v0.1.18-alpha — first binary alpha

This is the first public playable binary alpha of Diddy Kong Racing Recompiled.

The download does not contain a ROM or extracted game assets. On first launch,
select your own legally obtained, unmodified Diddy Kong Racing USA Rev 1 ROM
(SHA-1 6d96743d46f8c0cd0edb0ec5600b003c89b93755).

Downloads

• macOS Apple silicon: unzip the macOS archive and open
  Diddy Kong Racing Recompiled.app. The app is ad-hoc signed but not notarized,
  so macOS may require right-clicking the app and choosing Open the first time.
• Steam Deck / Linux x86_64: extract the .tar.gz, then run the enclosed
  AppImage. The tar archive preserves its executable permission. It can also be
  added to Steam as a non-Steam game.
• Verify either download with SHA256SUMS.

Tested

• ROM selection and validation
• Title and attract sequences, including the water scene
• Xbox-compatible and Steam Deck controller input
• Character selection
• Normal races and close-up racer models, including Banjo and Krunch
• Race completion and post-race screens
• Adventure startup, overworld, save, and reload
• Widescreen gameplay and 4:3 menu presentation

Alpha limitations

• Full Adventure progression, multiplayer, bosses, and every course/vehicle
  combination have not been exhaustively validated.
• Windows has not been validated and is not included in this release.
• Expand widescreen can show a localized seam over one open-ocean area of the
  Adventure overworld. 4:3 presentation is unaffected.
• Controller Pak emulation is not implemented; the game reports no Pak.

See Known Issues
and the Testing Guide
before filing a report.

Credits and development disclosure

This project builds on the work of the Diddy Kong Racing decompilation,
N64: Recompiled, N64 Modern Runtime, RT64, and their contributors. Development
was substantially assisted by OpenAI Codex, with direction and extensive
gameplay testing by the project maintainer. The repository includes a detailed
AI assistance disclosure.