Not to be confused withKiddy Kong.

Diddy Kong
Promotional artwork
Species	Kong (monkey-based)
First appearance	Donkey Kong Country (1994)
Latest appearance	Mario Tennis Fever (2026)
Latest portrayal	Katsumi Suzuki (2004–present)
Member of	Kong Family

“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 (novel)

Diddy Kong is aKong introduced inDonkey Kong Country. He is a member of theKong Family and the best friend and sidekick ofDonkey Kong, assisting him on several of his journeys and appearing commonly in spin-off games of theSuper Mario franchise starting withMario Golf: Toadstool Tour, effectively taking the role ofDonkey Kong Jr. In addition, he is the star of an eponymous racing game,Diddy Kong Racing, and itsremakeDiddy Kong Racing DS.

Diddy Kong sports a trademark red outfit consisting of a shirt with yellow stars and a hat typically featuring the Nintendo logo. Small in size, he is shown to be comparatively more acrobatic than Donkey Kong, performingcartwheels as a form of attack and using his long tail to hang on tohooks and carry objects^[A] in a similar vein to how his girlfriend,Dixie Kong, uses her ponytail. He also often operates equipment, such asjetpack barrels that boost his mobility in mid-air, and one or two peanut-shootingpopguns that he wields as weapons, earning him the nickname "peanut-popping powerhouse".^[1][2][3][4]

Creation[edit]

Diddy Kong's original look as "Donkey Kong Jr."

Diddy Kong's creation was inspired by Coco the Monkey, the mascot ofCoco Pops, whomKevin Bayliss loved when he was a child.^[5] During the development ofDonkey 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 tosmall Mario" system used in theSuper Mario games, Rare created Diddy Kong as a visual "extra hit." The design for the character was originally intended to be a redesign ofDonkey Kong Jr., but Nintendo felt that its design was too different and insisted that Rare either make the design for Junior closer to his original appearance or make the new design an entirely different character. Rare, feeling that the design fit the "updated" Donkey Kong universe that the company was aiming to create, had decided to keep its 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 it was later changed to "Diddy" due to legal considerations^[6] withDinky Toys,^[7] although the name would eventually be used asKiddy Kong's Japanese name.

History[edit]

Donkey Kong Country series[edit]

Diddy Kong made his debut appearance in theDonkey Kong Country series, having appeared in every game. The only game where he is not playable isDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Diddy has had more playable appearances in this series thanDonkey Kong has.

Donkey Kong Country[edit]

Artwork fromDonkey Kong Country, showing Diddy Kong's first depiction

Diddy Kong is a playable character inDonkey Kong Country as well as both itsfirst andsecond remake. He assists Donkey Kong as the second player and sidekick, similarly but not identically toLuigi's relation toMario's. Diddy is described as being a "Donkey Kong wannabe,"wanting to be a video game hero like Donkey Kong.^[8] Diddy is inside the firstDK Barrel inJungle Hijinx, after theKremling Krew raids thebanana hoard,^[B] overpower him.^[9][10][11] Donkey and Diddy Kong have the same basic abilities, such asjumping,running, and rolling. Diddy has his own rolling move,Cartwheel Attack, which he can use to defeat enemies or briefly in midair to gain some momentum. Compared to Donkey Kong, Diddy is more agile, capable of jumping higher, moves faster, and holds a barrel in front of him rather than above his head. However, Diddy is weaker, not only from throwing barrels a shorter distance, but because he cannot defeatKrushas andKlumps bystomping them, and he has to stomp anArmy twice to defeat it.

If the player achieves a completion rating of 90% or higher in the second remake, they unlock the "Hero Mode," where Diddy is the only player character, though with a yellow cap and shirt.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest[edit]

Diddy is a playable character inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and itsremake. He retains his abilities fromDonkey Kong Country, though he is now the first player rather than the second, with Dixie now taking that role. Diddy and Dixie Kong can do ateam up move, allowing one of the Kongs to pick each other up and throw another to get across obstacles or reach higher elevations. Diddy has his own time attack mode in the remake, titledDiddy's Dash, where he is controlled through levels without the aid of Dixie.

In the game's story, the Kremling Krew kidnaps Donkey Kong and sends him away to their island,Crocodile Isle. K. Rool, now Kaptain K. Rool, threatens to keep Donkey Kong as a prisoner unless the Kongs give the banana hoard to him. Diddy refuses, so he and Dixie travel through Crocodile Isle. Whenever the player visits theMonkey Museum, Cranky chastises him and Dixie, believing them not to be actual video game heroes,^[12][13][14] hence the inclusion ofCranky's Video Game Heroes, an awards ceremony in which Cranky tallies up who has collected the mostVideo Game Hero Coins, for which he hid in every level.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble![edit]

Diddy is a non-playable character inDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! He and Donkey Kong both have a smaller role, though the events begin with them exploring theNorthern Kremisphere.^[15] Since the two had not returned from their trip, Dixie goes to look for them, with her cousin,Kiddy Kong. In gameplay, Diddy and Donkey are seen only inKastle Kaos, where after defeatingBaron K. Roolenstein, it is revealed that the two were trapped inside ofKAOS. Additionally, theremake adds Diddy as one of the Kongs to defend fromKremlings in theFunky's Rentals challenge "Protect."

Donkey Kong Country Returns /Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D /Donkey Kong Country Returns HD[edit]

Artwork fromDonkey Kong Country Returns

Diddy Kong is a playable character inDonkey Kong Country Returns,Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D andDonkey Kong Country Returns HD. Diddy is first seen in the opening cutscene, where he is the first to notice the banana hoard being stolen by the animals controlled by theTiki Tak Tribe and runs ahead of Donkey Kong to stop them. As such, he and Donkey Kong travel across Donkey Kong Island to fight the Tikis and retrieve the hoard.

In single player mode, Diddy Kong is reinterpreted as a power-up of sorts for Donkey Kong. Once freed from a DK Barrel, he stays on Donkey Kong's back. He takes damage instead of Donkey Kong, making him a maximum health increase until he is defeated. Until he is defeated, he upgrades Donkey Kong'sBarrel Roll into theKong Roll and allows Donkey Kong to hover for a short time using theBarrel Jet. In multiplayer mode, Diddy Kong is always controlled by the second player and can move on his own. Diddy has more agility than Donkey Kong, and retains access to the Barrel Jet. In addition, he can use thePeanut Popgun in the air to stun enemies from a distance. This game introduces thePopgun Pound as Diddy Kong's version of theground pound. Diddy Kong can also climb onto Donkey Kong's back, ceding control of movement, most attacks, and the Barrel Jet to Donkey Kong but allowing him to shoot the Peanut Popguns on the ground or in the air. Diddy Kong can dismount Donkey Kong at any point. Multiplayer mode also changes the game's opening, having Diddy Kong loop back to be available right as the game begins. The game's more difficult Mirror Mode prevents Diddy Kong from appearing, which also means it cannot be played in multiplayer.

All of the game's cutscenes account for Diddy Kong's possible presence, usually having him move around on his own then climb back onto Donkey Kong's back once gameplay resumes. The game's ending has different cutscenes based on if Diddy Kong is present in the final battle. If he is present, he helps Donkey Kong with a gambit to punch themoon intoTiki Tong Tower to destroy it by boosting them down with the Barrel Jet, then carries the both of them safely to the ground. If he is not present, he still appears after the moon punch to rescue Donkey Kong from the fall. In multiplayer, it is possible to complete the game while Donkey Kong is defeated, leading to a third variant where Diddy Kong tries to avoid crashing into the moon with the Barrel Jet, only for it to malfunction and propel him into the moon. This has the same effect as punching the moon, but knocks Diddy Kong unconscious. Donkey Kong catches Diddy Kong just before he collides with the ground. Following all three versions, the two celebrate their victory.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]

Diddy Kong is a playable character inDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze andits port. He is first seen during the game's opening cutscene, appearing to celebrate DK's birthday with Dixie andCranky, only for the four to be interrupted by theSnowmads and blown away to theLost Mangroves. With Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong now possible partners with similar mechanics to Diddy Kong, Diddy Kong is released specifically from DK Barrels specially marked with a blue "DD". Diddy retains his moves fromDonkey Kong Country Returns, but with addedunderwater exploration, Diddy can perform the Jet Blast underwater, giving him and Donkey Kong a speed boost. If Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong are together, they can use theKong POW move to turn every enemy intoRed Balloons.

Club Nintendo[edit]

"Donkey Kong Country"[edit]

A scene from the "Donkey Kong Country" comic where Diddy and Donkey attack King K. Rool

Diddy is one of the protagonists in theClub Nintendo comic "Donkey Kong Country," based on the identically titled game. Diddy is put on duty to watch over the banana hoard, though is discovered by King K. Rool and forced into a barrel. After being discovered and rescued by Donkey Kong, the two track down King K. Rool to defeat him. When King K. Rool is fought, Donkey Kong attacks by throwing Diddy up onto K. Rool.

"Super Mario in Die Nacht des Grauens"[edit]

Diddy lives in askyscraper inBrooklyn with many other Nintendo characters in "Super Mario in Die Nacht des Grauens." During the monsters' invasion of the building, Diddy and Donkey are watching TV, but are interrupted byChuckie, terrifying them, though Mario,Link andKirby come to save them.

"Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24"[edit]

Diddy is one of the Kongs who goes on an expedition to saveEarth from freezing as a giant U.F.O pulls it away from the sun in "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24." When it is revealed that the aliens mistook the planet as being a giantcoconut, Diddy decides to givebananas to the aliens, who promise to return the Earth to its original position.

Donkey Kong Land series[edit]

Diddy Kong is a playable character in the first two games of theDonkey Kong Land series:Donkey Kong Land andDonkey Kong Land 2. The events of the former game start when Diddy and DK are bet byCranky Kong that they cannot recover thebanana hoard from King K. Rool on an8-bit handheld,^[16] though the two characters manage to travel their way through fourworlds and defeat King K. Rool and the Kremlings once more. The events ofDonkey Kong Land 2 are a retelling ofDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest's,^[17] so Diddy has the same role and abilities as before.

Diddy does not appear inDonkey Kong Land III, but he and Donkey Kong start the game's events when they enter a contest to discover theLost World,^[18] leaving Dixie and Kiddy Kong behind, both of whom decide to journey as well.

4koma Gag Battle[edit]

Diddy Kong appears throughout the4koma Gag Battle manga adaptations of:Donkey Kong Country,Diddy Kong Racing andDonkey Kong 64.

Super Mario-kun[edit]

Diddy Kong appears in the fourteenth volume of theSuper Mario-kun manga. In theDonkey Kong Country part of the volume, Diddy andDonkey Kong are asked byCranky Kong to fightKing K. Rool, while in theDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest part, Diddy and his girlfriend,Dixie Kong, have to battle Kaptain K. Rool.

Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle[edit]

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

InDonkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle, Donkey Kong introduces his "buddy" Diddy Kong toFunky Kong, who offers Diddy a ride in hisbarrel plane aroundDonkey Kong Island. During the flight, Diddy Kong notices smoke coming fromBig 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" overBig Ape City. Diddy Kong immediately agrees to travel with Donkey Kong to the city, joined by a reluctantCranky Kong.

On the edge of the forest inTree Top Town, the Kongs encounter a group ofKremlings. Diddy Kong performs severalcartwheel attacks, which is true to his abilities as a playable character in theDonkey Kong Country andDonkey 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 usingbarrels. 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 aKlap 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 ontoKing 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-delayedTNT 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[edit]

“I'm glad it's you back inthere, and not me,DK. Besides, I'm really a good second banana.”

—Diddy Kong, "Kong for a Day"

Diddy Kong in theDonkey Kong Country television series

Diddy Kong is one of the main characters in theDonkey Kong Country television series. Most of the episodes involve Diddy usually watching over theCrystal Coconut with Donkey Kong. Diddy Kong resembles his appearance inDonkey Kong Country, since his shirt lacks the yellow stars and his hat lacks theNintendo logo. Diddy was voiced byAndrew Sabiston during the entire run of the series.

In a possible alternate timeline seen in the episode "It's a Wonderful Life," in which Donkey Kong sees what Kongo Bongo Island would be like if he did not exist, Diddy is portrayed as a power-hungry tyrant who tries to steal thePapier-Mâché Lily Pad from King K. Rool, who is portrayed as a somewhat timid freedom fighter.

Diddy Kong Racing /Diddy Kong Racing DS[edit]

“I'll go anywhere they've gotbananas.”

—Diddy Kong,Nintendo Power, volume 102 (Diddy Kong Racing section)^[19]

Artwork fromDiddy Kong Racing, showing Diddy with a wrench and a wheel

Diddy is the starring character ofDiddy Kong Racing andits remake. In the prologue, Diddy gets a letter fromTimber, who asks Diddy to help saveTimber's Island fromWizpig,^[20] which the remake makes an opening cutscene out of. At the end, Diddy, Timber, and their friends manage to expel Wizpig and free the Timber's Island guardians from his mind control. Diddy has average acceleration and handling but below-average top speed, his vehicle number is 1, and his top speed withoutbananas is 56 mph. Diddy has a blue vehicle color in the originalDiddy Kong Racing only. His theme instrument on the character select menu is a muted horn, which plays an arrangement of "DK Island Swing." Diddy is one of four (two in the original version) characters in the game owned by Nintendo, the other three beingKrunch, Dixie Kong, andTiny Kong.

Mario no Bōken Land[edit]

Diddy Kong, chasing Wizpig on his plane inMario no Bōken Land

Diddy Kong stars as the main character in aMario 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.

Donkey Kong 64[edit]

“He's back again and about time too
And this time he's in the mood”

—DK Rap

Artwork fromDonkey Kong 64

Diddy is a playable character inDonkey Kong 64. He and a few other Kongs are held hostage by King K. Rool after hisBlast-o-Matic is damaged accidentally. Diddy is freed by Donkey Kong inJungle Japes. Diddy can collect red bananas andcoins. Besides being the only Kong who canDouble Jump, Diddy has three of his own moves that he can learn atCranky's Lab, includingChimpy Charge,Rocketbarrel Boost, andSimian Spring. Diddy's musical instrument is theelectric guitar, which he obtains fromCandy's Music Shop. His weapon is the popguns, which he obtains fromFunky's Store. Diddy has two of his ownBonus Stages to complete inHideout Helm to deactivate the red current flowing within the Blast-o-Matic. Diddy is later selected as the second Kong to fightKing Krusha K. Rool in theboxing arena, where he uses his Rocketbarrel Boost to shoot two targets on each of the light fixtures until one gets stuck on K. Rool's head, ending the round.

Diddy has three alternate color schemes in Monkey Smash, which include yellow, green, and blue.

Mario Golf series[edit]

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour[edit]

Diddy Kong makes hisSuper Mario franchise debut as a playable character inMario Golf: Toadstool Tour. He is first seen briefly in the opening scene. For his par animation, Diddy nods and gives a thumbs up. When getting a birdie, Diddy jumps joyfully and gives two thumbs-ups. When achieving an eagle or a higher rating, Diddy performs a handstand with one arm and then flips before giving a thumbs up. If he gets a bogey, Diddy moans shamefully. If Diddy gets a double bogey or a lower rating he jumps and flails erratically in midair before stopping in midair and crashing neck-first back to the ground.

Mario Golf: World Tour[edit]

Screenshot fromMario Golf: World Tour, showing Diddy in Earth's atmosphere after getting an Albatross.

Diddy Kong is a playable character inMario Golf: World Tour. He is seen looking at a bowl of bananas in the Castle Club's Royal Room. The shop has golf clubs, a ball, and clothes based on Diddy available for purchase, though the clothes can be received also by participating in tournaments. Diddy's costume can be unlocked by completing every Star Coin challenge in theSky Island course. Some of Diddy's voice clips are recycled fromDonkey Kong 64. For his par animation, Diddy flips and strikes a pose. When achieving a birdie, Diddy puts on hisBarrel Jet and flies in victory. His animation for achieving an eagle or a higher rating show Diddy flying so high on his Barrel Jet out of joy that he ends up inEarth's atmosphere next to space, leaving himstaring at the camera completely shocked and baffled. If he gets a bogey, he lies down in frustration while eating a banana. If he gets a double bogey or worse, he lies down in frustration while eating a banana, then tosses the peel and tries to get up, only to slip on the peel in the process.

Mario Kart series[edit]

Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]

Artwork fromMario Kart: Double Dash!!, showing Diddy and his partner, Donkey Kong, riding theDK Jumbo together

Diddy Kong is a playable character inMario Kart: Double Dash!! Diddy is a lightweight character. He is partnered with Donkey Kong by default. Both characters have theGiant Banana as theirspecial item. Diddy's personalkart is theBarrel Train.

Mario Kart Arcade GP subseries[edit]

Diddy makes a cameo appearance inMario Kart Arcade GP andMario Kart Arcade GP 2. In both games, he appears inBananan Ruins, cheering within the crowd whenever the player character crosses thefinish line.

Mario Kart Wii[edit]

Diddy is an unlockable playable character inMario Kart Wii. He is classified as a medium-sized character. Diddy is unlocked by either winning the 50ccLightning Cup or by playing 450 races. He features a small acceleration and drift bonus while getting a strong mini-turbo bonus. Diddy Kong is a staff ghost for the courseMaple Treeway. There is both anormal and foil trading card of Diddy, and the back of his card has spelling error saying "...he his^[sic] one fun driver."

Mario Kart Tour[edit]

Screenshot fromMario Kart Tour

Diddy Kong is a playable character of the Super type inMario Kart Tour. His special item is theBanana Barrels, which he shares withFunky Kong and theLight Green Mii Racing Suit.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]

Diddy Kong was added toMario Kart 8 Deluxe as a playable character through the sixth and final wave of theBooster Course Pass, alongside Funky Kong,Pauline, andPeachette.^[21] He is among the lightest middleweight characters, sharing statistics withCat Peach,Inkling Girl, and femaleVillager. A CPU controlled Diddy Kong uses the same kart combination options asToad.

Donkey Konga series[edit]

Diddy, along with Donkey Kong appears inDonkey Konga. In this game, he andDonkey Kong find a pair ofbongos. With Diddy worrying that it could be King K. Rool's trap, he and Donkey Kong take them toCranky Kong. Diddy tries to play it while Donkey Kong claps. The two leave, and continue to play their bongos. Diddy is also a playable character in the game. Diddy Kong appears as a playable character in the sequel,Donkey Konga 2, where Diddy, his girlfriend,Dixie Kong, and Donkey Kong are the three main characters. All of them return inDonkey Konga 3, withFunky Kong being added as the fourth player.

Mario Tennis series[edit]

Mario Power Tennis /New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis[edit]

Diddy is first seen in the opening cutscene ofMario Power Tennis, knocking back Bob-ombs thrown byWario,Waluigi, andBowser. He is also in various trophy ceremonies. For his own, Diddy arrives at the stadium, starts walking around Luigi, then flips the trophy with his tail in the air and catches while he celebrates his victory with Donkey Kong. Diddy is first seen in Koopa Troopa's trophy ceremony eating bananas and discarding a banana peel, which the Koopa trips over by accident before receiving his trophy. Diddy also causesWiggler to trip in the latter's trophy ceremony, from a tennis ball, which Diddy also trips on accidentally, landing onto both Luigi and Wiggler, ending with the latter chasing Diddy and Luigi angrily. As a playable character, Diddy is billed a Speed type. HisOffensive Power Shot isAcrobatic Banana, and hisDefensive Power Shot isBarrel Jet. He is partnered in doubles matches withDonkey Kong by default.

Mario Tennis Open[edit]

Diddy is a playable character inMario Tennis Open. He is billed a speedy player. Diddy is typically paired with Donkey Kong. A tennis outfit and racket based on Diddy can be bought from the Tennis Gear Store. A Mii costume in Diddy's likeness is unlocked by meeting 20 Mii characters viaStreetPass.

Mario Tennis Aces[edit]

Artwork fromMario Tennis Aces

Diddy Kong is a playable character inMario Tennis Aces. He was available as a participation prize for the September online tournament, or as of October 1, 2018. Diddy is a speedy character. HisTrick Shots are "Acrobatics" for forwards and "Diddy Roll" for sideways. HisSpecial Shot is the "Jungle Swing".

Mario Tennis Fever[edit]

Diddy Kong returns inMario Tennis Fever as an unlockable playable character, marking the first time he is playable using his new design fromDonkey Kong Bananza. He is once again classified as a Speedy character and is notable for his quick-charging slice shot. Diddy Kong is unlocked after playing 10 tennis matches in any mode.

DK series[edit]

DK: King of Swing[edit]

Diddy Kong inDK: King of Swing

Diddy is a playable character inJungle Jam and the unlockable Diddy Mode inDK: King of Swing. The Diddy Mode is unlocked by collecting 24medals as Donkey Kong. Diddy is one of the playable characters in theJungle Jam, where he can jump high but has a weak attack.

DK: Jungle Climber[edit]

Diddy Kong is the sidekick of Donkey Kong inDK: Jungle Climber. He can be launched by DK to hit objects and reach areas that are otherwise inaccessible. Diddy is required when using either the Hammer, Wings, or Torch powerups. Diddy is raced at the start and in one of the minigames.

Yakuman DS[edit]

Diddy Kong is a computer-controlled opponent inYakuman DS. He is one of twenty-one opponents.

Super Mario Stadium series[edit]

Mario Superstar Baseball[edit]

Diddy Kong is first seen in the opening cinematic ofMario Superstar Baseball, where he hits a pitch thrown from Wario with a bunt, and lastly in the closing cinematic, where he greets Mario at the baseball field before Bowser arrives on scene and challenges Mario's team to a baseball game. As a playable character, Diddy has fast running and good fielding whilst having average pitching and weak batting. Diddy is a member of Donkey Kong's team in Challenge mode. His special ball is theBoomerang Ball, which launches the ball out like a Boomerang to trick the other team. It can be used when the player purchases theChimp Banana in the store from challenge mode. His other special moves areClamber andSuper Catch. He shares good chemistry with Donkey Kong, Goomba, and Dixie Kong, and does not share bad chemistry with any character.

Mario Super Sluggers[edit]

Artwork fromMario Super Sluggers

Diddy Kong is first seen in the opening cutscene ofMario Super Sluggers, where he is saved by Donkey Kong from being crushed by a giant barrel inDK Jungle, and in the cutscene shown after defeating Bowser's team in Challenge Mode, Diddy is one of the characters who celebrates before leaving. Diddy is both a playable character and captain, having a team name of Diddy Monkeys; his star swing is theBanana Swing; and his star pitch is theBanana Ball. Diddy received slightly improved batting, a good fielding boost, and a lowered running stat. Diddy shares good chemistry with all the Kongs, bad chemistry with the Kritters and King K. Rool, and is the only character with no good chemistry with any of theMii colors. Diddy is a member ofDK Wilds in Challenge mode, also guarding the statue that once held the stone tablet while the protagonists search for the missing pieces. Diddy joins the team in Challenge mode when Bowser Jr. is revealed to be holdingTiny Kong hostage. A game against the DK Wilds can be played once the team is assembled and the player talks to Diddy, who explains their strength and defense.

Mario Hoops 3-on-3[edit]

Diddy Kong is a playable character inMario Hoops 3-on-3. He is billed a part of the Speedy class. HisSpecial Shot is theJet Shot, which summons a jet pack that takes Diddy to the basket.

Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast[edit]

Diddy Kong is a playable character inDonkey Kong: Barrel Blast. He has low speed but a good boost and handling. His rival isKip. His voice (as portrayed byKatsumi Suzuki) is somewhat lower-pitched in this game unlike in his other appearances.

Mario Strikers series[edit]

Mario Strikers Charged[edit]

Diddy Kong is first seen in the intro ofMario Strikers Charged, where he gets sucked into some cyclone, though Diddy managed to survive it, as shown when he receives the ball and jumps into the air, smashing all of Yoshi's Dry Bones in the process and making a great kick. Diddy is an unlockable captain who can be unlocked by defeating him in theCrystal Cup. He is a Playmaker Captain who is very swift and agile. Diddy Kong appears to have supernatural powers, as seen with hisSuper Ability,Red Card!, which summons a beam of light to take players out of the field, and hisMega Strike, in which he launches in the air, moves into a Buddha position, and touches the ball with the tip of his tail, sending it flying. Diddy has more of a human-like voice on certain occasions, such as when shoved by an opponent, being affected by Wario's "Gas Mask!" ability, and getting electrocuted. Diddy's theme music for scoring and making his home entrance is Hindustani classical music. One of Diddy's winning animations involves him performing a victory dance, grinning sheepishly, whilst two of Diddy's losing animations show him moping around, and another where he pounds his fists into the ground angrily.

Mario Strikers: Battle League[edit]

Artwork fromMario Strikers: Battle League

Diddy Kong returns as a playable character inMario Strikers: Battle League, added through the version 1.2.0 update alongsidePauline.^[22] In this game, his best attributes are his speed and passing, while he has weaker strength and shooting. In hisHyper Strike, Barrel Boom, he shoots himself from aBlast Barrel towards the ball.

Mario Party series[edit]

Artwork fromMario Party: Star Rush, his first playable appearance in theMario Party series

Diddy Kong is a non-playable character in the Story Mode ofMario Party DS, where the characters help Diddy free Donkey Kong from being a statue thatDry Bones had turned him into, and Diddy happily rewards the characters with the thirdSky Crystal. Diddy is similarly non-playable inMario Party 9, being the mid-boss forDK's Jungle Ruins.

Diddy does not physically appear inMario Party 10, but a statue resembling him mounted on Donkey Kong is on the southern side of theDonkey Kong Board. Diddy is not physically present inMario Party: The Top 100, though his name is mentioned when scanning the Diddy Kong amiibo, giving them ten coins.

Diddy Kong is an unlockable character inMario Party: Star Rush. He can be unlocked by earning enough party points to reach level 11 or by scanning a Diddy Kongamiibo. Diddy can break barrels in Toad Scramble to earn coins, and hisTriple 7 Dice Block has half a chance of rolling either a 0 or a 7. Using a Diddy Kong amiibo in Coinathlon causes Diddy to always begin twoDouble Medals. Diddy Kong retains his unlockable status inSuper Mario Party, now having to be unlocked by completingChestnut Forest. Diddy's specialDice Block in the game has one face that gives him two coins only, without moving any steps; two faces that display 0s; and three faces that display 7s.

Though Diddy Kong is not playable inSuper Mario Party Jamboree, artwork of him can appear in the minigameBig-Top Quiz. He is the only playable character fromSuper Mario Party to not physically reappear in this game.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Diddy inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate

SmashWiki article:Diddy Kong

Diddy Kong has become a playablefighter in theSuper Smash Bros. series sinceSuper Smash Bros. Brawl. He is swift, agile, and very acrobatic. Diddy Kong has aweight value of 93 units inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl andSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, later decreased to 90 units inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. Diddy has realistic monkey voices, akin to Donkey Kong's gorilla-like noises, replacing their usual cartoony noises.

Super Smash Bros.[edit]

Diddy Kong is mentioned in Donkey Kong's character biography inSuper Smash Bros.

Super Smash Bros. Melee[edit]

Diddy is mentioned in Dixie Kong's trophy description inSuper Smash Bros. Melee. He is also referred to in the lyrics of the "DK Rap" arrangement that plays onKongo Jungle.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]

SmashWiki article:Diddy Kong (SSBB)

As a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, Diddy'sspecial moves arePeanut 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; andBanana Peel, which when thrown, makes his opponentstrip. HisFinal Smash isRocketbarrel Barrage, a combination of his Peanut Popgun and Rocketbarrel Boost. Diddy is referred to bySnake in his associatedCodec Conversation as a "chimpanzee in a Nintendo hat."

Diddy Kong's snapshot in the Subspace Emissary

In the events ofAdventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary, Diddy is first encountered within Donkey Kong inthe Jungle, helping him recover bananas stolen from theBowser's Minions. Diddy is later knocked away to safety by Donkey Kong before he is transformed into atrophy byBowser'sDark Cannon. Atthe Lake, Diddy encountersRayquaza and forcesFox to help him fight Rayquaza. As the two characters reachthe Swamp later on, Bowser successfully turns Diddy into a trophy and clones him intoFalse Diddy Kong withShadow Bugs, eventually multiplying in size. After Diddy is revived, he defeats the clone and teams up withFalco, again by force. Upon discovering that Donkey is being taken to theIsle of the Ancients, Falco drops Diddy for the Kong to rescue him. After receiving help fromCaptain Falcon andOlimar to fend off theSubspace Army, the four characters end up atthe Subspace Bomb Factory. Upon meetingSamus andPikachu,R.O.B. reveals himself just before they are forced to evacuate the island as it is drawn intoSubspace. In Subspace,Tabuu turns Diddy and the other gathered heroes into trophies. However, Diddy is among the fighters rescued byKing Dedede and the others with him before they all head intothe Great Maze to defeat Tabuu and save theWorld of Trophies.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS /Wii U[edit]

SmashWiki article:Diddy Kong (SSB4)

Diddy Kong is a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS /Wii U. He was originally confirmed to be added on February 21, 2014, the day thatDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze released in anglophone regions. Diddy received improvements with his mobility. He was given longer limbs, giving his attacks morerange. Many of Diddy's attacks deal significantly moreknockback, although hisdamage output had been lowered.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

SmashWiki article:Diddy Kong (SSBU)

Screenshot fromSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate

Diddy Kong appears inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. He benefits from universal changes, including faster mobility, decreasedshort hop timing, reducedlanding lag with hisaerial attacks; the ability to directionallyair dodge; and using anyground attack out of arun, or any aerial attack onladders. He has a newFinal Smash,Hyper Rocketbarrel, which involves him automatically and repeatedly flying across the screen in different directions, damaging opponents, before homing onto the fighter that took the most damage and crashing into them, creating an explosive impact. Diddy Kong's damage output has also been further decreased. Diddy's Monkey Flip and Rocketbarrel Boost moves cover a lot less distance.

In the opening cutscene ofAdventure Mode: World of Light, Diddy is among the fighters who attempt to escape fromGaleem's beams of light; Diddy himself attempts to flee using the Rocketbarrel Pack alongsideRosalina &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 originalDonkey Kong Country, with Diddy himself serving as the "boss" of that area.

Owing toKing K. Rool's ties toDonkey Kong, Diddy Kong appears alongside Donkey Kong in K. Rool's introduction trailer. Specifically, 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 shadow, revealed to beKing Dedede wearing a cape and King K. Rool's mask, to their surprise. King Dedede laughs at his joke before being smacked upside the head and knocked away by King K. Rool. 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 inBanjo &Kazooie's trailer.

Diddy Kong'sfighter spirit uses his artwork fromDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.

Classic Mode route[edit]

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

WarioWare series[edit]

WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase[edit]

InDK Country ofWarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase, Diddy is shot out of a movingBonus Barrel, with the goal being to collect two rows of bananas while avoiding a redZinger.

WarioWare Gold[edit]

InWarioWare Gold, Diddy appears as a painting that Wario can paint inWario's amiibo Sketch after the player scans a Diddy Kong amiibo.

WarioWare: Get It Together![edit]

InDonkey Kong Country Returns ofWarioWare: Get It Together!, Diddy is sometimes seen after completing the microgame.

Mario & Sonic series[edit]

Diddy's first three appearances in theMario & Sonic series are in the form of an unlockableMii outfit. InMario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games for the Wii, the suit based on him can be purchased from the boutique. InMario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games for the Wii, the suit is unlocked after playing against a friend 20 times in Single Event mode. InMario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, the Diddy suit is unlocked after completing 3 areas in Legend Showdown.

Diddy Kong's head icon inMario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

Diddy began to appear as a playable character in the later installments of the series. In theNintendo 3DS version ofMario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Diddy makes his playable debut in the series, although he can only be played in the110m Hurdles event. In the Wii Uversion, Diddy is only playable in theRugby Sevens event. In both games, Diddy has brown eyes instead of black like in theSuper Smash Bros. series, and he does not have the Nintendo logo on his cap, possibly becauseSega developed the games. InMario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, Diddy is a Technique character, and he is only playable in Rugby Sevens.

Mario Sports Mix[edit]

Diddy Kong is a playable character inMario Sports Mix. He is billed a speedy character. Diddy has a slightly higher technique stat countered with a slightly lower power stat. For his Special Shot, Diddy throws a banana in the manner of a boomerang, attempting to stun anyone who tries to counter his shot. Diddy Kong can give his full power shots an added curve in Volleyball.

Fortune Street[edit]

Diddy Kong is a playable character inFortune Street. He ranked at Level D, alongsideBirdo,Donkey Kong,Slime, andYangus.

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Maker[edit]

Diddy Kong is aMystery Mushroomcostume in theSuper Mario Bros. style ofSuper Mario Maker, unlockable by scanning hisamiibo onto theWii U GamePad or randomly after clearing the 100 Mario Challenge. The costume is an 8-bit rendition of him, and its sounds are taken fromDonkey Kong Country.

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

The "Diddy Kong Suit" fromSuper Mario Odyssey

Diddy Kong is referenced inSuper Mario Odyssey, with one of the billboards inNew Donk City reading "Diddy's Mart," and there is a purchasable costume of Diddy Kong that can be bought after either completing the game and collecting enough Power Moons or using his amiibo throughUncle amiibo.

Mario Sports Superstars[edit]

Diddy Kong is a playable character inMario Sports Superstars. Diddy is a Speed type character in most sports, a quality shared withBaby Mario,Baby Luigi, andBowser Jr. Diddy has a default drive of 216 yards in golf and makes shots that travel slightly high in a draw trajectory; some of Diddy's voice clips fromDonkey Kong 64 are also recycled for the Golf gameplay.

Dr. Mario World[edit]

Diddy Kong's mugshot inDr. Mario World

Diddy Kong, under the nameDr. Diddy Kong, was added toDr. Mario World as a playable character on October 31, 2019. Like Dr. Donkey Kong, Dr. Diddy Kong has an armband with acapsule printed on it and a wooden stethoscope with vines instead of tubes. Dr. Diddy Kong additionally has a head mirror with the glass contained in a wooden frame and using a vine for the headband. Dr. Diddy Kong is a reward inWorld 9's special stage since version 1.2.0, though beating the stage prior to the update will allow him to be obtainable through the doc box.

Dr. Diddy Kong's skill is to change full-sized capsules into two half-capsules, represented by his Peanut Popgun being fired and a peanut being overlaid on a capsule and being snapped into two. In stage mode, this affects the next four capsules, but in versus, this affects the next three capsules in level 1 and the next six capsules starting from level 2 (higher levels have a faster skill meter charge). When the changed capsule is brought into the stage, it works like a full-sized capsule in that both move simultaneously, but when control of the capsule is released, both halves of the capsule operate individually. Half-sized rainbow capsules are unaffected by this effect. In version 2.3.0, the first capsule affected by the skill is turned into a pair of rainbow capsules (half-sized rainbow capsules are still unaffected), which applies to both stage mode and versus.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]

Diddy Kong's appearance inThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Diddy Kong can be seen in the audience behind Donkey Kong ona poster forThe Super Mario Bros. Movie withSwanky Kong,Dixie Kong, andCranky Kong, among various other genericKongs. He has been given a slight redesign, with his eyes being separated and his tank top lengthened to cover his legs and show part of his chest along with yellow trimming. His hat has also been redesigned slightly, with the Nintendo logo being absent and a pin on it. The pin has the DD symbol taken from theDiddy Kong Barrel fromDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, but with the letters being yellow instead of blue.

In the film, Diddy Kong is seen in the crowd at theGreat Ring of Kong for Mario and Donkey Kong's fight, cheering for the latter with Dixie andChunky Kong sitting next to him. He continues to cheer even after Cranky silences the crowd until he tells him to be quiet, causing Diddy to sheepishly apologize. He is the only Kong other than Donkey Kong and Cranky Kong whose name is mentioned in the film. He is voiced byEric Bauza.

Donkey Kong Bananza[edit]

Diddy Kong's appearance inDonkey Kong Bananza

Diddy Kong reappears inDonkey Kong Bananza. His design in this game is in line with his updated 2025 render, featuring slightly segmented eyes, a more pronounced nose, and a pin with the DD symbol on his cap. Appearing in theRacing Layer, he runs theRambi Rumble alongsideDixie Kong, and is also seen riding with her on the back ofRambi. Additionally, his head, along with Dixie Kong's, appears on the massive trophy in that layer.^[23]

Unused appearances[edit]

Diddy was to star in bothDiddy Kong Pilot andDonkey Kong Racing as a main character and a sidekick, respectively, but these games were canceled before they could be released when Nintendo soldRare to Microsoft.

Other appearances[edit]

In 1998, Diddy was featured alongsideMario,Yoshi andKoopa Troopa in aPez dispenser set.

Diddy appears inNintendo Monopoly, costing $260 and taking the role of Ventnor Avenue, as well as being a "Power Pack" expansion figure forMonopoly Gamer.

Diddy Kong appears in the gameSkylanders: SuperChargers as part of the SuperCharged version of Donkey Kong's vehicle, theBarrel Blaster. He is also the basis of Donkey Kong's Soul GemDiddy You Call?, where after being summoned he can fly around in his Rocketbarrel Pack and attack enemies with his Peanut Popguns, similar to his Final Smash in theSuper Smash Bros. series.

In the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack inMinecraft, Diddy Kong appears as a playable skin.

General information[edit]

Physical description[edit]

Diddy Kong's original (left) and modern (right) designs.

Diddy Kong appears to be designed after aspider monkey.^[24] 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 is somewhat similar toDonkey Kong; however, Diddy Kong has big eyes and a less frowned space between the eyebrows, covered in fur, as opposed to Donkey Kong's. His ears are a bit big, the same size of his eyes. Diddy Kong's eyes are usually depicted as black, althoughDiddy Kong Racing andDonkey Kong 64 depict him with 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 inDonkey Kong 64 andDiddy Kong Racing DS) or tan (like inDonkey Kong Country,Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and theSuper 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. After the Microsoft acquisition of Rare Ltd., Nintendo now had exclusive rights to Diddy Kong, and altered his hands so that they were five-fingered starting withMario Golf: Toadstool Tour. His design was slightly updated beginning with an updated render first seen in a thumbnail in the Nintendo Switch News app in 2025, now sporting slightly segmented eyes, smaller ears, visible teeth, and a rounder belly, in a similar vein to hisThe Super Mario Bros. Movie design.

Diddy Kong's clothing consists of a red cap showing the logo ofNintendo on its front, and a red tank top, with yellowstars on it (the details on his clothes were first introduced inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest). His updated design from 2025 adds the pin with the DD emblem on his cap fromThe Super Mario Bros. Movie while removing the Nintendo logo, while the stars are slightly smaller.

Alternate outfits[edit]

InDonkey 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. InDonkey 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. InMario Strikers Charged, Diddy Kong wears armor, protecting him against hazards set in the game. He wears a pair of wristbands, shoulder-pads, and a cuirasse over his tank top to protect his chest. The armor is mainly yellow, but it turns to purple in case that his opponents wear a similar color scheme. Later inDonkey Kong Country Returns, when theSuper Guide mode is activated andSuper Kong breaks aDK Barrel, Super Diddy Kong appears. Super Diddy Kong has white fur instead of brown, and his red cap and tank top have become blue.

Throughout theSuper Smash Bros. series, Diddy Kong has had eight alternate costumes to choose from, including his default appearance. InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, Diddy Kong has 6 costumes, while inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS /Wii U andSuper 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 inDonkey 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 inDonkey 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 fromDonkey Kong 64's multiplayer mode; lastly, his fifth alternate costume gives Diddy Kong a blue tank top and cap, resembling Kiddy Kong. In3DS /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, resemblingDonkey Kong Jr.'s design inDonkey Kong Jr. Math.

Personality[edit]

Diddy Kong is a friendly and adventurous character, willing to help out his friends during times of need, evidenced by theDonkey Kong Country series. Diddy Kong is somewhat of a peace seeker, which is an offset to Donkey Kong's more aggressive behavior against his enemies, since he asks aKremling to "show himself if he was friendly" inDonkey Kong Country. Diddy Kong's defining personality trait is his energy and gaiety, to the point of childishness (in a similar vein toToad, though he is less humble than the mushroom himself). Diddy Kong always shows excitement in various competitive sports (theMario Golf,Mario Tennis, andMario Baseball series) andkart races, as evidenced by his idle and victory animations, which see him cartwheeling, backflipping, sideflipping, jumping up and down, or clapping his hands while yelling and screeching in happiness and enjoyment. Diddy's boisterous, slap-happy personality comes into play inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl,Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS /Wii U, andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, where he is constantly smiling or showing toothy grins. Diddy Kong's victory animations show him holding his head with both his hands, or firing a peanut from thePeanut Popgun, further showing how excitable he is. InThe Subspace Emmissary, he is fearless to the point that he does not consider the danger; eager to fight Bowser while Donkey Kong andFox McCloud knew this was too dangerous when he had a Dark Cannon at his disposal. Despite his energetic, excitable nature, Diddy Kong becomes sad when he loses to a boss in theDonkey Kong Country games or his opponents in variousSuper Mario spin-offs andSuper Smash Bros. games, thus showing that he does not like to face defeat. In the television show, Diddy has a more snarky than go-lucky attitude.

Speech[edit]

In the earlyDonkey Kong Country games, as well as theDonkey Kong Land series, there was no voice acting, though Diddy Kong did have a few realistic monkey sounds provided by Mark Betteridge. However, the games' respective instruction manuals showed Diddy Kong being able to speak full sentences. Diddy Kong was able to speak intelligently in the comicRumble in the Jungle and theSuper Mario Kun manga. Diddy Kong first received voice acting inthe 1998 computer-animatedDonkey Kong Country series, where he was portrayed byAndrew Sabiston. In the GameCube-eraSuper Mario andDonkey Kong games, Diddy was voiced byChris Sutherland, who provided him with a mixture of cartoonish monkey noises and actual words/phrases, such as "Uh-oh!" and "Come on!" From 2004 onwards, Diddy Kong has been voiced byKatsumi Suzuki, who solely provided him with a cartoonish monkey voice. In cases where Diddy Kong is intended to speak in full sentences, there is in-game text to show what he is actually saying. The only time in the games where Diddy Kong actually speaks is inDiddy Kong Racing, when he says, "I'm Diddy!" whenever the player selects him to play as him. Most of the time, his speech is in parentheses, thus implying that characters other than Donkey Kong and the other Kongs still have difficulty understanding what he is saying. In theSuper Smash Bros. series, Diddy Kong receives realistic monkey noises.

Powers and abilities[edit]

Diddy Kong using his cartwheel attack fromDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

In almost every appearance, Diddy Kong has been shown to be quick and nimble to offset Donkey Kong's great strength. Earlier games make Diddy's lacking muscle a weakness, but later games allow him to use his equipment to circumvent it. One of his signature moves is acartwheel that damages enemies, with theDonkey Kong Country series andDonkey Kong Land series allowing him to jump out of cartweels to move faster and farther. Diddy Kong is shown to have a strong skull; he has a special dashing ability inDonkey Kong 64 calledChimpy Charge where he rams into switches, walls, and gongs with a head-first charge. InDonkey Kong Country Returns, crashing into the moon headfirst following a Barrel Jet mishap only knocks him unconious, and he fully recovers given time.

It is revealed inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, that Diddy Kong has a prehensile tail due to the fact he can hang onto hooks with it. Profiles forMario Superstar Baseball andMario Party DS reference this trait. Additionally, inDonkey Kong 64 he is able to use his tail to attack enemies or use it as a spring withSimian Spring to reach higher areas.

While teamed up with Dixie Kong during the events ofDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Diddy Kong is able to pick up his partner and throw her to high areas or enemies. He can also throw her at collectibles that float above pits.

Diddy Kong with his Barrel Jet

Diddy Kong is well known for using weapons and gadgets. The pair ofPeanut Popguns he wields fire peanuts, which can hurt some enemies, stun others, or acivate distant switches.Donkey Kong Country Returns introduces thePopgun Pound, which has Diddy Kong fire repeatedly into the ground to mirror Donkey Kong'sGround Pound with the benefit of the peanuts bouncing forward. TheBarrel Jet he wears enables him to fly, easily accessing distant areas. InDonkey Kong 64, it is resrticted to theRocketbarrel Boost move, only usable after entering one ofCranky's Kong Barrels. It can only be used in certain areas. The Rocketbarrel Boost is also equips him with thePeanut Popguns for its duration. InDonkey Kong Country Returns, The Barrel Jet instead serves as a hover, and Diddy Kong can carry Donkey Kong while using it. The thrust provided by the Barrel Jet is enough to make Diddy Kong colliding with the moon knock the moon out of orbit. InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, the Rocketbarrel Boost is changed to only use the Rocketbarrel Pack, with the new moveRocketbarrel Barrage reimplementing the combined usage of it and the Peanut Popguns for hisFinal Smash.

Diddy Kong juggling

InMario Superstar Baseball, Diddy Kong, with his good running stat, also possess the ability to climb on walls and catch balls that are otherwise fair. He also has Super Catch ensuring that he does not fumble any routine fly balls. His pitches and batting involve curving the ball in the shape of a banana. This ability is also present inMario Power Tennis. InMario Striker Charged, Diddy Kong displays some supernatural abilities such as summoning a beam of light that subdue his opponents into the sky and psychic abilities during hisMega Strike. InMario Sport Mix, his special move is throwing a banana like a boomerang which stuns opponents after being hit by it.

Diddy Kong is capable of juggling, which he does inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest if he does not move for a while. Also, his artwork forMario Super Sluggers portrays him juggling three baseballs. Just like Dixie Kong inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, he is also capable of playing an electric guitar inDonkey Kong 64, which he uses to solve puzzles and destroy surrounding enemies.

Relationships[edit]

Friends[edit]

Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong giving each other a high five

Donkey Kong is Diddy Kong's best friend and idol. Although they are designed after different species, Diddy Kong has been called a relative of Donkey Kong's in a handful of material mostly in the late 90's. One of the earliest instances appears to be the December 1997 issue of theOfficial UK Nintendo Magazine, referring to him as Donkey Kong's son.^[25] He has also been called Donkey Kong's nephew in 1999, specifically in the English version ofSuper Smash Bros.,^[26] once on Rare's website,^[27] and theDonkey Kong 64Player's Guide,^[28] as well as by Diddy's creatorKevin Bayliss;^[29] however, non-international releases ofSuper Smash Bros. do not refer to Diddy as DK's nephew,^[30]Leigh Loveday himself uses uncertain language,^[31] and theDonkey Kong 64 instruction booklet only considers him "Donkey's little nephew wannabe."^[32] ThePrima Games guide for the 2003Game Boy Advance version ofDonkey Kong Country vaguely refers to them as cousins,^[33] and so do the Italian instruction booklets of both theGame Boy Color and Game Boy Advance remakes ofDonkey Kong Country.^[34][35] The ItalianClub Nintendo magazine defines him as the youngest member of the Kong family.^[36] InSuper Mario-kunVolume 12, Diddy's introductory description states that he is "Donkey's admirer and otōtobun",^[37] a term that refers to a friend that is treated/seen as a younger brother. Most subsequent sources drop the notion of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong being related, but theDonkey Kong Country ReturnsKong Gallery refers to one image of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong as a "Family Portrait" in every language except Japanese. According toGregg Mayles, the Kong characters ofDonkey Kong Country were set to be related to each other, but the notion was left ambiguous after deeming design quirks such as Diddy's tail nonsensical.^[38]

Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong using the microphone and guitar respectively.

Cranky Kong considers himself to be a "grandpappy" of sorts to Diddy Kong (as well as Dixie Kong), and while he complains about Diddy Kong receiving a starring role inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest while he was stuck in a gloomy shed, he also calls him a truevideo game hero and comments that he must take after himself and Donkey Kong. Incidentally, in the episode "Ape Foo Young" of theDonkey Kong Country television series, Diddy Kong tries to pass offBaby Kong as Donkey Kong's nephew, while Cranky Kong states that he does not have one.

Dixie Kong began a relationship with Diddy Kong after the events ofDonkey Kong Country,^[39] and has accompanied her boyfriend on a few adventures and sports outings, includingDiddy Kong Racing DS, in which Donkey Kong does not appear. Their romantic relationship is not often touched upon in the games themselves, but is utilized in theDonkey Kong Country television series. Diddy is shown to be good friends with her sister Tiny Kong in rare interactions, as Diddy freed Tiny inDonkey Kong 64 and Tiny joins his group inDiddy Kong Racing DS.

Enemies[edit]

Diddy Kong, like the rest of the Kongs, is mortal enemies with the Kremlings. AKrusha stuffed him in a barrel when he guarded the banana hoard and the Kremlings, in later adventures, kidnap him and his friends. Diddy has an antagonistic relationship withKing K. Rool, almost as much as Donkey Kong. Diddy Kong views him as "King K. Fool" once inDK: Jungle Climber while demanding him to just surrender. InDonkey Kong: Barrel Blast, Diddy has a rivalry withKip.

Diddy Kong also has another archenemy, the evilWizpig, who he and a group of friends face in a race after takes over Timber's Island.

Profiles and statistics[edit]

See also:List of Diddy Kong 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.

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, seeGallery:Diddy Kong.

• 

  Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

• 

  Diddy Kong Racing

• 

  Donkey Konga 3

• 

  Mario Hoops 3-on-3

• 

  Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

• 

  Mario Golf: World Tour

Portrayals[edit]

• Mark Betteridge (DK's voice clips recycled and higher-pitched from 1994–1995)^[40]
• Chris Sutherland (1997-2017)^[41]
• Andrew Sabiston (Donkey Kong Country television series)
  • Daniele Demma (Italian)
• Katsumi Suzuki (current; 2004-present)
• Eric Bauza (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

Quotes[edit]

Main article:List of Diddy Kong quotes

• "Ahhh... delicious delicious bananas..." –Donkey Kong Country (SNES instruction booklet)
• "“W-w-who goes there?!” Diddy challenged the sounds in the darkened, dripping foliage." –Donkey Kong Country (SNES instruction booklet, with narration)
• "“W-w-who goes there?!?” Diddy called." –Donkey Kong Country (GBA instruction booklet, with narration)
• "“Kremlings!” Diddy gasped in horror." –Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (Instruction booklets, with narration)
• "After all we did to get them back last time?Donkey Kong would go crazy if he lost his bananas again!" –Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES instruction booklet)
• "“We’ve got to rescue him, of course!” said Diddy and Dixie together." –Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES instruction booklet, with narration)
• "“What about me?!” asked Diddy, stamping his foot. “I went with Donkey on his last adventure! Why can't I do it?!”" –Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES instruction booklet, with narration)
• "DK would never forgive us! We've got to rescue him!" –Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA instruction booklet)
• "What about me?!" demanded Diddy. "I went with Donkey on his last adventure! I’ll do it!" –Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA instruction booklet)
• "“But it’s dangerous!” he protested." –Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (Instruction booklets, with narration)
• "Of course I’m not!" –Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (Instruction booklets)
• "“I'll bring him back, you’ll see!” he declared." –Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES instruction booklet, with narration)
• "We'll bring him back, you'll see!" –Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA instruction booklet)
• "Hey, DK! Hellllp!" –Donkey Kong 64
• "YIPEE! Way to go, DK!" –Donkey Kong 64
• "Now that I'm free, I can help you by collecting red bananas." –Donkey Kong 64
• "I'll just go and wait in the Tag Barrel until you need me." –Donkey Kong 64
• "Mmm... I wonder if I'll need Cranky's help in here?" –Donkey Kong 64
• "Uh-oh!" –Donkey Kong 64
• "Come on!" –Donkey Kong 64,Mario Power Tennis
• "AAAAH, EEEEE-EEEK!!!" –Donkey Kong 64
• "Wheeee! Catch me if you can!" –Donkey Kong 64
• "Okay, you two morons, here's your chance..." –Donkey Kong 64
• "How couldyou think aboutbananas now?" –Donkey Kong Country (television series) ("Ape Foo Young")
• "Come on! (Is that the right club?)" –Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
• "I'm Diddy! Hoo-hoo!" –Mario Power Tennis
• "(Heya! That was some show you put on out there. Real high-level play, and in a preliminary no less! Man, Rugby Sevens is just the best! I guess there were a lot of people here watching Rugby Sevens for the first time, but everyone got really fired up! Especially me!)" –Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)
• "(The arrow markers that appear by your feet during Rugby Sevens point toward the middle of the goalpost. If you kick the ball in the direction of the arrow, it'll make it easier to score a drop goal. This is all good info if you want to rack up points!)" –Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)
• "(The crowd adores you guys, and I do too–I'd love a chance to face you in Rugby Sevens! I'll even let you know how to improve once I beat you.)" –Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)
• "(Boy, I never thought I'd lose like that! That's what I get for thinking you were small bananas. Heckuva match, though. Thanks!)" –Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)
• "Ook ook ook! (I'm not going down easy!)" –Super Mario Party
• "Ook ookoook ook! (You're lucky we weren't climbing trees!)" –Super Mario Party
• "Ook ook ook! (Next time we meet, I won't lose!)" –Super Mario Party
• "Oook ook! Oook ook ook! (Nice meeting you! I'm Diddy Kong!)" –Super Mario Party
• "Oook ook! Oook oooook? (Mind if I come along with you?)" –Super Mario Party
• "Oook? Oook ook! (Any tree-climbing to do? I'm the best at that!)" –Super Mario Party

Voice samples[edit]

Donkey Kong 64 andMario Golf: World Tour - Diddy Kong panicking in shock (Chris Sutherland)

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Mario Power Tennis - Diddy Kong with hisBarrel Jet (Katsumi Suzuki)

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Super Smash Bros. series - Diddy Kong'sstar KO scream

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Help:Media file •Having trouble playing?

List of appearances[edit]

Naming[edit]

"Diddy" is a slang word in some parts of northern England for "small", as Diddy Kong is.

Names in other languages[edit]

Footnotes and references[edit]

Diddy Kong coverage on otherNIWA wikis:

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SmashWiki

Wikipedia has an article onDiddy Kong.

Footnotes[edit]

References[edit]