Review: Kirby Air Riders – Minority Mindset

Kirby Air Riders is the type of game that shouldn’t exist.

It’s not just that people either loved or hated the original Kirby Air Ride on the GameCube. What really gets me is how much stuff they crammed into this new game – all the different goals, things to collect, and ideas they threw in. It’s a lot to take in!

I was excited about the return of City Trial online, especially since I’ve spent so much time playing it in the past. But honestly, I haven’t played much of it this time around – I’ve been having too much fun with all the other things Kirby Air Riders offers.

Even though the gameplay is very similar to the last game, Kirby Air Riders brilliantly combines the excitement of racing with the lighthearted fun of a party game, and it’s incredibly addictive.

Kirby Air Riders Keeps Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin’

The main problem with the racing in Kirby Air Ride for GameCube was that it didn’t offer much in the way of interesting options or challenges.

It’s understandable to think a game with simple controls lacks complexity. But the real problem is the limited variety of characters and vehicles. When everyone has similar abilities, each character feels identical. Imagine playing Mario Kart but only being able to choose between Mario and Luigi, and they all drive the same basic kart – that’s how limited the options feel here.

Even in older Mario Kart games like Mario Kart 64, where you couldn’t customize your kart, the characters still felt distinct. Lighter characters like Yoshi and Toad handled differently than heavier ones like Donkey Kong and Bowser, and that impacted how each race unfolded.

Kirby Air Riders expertly mixes the excitement of racing with the lighthearted fun of a party game, and it’s incredibly addictive.

Kirby Air Riders is a huge step up from the first game. With 21 characters and over 20 different machines to choose from, the variety makes a real difference. It still uses the simple one-button controls, but surprisingly, it doesn’t bother me as much. Some races even require you to not use the boost button – the Wagon Star is perfect for those! However, no two races ever feel quite the same, and that’s thanks to a couple of key factors.

Being able to combine different riders and vehicles lets you tailor your stats to your playstyle. Some combinations will excel at things like cornering, acceleration, or reaching high speeds. This creates variety – while some setups will naturally be stronger than others (thankfully!), it stops every race from feeling identical, as long as we don’t end up with one dominant combination like we saw with Waluigi and Wiggler in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Another key element is how momentum affects your races. You can use jumps, ramps, and quick boosts to gain an edge on the track, creating a racing experience similar to Super Smash Bros. where a lead isn’t always secure.

The Super Smash Bros. Of Racing Games

Given that Masahiro Sakurai is behind both games, it’s not shocking that Kirby Air Riders feels a lot like Super Smash Bros. Still, I was really impressed by just how similar they are!

This game truly captures the spirit of classic Smash Bros. titles – the visuals, unlockable content, stages, music, and level design are all top-notch. I had high hopes for the City Trial mode, but I was surprised and delighted to find that same quality throughout the entire game.

Kirby Air Riders brings a level of fun to GameCube racing that hadn’t been seen before. It’s a surprisingly great experience, combining beautiful courses with fast-paced action. You’ll find yourself admiring the scenery one moment, and then strategically swallowing other racers to steal their abilities and take the lead the next. The game’s simple controls might seem basic at first, but they’re actually cleverly designed for this chaotic and enjoyable gameplay.

A racing game with only one button sounds simple enough. But like I said before, winning means understanding how to use everything happening during the race to your benefit. Do you slow down for turns and use a boost, or just risk it and go full speed? Should you grab a speed boost, or is it better to swallow an opponent and launch them into the racer in front of you? These choices are what make Air Ride races so exciting and replayable – they keep every race feeling fresh and fun.

Road Trip Is A Very Welcome Addition To Kirby Air Riders, Even If It’s Not Perfect

Another big issue with Kirby Air Ride was the real lack of gameplay options.

City Trial offered good replay value, but it was held back by its weak racing modes. Kirby Air Riders addresses this with Road Trip, a mode that acts as both the game’s story and a simple roguelike experience.

As you play the game and follow the story, you’ll go through different courses, each with multiple paths to explore. Within each course, you’ll face choices – sometimes simple, like buying items or choosing upgrades, and other times more involved, like racing, playing mini-games, or battling bosses.

As a big Kirby Air Riders fan, I was really excited for the Road Trip update. It’s great to have more content and keeps the game from getting stale. While it’s fun, it’s not exactly super challenging, so players looking for a really tough roguelike experience might be a little let down – though I’m not sure that was really who they were making it for. Honestly, my biggest issue is still those long loading times in the game. They were a problem before, and Road Trip hasn’t fixed them.

The races and mini-games are very brief, and you’ll likely find yourself waiting around more than you’re actually playing. While you can drive faster between events, it just trades one waiting period for another, leading to a short burst of gameplay – usually between 60 and 120 seconds – after a loading screen.

City Trial Is As Fun As Ever

I have to say, I was really happy to find that the classic racing modes in Kirby Air Riders are actually pretty fun! But let’s be real, the real draw is City Trial. Everyone’s been wondering how well it plays, and especially how it is playing with up to 16 people online – that’s what I’m most excited about!

City Trial is still a lot of fun! My only real issue is the time limit – five minutes feels too short to explore everything before the mini-game starts, but any more time would feel excessive. You can adjust the settings when playing with friends locally, but online it’s a standard five-minute free-for-all with unpredictable events, and then you’re thrown into one of four different mini-games.

What really sets City Trial apart is its variety – you get to play from a selection of four different mini-games. It used to frustrate me that you could get ready for one type of game, like a long flying challenge, and then suddenly be thrown into something completely different, like a race. It was always a bit of a surprise!

I appreciate that the game no longer punishes me for choosing certain upgrades over others. This freedom lets me build a balanced machine or focus on strategies for specific mini-games, which makes the experience much more enjoyable and avoids the frustrating situations I used to encounter.

The game now features more unexpected events, like quick races and demolition derbies, which create a faster-paced and more social experience. City Trial really shines when it’s at its most unpredictable, combining player-versus-player and player-versus-environment action, and then culminating in a random mini-game to determine if your efforts pay off.

Kirby Air Riders Is A Completionist’s Dream Come True

Kirby Air Ride has a lot going for it, but I’m most impressed by the sheer amount of stuff you can do in the game.

The game features four different ways to play: Road Trip, Air Ride, Top Ride, and City Trial. You can play Air Ride, Top Ride, and City Trial online with others, which already offers a huge amount of replay value. And there’s even more content beyond that!

Kirby Air Ride is really enjoyable overall, but what stands out the most is the sheer amount of stuff you can do in the game.

Air Riders has a huge number of challenges – 750 in total – that let you personalize almost everything, including your driver’s license, characters, courses, and vehicles. You can also show off your favorite vehicles in a custom garage, hang out with friends in the online Paddock, and even design and sell your own unique machines to other players.

Many people made fun of the idea of needing two lengthy presentations for Kirby Air Ride, but it’s clear now that the game has a surprising amount to offer. While the Paddock area isn’t the most exciting, there’s still plenty of content to keep fans engaged for months to come, well into the holidays and beyond.

Closing Comments:

As a huge fan of the original Kirby Air Ride, I’m thrilled about the new sequel, Kirby Air Riders. It’s even better than I hoped for – a clearly passionate project that celebrates everything fans love about Kirby. With a large cast of characters, surprisingly detailed customization, and tons of content to explore, it’s easily my favorite racing game this year. From beginning to end, it’s a fantastic game, and I’m excited to spend a lot of time racing in City Trial and discovering everything it has to offer.

2025-11-25 03:11