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Diddy Kong Racing dated

On DS in April.

Get ready for monkeys in cars, as Nintendo has announced European release date of 20th April for Diddy Kong Racing DS.

All the charm of the original N64 version is promised, as well as updated graphics and new unique features for the DS. Wi-Fi multiplayer is in for up to eight people, as is touch screen support to help you create courses and billboards, plus you'll also be able to record your own sound effects using the handheld's microphone.

Offline you'll be able to chug through Adventure mode - in which you'll race towards facing off against the evil wizard Wipzig - or you can simply test your solo skills on individual courses by taking on the computer or competing in time trials.

Multiplayer modes will let you go head-to-head with racers from around the world in Single, Trophy and Wish races, or duke it out in Battle Traces and Token Tussles.

Diddy Kong Racing DS has been created by old-hand Rare, the same studio responsible for the N64 original; marking it as the first collaboration with old pal Nintendo since the team was bought by Microsoft in 2002.

The title naturally hopes to follow in the successful footsteps of Mario Kart DS, which was released at the end of 2005 and had many a Eurogamer reader engaging in pub-based multiplayer mayhem.