DKC Atlas Forum

[Jomingo]

Well, we all know that Banjo and Conker both were spunoff characters from Diddy Kong Racing, and I think that the days of anticipating which one would be made next are long gone. Still, I think it would be cool to talk about which ones could've had cool spinoffs and what they'd be like.
Here's the DKR Racers:

Top Row, left to right: Krunch the Kremling, Diddy Kong, Drumstick the Rooster, Bumper the Badger, and Banjo the Bear.
Bottom Row, left to right: Conker the Squirrel, Tiptup the Turtle, T. T. The Stopwatch, Pipsy the Mouse, and Timber the Tiger.

Ah, but don't forget the non-playable characters, such as Taj the Genie, Wizpig the evil intergalactic Pig Wizard, Tricky the Triceratops, Bubbler the Octopus, Bluey the Walrus, and Smokey the Dragon.

[Kiddy14]

Banjo wasn't a spin off character from what I know... Banjo Kazooie was already in development while the launch and making of DKR.

How about a Krunch game. Where instead of helping the kongs you get to steal something from them (as the banana hoard seems to get annoying by now).

[Qyzbud]

Interesting point about Banjo; due to B-K's delays, he made a 'cameo' appearance before his debut adventure was even released. Technically he (like Diddy) should be considered a pre-existing character. To the best of my knowledge, Conker's the only DKR racer to have a true spinoff. The next most prominent appearance might be (Prince) Tricky in Dinosaur Planet the GCN Star Fox games. I'm not sure if it's meant to be the same Tricky as in DKR, though.

Anyhow, I've always secretly hoped to see Timber in a starring role. When Rare lost the DK bunch, I decided they ought to have Timber start something of a spiritual successor to the DKCs. Basically, to do what DK64 should have done, but with a different cast of characters, etc. I never really fleshed out a full plan for how I think Timber's adventure should be, but I want it to have fast-paced gameplay and quick, responsive, fluid controls like the DKCs. Timber should be able to climb trees, ride mine carts, unearth cached items by landing from a height... that sort of thing.

Perhaps Timber could be an inventor, and have the ability to create (and repair) useful contraptions using simple, natural materials. Hopefully that doesn't sound too much like the Nuts & Bolts premise, as it's not intended to be.


Otherwise I'd have to pick T.T. as the best candidate.
C'mon... I know I'm not alone; who else wants to be a stopwatch when they grow up?

[Jomingo]

I know that both Banjo-Kazooie and Conker's Pocket Tales were in production before Diddy Kong Racing, but I still think that there franchises technically spunoff from it. Perhaps a year and a half at the DKU has brainwashed me.

Yes, Prince Tricky is the same Tricky from DKR. The Starfox series takes place in a distant galaxy several hundred years before our current continuity, thus Starfox adventures shows Tricky in his younger days. OK, all this "hundreds of years, distant galaxy" stuff could have been made up by the DKU, but Leigh Loveday has at least confirmed that they are the same character.

And Qyzbud, believe it or not, but "Timber 64" was a very real game in development for some time until it was cancelled. No joke. This supposed title and the fact that Pipsy and Bumper were also to make appearances were the only things we were told about the game. It has been said on several forums that several screenshots existed but I have never seen them.

I always thought that "Diddy Kong" Racing should be called Timber Racing. Because isn't the story really all about Timber, and Diddy is just one of the friends Timber asked to come help him? I don't think Diddy is ever mentioned in the story.

I like your ideas about a Timber game Qyz. Especially the part about making contraptions. By natural materials do you mean like twigs and vines and rocks?

Also I've always thought that Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts should be Bumper Nuts and Bolts. The concept just fits him better.

[Qyzbud]

Ah, I wasn't aware that Conker was planned as the hero of his own game before he signed up as a DKR racer. Thanks for the knowledge. I also wasn't aware of this fabled 'Timber 64'... I wonder if we'll ever see that furry face again. I think Timber was a far more interesting and charismatic character than Banjo. The B-K games are great, but I think Timber would make a better hero; perhaps as a wildlife/nature crusader.

Oh, and I agree that it was a little odd to call the game 'Diddy Kong Racing'. The game takes place on Timber's island, and the racetracks are owned/managed by Timber's family... and yeah, Diddy was indeed just a ring-in, who came to help Timber when Wizpig invaded. I guess Diddy just has a better marketing team.

If anyone manages to track down any Timber 64 info/media, please share!

[Jomingo]

Yeah, if these rumored screenshots exist I'd love to see them. Coincedentally, I just got Diddy Kong Racing yesterday for $6. Bumper and Timber are my favorites.


I too think that Timber should have been the next to get a spinoff. He was essentially the star of DKR (that rhymed), and he's just a cool character.

[Qyzbud]

Jomingo, you may want to put this image (or a better one, if one's available) in your first post. Might jog some memories.

(if this hotlinked image doesn't show up, I'll fix it later)

Also, you could mention the other characters such as Taj, Wizpig, Tricky, Bluey, Bubbler, Smokey...

And you know what, I forgot to answer your question from a few posts ago:

I like your ideas about a Timber game Qyz. Especially the part about making contraptions. By natural materials do you mean like twigs and vines and rocks?

Yes, indeed I do! It would be awesome for him to solve tricky problems (no pun intended - honest!) by combining various items (like twigs and vines and rocks) from his surroundings to create simple contraptions. He could be like the MacGyver of Tigers! (hey, that almost rhymed, too )

[Jomingo]

Good point, I'll edit that in after this post.

I'm really diggin' your "MacTyger" idea. Making catapults or pulleys out of vines and stuff would be pretty cool.

[Teeth]

I know he appeared in Banjo Kazooie, but...a game starring Tiptup would be awesome. He's my favourite character.

[Tiptup Jr.]

Yes, I had an idea for a sidescroller with Tiptup where you could utilize his turtle-ness to complete certain levels. Like, if something is about to fall on you from above, you could duck into your shell to protect yourself. You could also skid across the top of water areas with Tiptup Jr. like he did in Banjo-Tooie. This game would be ideal for the new DS model, I think.

And I don't know much the subject, but I believe that no screenshots exist for Timber 64. I'm sorry, Qyz... but I guess with Trophy Thomas' introduction in Nuts & Bolts, Timber's kinda dead.

[Jomingo]

Well, I think there's at least a logo or something.

[The Guy]

I heard there was going to be a game about Timber, or is that mentioned? I didn't bother reading much of this page...

[Qyzbud]

I recommend bothering to read the page, personally.

[Tiptup Jr.]

Aha!

Goodness... It's not really that long, you know. I read it.

[The Guy]

OKAY, I finished reading this page an hour ago anyway.

Maybe Wizpig was going to be the villain of that game...

[zapzupnz]

I'd love to see the Bumper game that Rare once spoke of.

[Tiptup Jr.]

Yeah, me too! I'm pretty sure they were just joking, though, but I would definitely buy that. Or have someone else do it... I think Scribes said it would be rated M.