Expresso's Racing[1] is a racing minigame hosted by Cranky Kong in the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 2. It involves Expresso racing against three other ostriches (each being a red, blue, or green palette swap of him) on a horizontal path. It can also be played from the "Bonus Games" sub-menu.
During their adventure, Diddy and Dixie Kong must collect golden feathers to increase Expresso's stats, and in turn, boost his performance during races. At times, this is the only way to make Expresso a formidable opponent during races. At Cranky's Hut, the Kongs must have at least four golden feathers to select the first option, "Cranky's Surprise". Cranky Kong introduces the game to the Kongs, and they are led to a menu divided into four stats, each having a total of ten bars: Strength, Speed, Flight, and Boost. The Kongs can individually increase each stat with a golden feather.
Gameplay[edit]
Every race takes place in a world of Crocodile Isle, and have their own obstacles. Some feathers and boosts also appear; they allow Expresso to temporarily glide through the air and to give a small speed boost, respectively. After completing a race, Cranky rewards the Kongs with a trophy, which is placed on a shelf in Cranky's Hut. The quality of the trophy depends on which place Expresso finishes in (e.g. first place for gold, second for silver, etc.) The Kongs are rewarded with a Video Game Hero Coin for each race that they win, and lastly a photograph of Cranky Kong if they complete every Expresso's Racing challenge.
- Ship Deck Dash: The race in Gangplank Galleon. Despite the name, this race takes place at a jungle, with almost no obstacles, except for the small plains.
- Magma Spurt: The race located in Crocodile Cauldron. This race takes place at a volcanic area, which features new obstacles, including taller plains and a blue liquid that slows down the ostriches.
- Swampy Swoop: A race in Krem Quay, a swamp area. This time, the main obstacle are the small swamps, that slows down the ostriches just like the blue liquid.
- Fairground Fall: This race takes place at Krazy Kremland. Here, the ostriches can easily fall in the various pitfalls of the course. They can use logs to cross them.
- Spooky Sprint: The race in Gloomy Gulch, which features a purple liquid that slows down the player even more than the blue liquid.
- Creepy Castle: Located at K. Rool's Keep, the ostriches will find a brown liquid, slowing them down, and pits, in which they can easily fall.
- Lost World Leap: The last and hardest race, located at the Lost World. Aside from the pits and the blue liquid, the ostriches will find spikes in some parts, harmful to them.
Opponents[edit]
The names of Expresso's opponents differ per race. When accessed from the main game, each race has a consistent group of names, though they are randomized when accessed from the Bonus Games menu.
| Race
|
Red
|
Green
|
Blue
|
| Ship Deck Dash
|
Smokey
|
Chewy
|
Rapido
|
| Magma Spurt
|
Sneakers
|
Beardy
|
Zippy
|
| Swampy Swoop
|
Loopi
|
Tinky
|
Bungle
|
| Fairground Fall
|
Tremors
|
Monsoon
|
Myma
|
| Spooky Sprint
|
Papa Laz
|
Humpty
|
Rippa
|
| Creepy Castle
|
Flicky
|
Aftershock
|
Ozzie
|
| Lost World Leap
|
M. Bassi
|
Misty
|
Minogue
|
Controls[edit]
– moving Expresso in the desired direction
(holding) – to accelerate
– jump- → – gliding in the air (uses a feather)
→ grants a small boost (uses a boost)
Names in other languages[edit]
- Expresso Racing
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
Notes
|
| French
|
Course Expresso[?]
|
Expresso Race
|
|
| German
|
Expresso-Rennen[?]
|
Expresso Races
|
|
| Italian
|
Formula Expresso[?]
|
Expresso Formula
|
|
| Spanish
|
Carreras Expresso[?]
|
Expresso Racing
|
|
- Ship Deck Dash
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
Notes
|
| French
|
Ruée sur le Pont[?]
|
Rush on the Deck
|
|
| German
|
Schiffs-Sprint[?]
|
Ship Sprint
|
|
| Italian
|
Sprint Foresta[?]
|
Forest Sprint
|
|
| Spanish
|
A la Cubierta[?]
|
To the Deck
|
|
- Magma Spurt
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
Notes
|
| French
|
Jet de Magma[?]
|
Magma Jet
|
|
| German
|
Magmalauf[?]
|
Magma Run
|
|
| Italian
|
Marasma Magma[?]
|
Magma Chaos
|
|
| Spanish
|
Chorros de Magma[?]
|
Jets of Magma
|
|
- Swampy Swoop
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
Notes
|
| French
|
Descente Amphibie[?]
|
Amphibious Descent
|
|
| German
|
Moor-Marathon[?]
|
Moor Marathon
|
|
| Italian
|
Scatto Palude[?]
|
Swamp Shot
|
|
| Spanish
|
Caída de Swampy[?]
|
Swampy Fall
|
|
- Fairground Fall
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
Notes
|
| French
|
Chute de Foire[?]
|
Fair Fall
|
|
| German
|
Savannen-Spurt[?]
|
Savannah Spurt
|
|
| Italian
|
Gara Giungla[?]
|
Jungle Race
|
|
| Spanish
|
Caída en la Feria[?]
|
Fall at the Fair
|
|
- Spooky Sprint
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
Notes
|
| French
|
Sprint Sinistre[?]
|
Sinister Sprint
|
|
| German
|
Gruselgroße[?]
|
Scary Big Ones
|
|
| Italian
|
Fantasorpasso[?]
|
Ghostwalk
|
|
| Spanish
|
Carrera Tétrica[?]
|
Grim Race
|
|
- Creepy Castle
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
Notes
|
| French
|
Fort Effrayant[?]
|
Scary Fortress
|
|
| German
|
Burg-Balustrade[?]
|
Castle Balustrade
|
|
| Italian
|
Corsa Castello[?]
|
Castle Rush
|
|
| Spanish
|
Castillo Mágico[?]
|
Magic Castle
|
|
- Lost World Leap
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
Notes
|
| French
|
Monde Perdu[?]
|
Lost World
|
|
| German
|
Verlorene Welt[?]
|
Lost World
|
|
| Italian
|
Salto Perduto[?]
|
Lost Jump
|
|
| Spanish
|
El Mundo Perdido[?]
|
The Lost World
|
|
References[edit]
- ^ 2004. Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance) instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 28.
