their design was too different, and insisted that Rare either make the design for Junior be his original appearance or make the new design an entirely different character. Rare, feeling that the design fit the "updated" Donkey Kong universe that they were aiming to create, had decided to keep their design. During the process of naming the character, several names were suggested by Rare employees, including "Diet DK," "DK Lite" and "Titchy Kong". The name "Dinky Kong" was chosen, but was later changed to "Diddy" due to legal considerations, although the name would eventually be used as Kiddy Kong's Japanese name.^[1]

History

Donkey Kong Country series

Donkey Kong Country

Diddy Kong's original design for Donkey Kong Country

In Donkey Kong Country, Diddy is the playable sidekick of Donkey Kong as well as the character controlled by the second player in two-player modes. Diddy is still Donkey Kong's apprentice and an "in-training video-game star." Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong have the same basic abilities such as jumping, running, and rolling. Diddy is the weaker Kong, so he is unable to defeat Krushas or Klumps by a jump attack, unlike Donkey Kong. Diddy is more agile and can jump higher and move faster than Donkey Kong. When Diddy picks up a barrel, he holds it in front, protecting himself from an enemy. He cannot throw a barrel as far as Donkey Kong.

In the game's backstory, during the night, Diddy Kong is given the task of guarding Donkey Kong's Banana Hoard. However, the Kremling Krew attacks Diddy and traps him inside of a DK Barrel. After being released, he and Donkey Kong set off across Donkey Kong Island to save the Banana Hoard and drive the Kremlings from their island. At the end of their journey, the Kongs go aboard the Gang-Plank Galleon to fight King K. Rool, whom they manage to defeat and reclaim all of their stolen bananas from.

In the Game Boy Advance remake, if the player gets 90% or higher when completing a game, they unlock the "Hero Mode," where they only play as Diddy throughout the levels.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

Artwork of Diddy Kong for Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Diddy Kong is the main hero. The Kremling Krew kidnaps Donkey Kong and sends him away to their own island, Crocodile Isle. K. Rool, who is now Kaptain K. Rool, threatens to keep Donkey Kong as prisoner unless the Kongs give the banana hoard to him. Diddy refuses, so he and Dixie travel through Crocodile Isle. At the end, they manage to rescue Donkey Kong from Kaptain K. Rool. After Diddy and Dixie defeat K. Rool in the Lost World, the entire Crocodile Isle sinks underwater, which Diddy, Dixie, and Donkey Kong watch from a distance.

In the game, Diddy retains his abilities from Donkey Kong Country. In the Game Boy Advance remake, Diddy is featured in a time attack mode, Diddy's Dash, where the player controls Diddy through individual levels without the aid of Dixie, similar to the Hero Mode from Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy Advance remake.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

Diddy has a smaller role in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!. In the backstory, Donkey and Diddy go on a fishing trip to the Northern Kremisphere. The Kongs did not return from their fishing trip, so Dixie and Kiddy Kong go on an adventure to save them. In Kastle Kaos, after Dixie and Kiddy defeat Baron K. Roolenstein, it is revealed that Donkey and Diddy were contained within KAOS, who they were freed from, presumably having their brain energy used as a power source.

In the Game Boy Advance remake, Diddy appears in the Funky's Rentals mission "Protect", as one of the Kongs that Dixie and Kiddy must protect from the Kremlings.

Donkey Kong Land series

Donkey Kong Land

A screenshot of Diddy Kong climbing a rope in Rope Ravine in Donkey Kong Land

Diddy Kong and Donkey Kong are tricked into a bet by Cranky Kong in Donkey Kong Land, and the two travel again to reclaim the Banana Hoard from King K. Rool. After traveling through four worlds, Diddy and Donkey Kong manage to defeat King K. Rool, at the end of Big Ape City, once more.

Donkey Kong Land 2

A screenshot of Diddy in Pirate Panic, the first level of Donkey Kong Land 2

In Donkey Kong Land 2, which is a retelling of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Diddy retains most of his abilities and his role as the main character.

Donkey Kong Land III

In Donkey Kong Land III's instruction booklet, Diddy and Donkey Kong enter a contest to find the Lost World, while leaving Dixie and Kiddy Kong behind. Despite having an integral role in the story, Diddy and Donkey Kong do not appear within the game itself.

Diddy Kong Racing series

Diddy Kong Racing / Diddy Kong Racing DS

Artwork of Diddy driving a car for Diddy Kong Racing

A screenshot of Diddy in Diddy Kong Racing

Diddy appears as the main and titular character of Diddy Kong Racing and its Nintendo DS remake, Diddy Kong Racing DS. In the prologue, Diddy gets a letter from Timber, who asks for Diddy's help with saving Timber's Island from Wizpig. By the game's conclusion, Diddy, Timber, and their friends manage to expel Wizpig and free the Timber's Island guardians from his mind control. As a racer, Diddy has balanced stats.

The Nintendo DS remake includes a newly rendered introduction where Diddy, Tiny Kong and Dixie Kong are seen running through the woods to recruit friends to fight Wizpig.

In the original Nintendo 64 version, Diddy's vehicle color is blue, and his top speed without bananas is 56 mph.

Diddy Kong Pilot (canceled)

A sprite of Diddy in Diddy Kong Pilot's 2001 iteration (left) and 2003 iteration (right)

In Diddy Kong Pilot, a canceled sequel to Diddy Kong Racing, Diddy would have had a starring role. His plane is colored dark blue.

Diddy also stars in a later canceled iteration of Diddy Kong Pilot from around 2003, and is a member of Team Kong. In the Banjo-Pilot reskin, Diddy was replaced by Kazooie.

Donkey Kong Racing (canceled)

Diddy would have presumably appeared as a playable racer in Donkey Kong Racing. He is seen twice during the trailer, the first time riding a giant Rambi and again riding a purple Enguarde underwater.

Donkey Kong 64

Artwork of Diddy for Donkey Kong 64

Diddy is one of the five playable Kongs in Donkey Kong 64. In the opening introduction, King K. Rool attempts to attack DK Isles with the Blast-o-Matic, which gets damaged after Crocodile Isle crashes into a small island. To buy time to repair his weapon, K. Rool has the banana hoard stolen and some of the Kongs kidnapped, with Diddy being one of them.

Early on in his journey, Donkey Kong frees Diddy from captivity in Jungle Japes. Diddy can collect red bananas and coins. Diddy can perform the Simian Slam like the other Kongs, and he can learn a few unique moves from Cranky's Lab, including Chimpy Charge, Rocketbarrel Boost, and Simian Spring. He is the only Kong who can Double Jump. Diddy's musical instrument is the electric guitar, which he obtains from Candy's Music Shop, and his weapon is the popguns, which he obtains from Funky's Store.

In Hideout Helm, Diddy can complete two Bonus Stages to deactivate the red current flowing within the Blast-o-Matic. In the final boss battle at the boxing arena, Diddy is the second Kong to fight against King Krusha K. Rool. During the round, Diddy must use his Rocketbarrel Boost to fly up to the four light fixtures and shoot two targets on them so that they drop on K. Rool's head; Diddy's round ends when the last of the light fixtures is shot down and stuck to K. Rool's head.

In the Monkey Smash multiplayer mode, Diddy has three alternate color schemes (aside from his default red color): yellow, green, and blue.

Appearances in related media

Club Nintendo

"Donkey Kong Country"

Diddy and Donkey attacking King K. Rool in the "Donkey Kong Country" comic

Diddy also appears in the Club Nintendo comic "Donkey Kong Country", serving a similar role as in the eponymous game. Diddy's task is to watch over the banana hoard. King K. Rool finds Diddy and puts him into a barrel. Donkey Kong soon discovers him, and they track down King K. Rool to defeat him. In the fight against King K. Rool, Donkey Kong throws Diddy up onto K. Rool to attack, unlike the method used in-game.

"Super Mario in Die Nacht des Grauens"

In the comic "Super Mario in Die Nacht des Grauens", published in the same magazine, Diddy Kong lives in a skyscraper in Brooklyn with many other Nintendo characters. Due to a contract signed by Wario, the skyscraper is invaded by several monsters. One of them, Chuckie, invades the Kongs' room while Diddy and Donkey are watching TV. They are terrified by the evil doll, but they are rescued by Mario, Link and Kirby.

"Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24"

In the Club Nintendo comic "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24", the Kongs have to save the world from freezing, since a giant U.F.O, is pulling the Earth away from the sun. Diddy joins Donkey, Dixie, Kiddy and Cranky into a space shuttle and flies into space to confront the aliens. The aliens explain that they mistook the Earth for a giant coconut. Diddy decides to give bananas to the aliens, and in return they promise to return the Earth to its original position.

4-koma Gag Battle

Diddy Kong appears throughout the 4-koma Gag Battle manga adaptations of: Donkey Kong Country, Diddy Kong Racing and Donkey Kong 64.

Super Mario-kun

Diddy Kong appears in the volume 14 of the Super Mario-kun manga. Even though a majority of the volume is based on Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, the end of it contains Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest content. In the Donkey Kong Country part of the volume, Cranky Kong asks Diddy and Donkey Kong to battle King K. Rool. He also appears with his girlfriend, Dixie Kong to battle Kaptain K. Rool in the Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest part.

Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle

Artwork of Donkey Kong with Diddy Kong from Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle

In the 1995 children's novel Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle, Donkey Kong introduces his "buddy" Diddy Kong to Funky Kong, who offers Diddy a ride in his barrel plane around Donkey Kong Island. During the flight, Diddy Kong notices smoke coming from Big Ape City, which was believed to have been abandoned. Hoping for an adventure, he is willing to investigate, although Funky Kong prefers to not "go looking for trouble". Returning to his treehouse after the flight, Diddy Kong realizes that he still has Funky Kong's walkie talkie, and trying to contact him reveals that his plane is being attacked by "flying pigs" over Big Ape City. Diddy Kong immediately agrees to travel with Donkey Kong to the city, joined by a reluctant Cranky Kong.

On the edge of the forest in Tree Top Town, the Kongs encounter a group of Kremlings. Diddy Kong performs several cartwheel attacks, which is true to his abilities as a playable character in the Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Land series of games. Upon reaching Big Ape City, Diddy Kong is eager to find a way to infiltrate the factory, despite the high numbers of Kremling security guards. Overhearing some guards speaking, the Kongs discover that Funky Kong is being kept in the factory. After locating and breaking open Funky's cell, Diddy Kong assists Donkey Kong in clearing some Kremling guards using barrels. Upon inspecting his damaged plane, Funky draws a map for Diddy, explaining where to find the factory's supply room for a replacement waterpump. Diddy Kong traverses over several catwalks to reach the store room, where he encounters a Klap Trap. Diddy Kong lodges a barrel into the Klap Trap's large mouth, allowing him time to escape with the water pump.

After the Kongs from the factory in the barrel plane, Donkey Kong has the idea to jump from the plane and onto King K. Rool's zeppelin. Although afraid, Diddy Kong joins him in entering the zeppelin and defeating several Kremlings using cartwheels, double jumps and barrels. Afterward, Donkey and Diddy Kong plant the airship with time-delayed TNT Barrels, and choose to let the "coward" King K. Rool to escape. After re-entering the plane, Donkey Kong compliments Diddy Kong on how well he fought the Kremlings, and all the Kongs share a laugh as they watch the planted TNT Barrels explode onto the Kremling's factory.

Donkey Kong Country television series

Diddy Kong in the Donkey Kong Country television series

Diddy Kong is featured as a main character in the Donkey Kong Country television series. In most of the episodes, Diddy usually is seen watching over the Crystal Coconut with his buddy, Donkey Kong. Diddy Kong's physical appearance in the show is very similar to his appearance in Donkey Kong Country, as his shirt lacks the yellow stars on it and his hat does not have the Nintendo logo on it. Diddy was voiced by Andrew Sabiston during the entire run of the series.

Mario no Bōken Land

Diddy Kong chasing Wizpig on his plane in Mario no Bōken Land

Diddy Kong stars as the main character in a Mario no Bōken Land chapter, titled "Go Go Diddy!". The story starts out with him, and various other characters, racing together for fun, him being in 10th place. Wizpig interrupts the race, attacks Taj the Genie, and rips up his carpet. After Wizpig escapes the scene, Taj casts a spell to transform Mario, Peach and Diddy's cars into planes; it is then that Diddy, Mario and Princess Peach follow him to fight him. Mario and Peach are overtaken by Wizpig throwing bombs, but Diddy Kong manages to dodge his projectile missile. Diddy then buries Wizpig under a pile of rocks, and after Wizpig's defeat, all the other racers decide to forfeit the race that was in progress and declare Diddy Kong the winner because of his heroic actions. He is seen with a crown, with various characters, celebrating his victory over Wizpig.

Super Smash Bros. series

Diddy Kong joins the Super Smash Bros. series as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and returns in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Prior to this, Diddy had only been mentioned in Donkey Kong's character biography and trophy in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee, respectively.

Diddy is swift, agile, and very acrobatic, just like in the Donkey Kong franchise. Diddy Kong's weight is 93 units in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, which slightly decreased to 90 units in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

For the Super Smash Bros. series, Diddy Kong is given a realistic monkey voice instead of the cartoonish voice like in the Donkey Kong and Mario games.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

As a fighter in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Diddy Kong's special moves are Peanut Popgun, which lets him shoot peanuts at his opponents; Monkey Flip, which lets him leap forward and pummel (or kick) his opponents; Rocketbarrel Boost, which can be charged to fly through the air; and Banana Peel, which when thrown, makes his opponents trip. His Final Smash is Rocketbarrel Barrage, which is essentially a combination of two of his special moves, Peanut Popgun and Rocketbarrel Boost.

In Diddy's codec conversation, Snake refers to him as a "chimpanzee in a Nintendo hat."

Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary

Diddy Kong's snapshot in Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary

In the Jungle, Diddy Kong helps Donkey Kong recover bananas stolen from the Koopa Troop, only to have Bowser appear and attempt to use his Dark Cannon on the Kongs. Donkey knocks Diddy away to safety before anything happens, however, although at the cost of Donkey Kong being turned into a trophy in the process. At the Lake, Diddy encounters Rayquaza, teams up with Fox McCloud by force, and fights False Bowser, but they end up fleeing from the real Bowser. As they reach the Swamp, Bowser successfully attacks Diddy, turns into a static trophy and clones him into False Diddy Kong with Shadow Bugs. After Diddy is revived, he defeats the clone and teams up with Falco Lombardi, again by force.

Upon discovering that Donkey is being taken to the Island of the Ancients, Falco drops Diddy for the little Kong to rescue him. After receiving help from Captain Falcon and Captain Olimar to fend off the Subspace Army, all four of them end up at the Subspace Bomb Factory. Upon meeting Samus and Pikachu, R.O.B. reveals himself just before they are forced to evacuate the island as it is sucked into Subspace.

In Subspace, Tabuu turns all of the gathered heroes, including Diddy, into trophies. However, Diddy is among the fighters rescued by King Dedede and his team before they all head into the Great Maze to defeat Tabuu and save the world.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

Diddy Kong was revealed for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U on February 21, 2014, the day of the North American/European release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Diddy Kong's mobility has been improved; his limbs are longer, giving his attacks more range; and many of his attacks deal much more knockback. However, his damage output is lower overall.

Early on in the game's lifetime, Diddy became notorious in competitive play for his very powerful and easy-to-use throw combos, so some of his moves being slightly weakened in later balance patches.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Diddy Kong's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Diddy Kong reappears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, having new monkey voice clips alongside those from previous games. Diddy Kong benefits from universal changes: his mobility is even faster; his short hop timing is shortened; the landing lag in his aerials is reduced; he can directionally air dodge; and he can use any ground attack out of a run, or any aerial attack on ladders. Diddy Kong's damage output has been further decreased. Lastly, his weight has been reduced to 90 units, while Monkey Flip and Rocketbarrel Boost cover much less distance.

Both Diddy and Donkey Kong appear in K. Rool's reveal trailer, "The Rivals." Here, Diddy Kong lounges lazily in Donkey Kong's treehouse on a tire swing, only to be startled by quakes before looking outside with Donkey to investigate. They then see an ominous and familiar shadow, only for it to be revealed to be King Dedede wearing a cape and King K. Rool's mask, to their surprise. King Dedede then proceeds to laugh at the practical joke he played on them, only for him to be smacked upside the head and knocked away by the actual King K. Rool, much to Diddy and Donkey Kong's horror, with King K. Rool roaring. In the ending of the trailer, Diddy, alongside Donkey Kong, has their foot and fist, respectively, make contact with King K. Rool's fist with enough force as to cause a shockwave to be emitted throughout the jungle. Diddy also makes an appearance in Banjo & Kazooie's trailer, "Best Friends."

In the opening cutscene to World of Light, Diddy is among the fighters who attempt to escape from Galeem's beams of light; Diddy himself attempts to flee using the Rocketbarrel Pack alongside Rosalina & Luma, but ultimately is consumed and used to create puppet fighters. Diddy is found in the sub-area in the Light Realm resembling the first world of the original Donkey Kong Country, with Diddy himself serving as the "boss" of that area.

Classic Mode route

Diddy Kong's Classic Mode has him fight alongside characters who generally have sidekicks at their side during adventures. The penultimate battle has Diddy fight alongside Donkey Kong against King K. Rool, their biggest nemesis.

Hey, Little Buddy!
Round	Opponent(s)	Rule	Stage	Song
1	Bowser, Bowser Jr.	Team Battle (Ally: Mario)	Princess Peach's Castle	King Bowser - Super Mario Bros. 3
2	Meta Ridley, Dark Samus	Team Battle (Ally: Zero Suit Samus)	Norfair	Nemesis Ridley
3	Ganondorf	Team Battle (Ally: Zelda)	Unova Pokémon League (Battlefield)	Death Mountain
4	Mewtwo	Team Battle (Ally: Pokémon Trainer)	Spear Pillar	Battle! (Dialga/Palkia) / Spear Pillar
5	King Dedede, Meta Knight	Team Battle (Ally: Kirby)	Fountain of Dreams	King Dedede's Theme (Brawl)
6	King K. Rool	Team Battle (Ally: Donkey Kong)	Jungle Japes	King K. Rool / Ship Deck 2
Final	Master Hand, Crazy Hand	Team Battle (Ally: Donkey Kong)	Final Destination	Master Hand / Crazy Hand

WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase

In the WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase microgame DK Country, the player takes control of a moving Bonus Barrel, from which Diddy gets shot into the air. He must avoid an energetic red Zinger and collect two rows of bananas in order to win the microgame.

Super Mario Maker

Diddy Kong appears as a Mystery Mushroom costume in the Super Mario Bros. style of Super Mario Maker, unlockable by scanning his amiibo onto the Wii U GamePad or randomly after clearing the 100 Mario Challenge. The costume is an 8-bit rendition of him, and its sounds are taken from Donkey Kong Country.

General information

Physical appearance

Diddy Kong appears to be designed after a spider monkey.^[2] He has versatile feet, and a prehensile tail (the only Kong to possess one), which he uses most of the time to hold certain small items or also hang on objects. Diddy Kong's face somewhat looks like Donkey Kong's, although Diddy has big eyes and a less frowned space between the eyebrows, covered in fur unlike Donkey Kong's. Diddy's ears are a bit big, the same size of his eyes.

Diddy usually has a black eye color, although in the Nintendo 64 games Diddy Kong Racing and Donkey Kong 64, Diddy has blue eyes. On the other hand, Super Smash Bros. Brawl gives him brown eyes. The color of his eyelids varies depending on his appearances; sometimes they are either brown (like in Donkey Kong 64 and Diddy Kong Racing DS) or tan (like in Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and the Super Smash Bros. series) and mostly he has no eyelids at all (though he still blinks but his eyes remain open). Upon creation, he originally had four fingers. Since Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Diddy's look was altered to now have five fingers.

Diddy's clothing consists only of a red cap and a red tank top. In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, some details were added to Diddy's clothing, including a Nintendo logo on his cap and yellow stars on his tank top.

Alternate outfits

In Donkey Kong Country, an alternate Diddy Kong's clothing was a yellow tank top and a yellow cap. It appeared when two players wished to play independently. In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Diddy Kong appears with another alternate costume as well. In the sequel, Diddy Kong wears a blue costume.

Throughout the Super Smash Bros. series, Diddy Kong has had eight alternate costumes to choose from, including his default appearance. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Diddy Kong has 6 costumes, while in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, he has 8 costumes. Diddy Kong's first alternate costume consists of a yellow tank top with red stars and white cap, while his fur is dark brown, resembling his alternate color in Donkey Kong Country's Two-Player Contest mode; his second alternate costume gives him golden brown fur, while his cap and tank top turn pink (the stars also turn white), resembling Dixie Kong; his third alternate costume gives him dark brown fur and a purple tank top and cap, resembling his appearance in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest's Two-Player Contest mode; his fourth alternate costume gives him reddish-brown fur and a green tank top and cap, resembling one of his alternate colors from Donkey Kong 64's multiplayer mode; lastly, his fifth alternate costume gives Diddy Kong a blue tank top and cap, resembling Kiddy Kong. In 3DS / Wii U, Diddy Kong gains his sixth and seventh alternate costumes: the former gives him black fur with a brown tank top and yellow cap, resembling a chimpanzee; the latter gives him light brown fur with a cyan tank top and fur, resembling Donkey Kong Jr.'s design in Donkey Kong Jr. Math.

Speech

In the original Donkey Kong Country trilogy and the Donkey Kong Land series, Diddy had no voice acting, though he did make a few realistic monkey sounds in the former series. The games' respective instruction manuals showed Diddy Kong being able to speak full sentences, something that rarely occurs in the games. Diddy Kong was able to speak coherently in Rumble in the Jungle and the Super Mario-kun manga. Diddy first received voice acting in the Donkey Kong Country television series, where he was portrayed by Andrew Sabiston. In the Nintendo GameCube-era Mario and Donkey Kong games, Diddy was voiced by Chris Sutherland, who provided him with a mixture of cartoonish monkey noises and actual words/phrases, such as "Come on!" From 2004 onwards, Diddy Kong has been voiced by Katsumi Suzuki, who solely provided him with a cartoonish monkey voice. In cases where Diddy Kong does speak in full sentences, there is in-game text to show what he is actually saying. In Diddy Kong Racing and Diddy Kong Racing DS, when Diddy is selected from the character select screen, a voice clip of him saying "I'm Diddy!" is played. Most of the time, Diddy's speech is in parentheses, implying that characters other than the Kongs still struggle to understand what Diddy is saying. In the Super Smash Bros. series, Diddy Kong receives realistic monkey noises.

Powers and abilities

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest artwork of Diddy performing a cartwheel

In most of his appearances, Diddy Kong is quick and nimble to offset Donkey Kong's great strength. As a result, Diddy, while more more agile, has more trouble defeating larger enemies. In the Donkey Kong Country series and Donkey Kong 64, Diddy can use his cartwheel to attack opponents, and in Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, cartwheeling then jumping right after increases the distance of his jumping. Diddy Kong is shown to have a strong skull, which is demonstrated in Donkey Kong 64 in which he has a special ability, Chimpy Charge, allowing him to charge head-first into switches, walls, and gongs to activate them.

In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Diddy, like Dixie, can use the team up move, in which one of them carries the other, and can throw them to higher areas, enemies, or collectibles floating above pits.

In some games, Diddy Kong has a Barrel Jet that he can use to fly to hard-to-reach or otherwise inaccessible areas. In Donkey Kong 64, Diddy only receives it after entering one of Cranky's Kong Barrels, and the use of the Barrel Jet is restricted to only certain areas. During the time Diddy Kong uses his Barrel Jet, he is also equipped with Peanut Popguns, which allow him to defeat or stun distant enemies and activate switches. This would eventually become the basis of his Final Smash, Rocketbarrel Barrage

In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Diddy's prehensile tail allows him to hang from hooks. In Donkey Kong 64 Diddy can use his tail to attack enemies or as a spring to reach higher areas.

Diddy Kong juggling

Diddy has the ability to juggle, which is shown in his idle animation for Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest if he does not move for a while. Diddy's Mario Super Sluggers artwork, in which he juggles three baseballs, may be a reference to this.

In Donkey Kong 64, Diddy has an electric guitar as his musical instrument, which he uses in his Guitar Gazump move to solve certain puzzles and destroy surrounding enemies.

Personality

Diddy Kong is a friendly and adventurous character, willing to help out his friends during times of need, evidenced by the Donkey Kong Country series. Diddy could be considered a peace seeker, which is an offset to Donkey Kong's more aggressive behavior against his enemies, since he asks a Kremling to "show himself if he was friendly" in Donkey Kong Country. Diddy Kong's defining personality trait is his energy and gaiety, to the point of childishness.

Diddy's boisterous, slap-happy personality comes into play in the Super Smash Bros. series, in which Diddy constantly smiles or shows toothy grins. Additionally, Diddy's victory animations show him holding his head with both his hands, or firing a peanut from the Peanut Popgun. In Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary, Diddy is fearless to the point that he doesn't consider the danger; eager to fight Bowser while Donkey Kong and Fox McCloud knew it was too dangerous because Bowser had a Dark Cannon with him. Diddy is shown to be sad when he loses at a Bonus Level in Donkey Kong Country or to his opponents in various Mario spin-offs and Super Smash Bros. series.

Relationships

Friends

Artwork of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong giving each other a high five

Donkey Kong is Diddy Kong's best friend and idol. Although they are different species, Diddy Kong has been called a relative of Donkey Kong's in a handful of material mostly in the late 1990s. One of the earliest instances appears to be the December 1997 issue of the United Kingdom Nintendo Magazine, in which Diddy Kong is referred to as Donkey Kong's son.^[3] Diddy has also been called Donkey Kong's nephew in Donkey Kong's Data profile in the English localization of Super Smash Bros., once on Rare's website,^[4] and the Donkey Kong 64 Nintendo Player's Guide;^[5] In a Rare Scribes issue, Leigh Loveday sounded uncertain when talking of Diddy's relation to Donkey Kong.^[6] The Donkey Kong 64 instruction booklet only considers Diddy to be "Donkey's little nephew wannabe."^[7] The Prima Games guide for Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy Advance remake vaguely refers to them as cousins.^[8] Subsequent sources entirely drop the notion of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong being related, and the usual story returned to them just being close friends.

Cranky Kong considers himself to be a "grandpappy" of sorts to Diddy (as well as Dixie). Although Cranky has complained about Diddy's starring role in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, he also calls Diddy a true video game hero.

Dixie began a relationship with Diddy after the events of Donkey Kong Country,^[9] and the two of them have gone on a few adventures together. Their romantic relationship is not often touched upon in the games themselves, but is utilized in the Donkey Kong Country television series. Diddy is shown to get along with Dixie's little sister, Tiny Kong, whom Diddy freed in Donkey Kong 64, and Tiny joined Diddy and Dixie on their journey in Diddy Kong Racing DS.

Enemies

Like several of the other Kongs, Diddy has the Kremlings and King K. Rool as his main enemies. At the start of Donkey Kong Country, Diddy was stuffed into a barrel by Krusha (a Klump in the backstory of the original Donkey Kong Country's instruction booklet) while he was guarding the Banana Hoard. In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! and Donkey Kong 64, Diddy is kidnapped by the Kremlings.

In Diddy Kong Racing, Diddy's archenemy is Wizpig. Diddy goes on a journey with Timber and their friends to expel Wizpig from Timber's Island.

Profiles and statistics

Diddy Kong is usually introduced as Donkey Kong's buddy in his official bios, with Dixie Kong being mentioned occasionally as well. He is typically described as being small and agile, and his stats in most spinoffs accordingly make him a lightweight and/or speed character.