Kirby Air Riders Release Date, Gameplay, Trailer

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Get ready for the upcoming release of Kirby Air Riders! It brings back the fun racing gameplay of the original, but with some great new improvements. It’s been over 22 years since the first game came out in North America, and this new version adds another thrilling racing title to the Nintendo Switch 2’s collection. Let’s take a closer look!

Kirby Air Riders Release Date – November 20th, 2025

Kirby Air Riders will be available on Thursday, November 20th, 2025. It’s a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive and will cost $69.99 when it launches.

Kirby Air Riders is the follow-up to the 2003 Gamecube racing game, Kirby Air Ride. Just like the first game, it was created by Masahiro Sakurai, the original Kirby creator and the mind behind the popular Super Smash Bros. series.

Kirby Air Riders Gameplay

Kirby Air Ride offers a racing experience similar to the original game. It includes various modes for playing alone or with others online. Let’s start by taking a closer look at how the game plays.

Kirby Air Riders lets you race as over 20 different characters, with multiple color options for Kirby himself! The original game only featured Kirby (in different colors), King Dedede, and Meta Knight. Now, the roster has expanded to include even more racers, like:

  • Waddle Doo
  • Bandana Waddle Dee
  • Starman
  • Cappy
  • Ricky
  • Magolor
  • & more

Here’s a complete list of characters you can play as in the game. Each character has a unique power-up they can use during races. For example, Daroach, who’s from Kirby Squeak Squad, has the ability to steal power-ups from other players.

The game also brings back copy abilities, which are temporary power-ups that give you an advantage while racing. You can get these abilities by attacking enemies with spins, and they include things like:

  • Cutter – Throw a blade at opponents that returns after a brief period
  • Drill – Lets the player drill underground while boost charging to avoid attacks. Letting go of the boost charge lets you perform a jumping attack
  • Needle – Extend spikes to prevent damage from enemy attacks

Kirby Air Ride offers a wide variety of copy abilities that add excitement and surprise to the game. No matter what vehicle you choose, these abilities will be useful throughout your races.

Before you start racing, you’ll need to choose a vehicle. These are called Air Rides, and each one handles differently. The Warp Star is a good, well-rounded choice, but you might want to experiment with other options, such as:

  • Shadow Star – Deals massive damage when attacking and can even one-hit-KO some enemies
  • Turbo Star – Increased speed at the cost of slow steering
  • Paper Star – Good at gliding

As you float with Air Ride, you’ll sometimes find areas where you can drift freely. Because of this, different vehicles might perform better on specific tracks based on how they handle.

No matter what vehicle you’re using, you don’t have to push the left stick forward to move – your vehicle now automatically goes forward. This lets you focus on steering left and right, controlling your up and down movement while gliding, and doing quick spins.

The game is easy to pick up thanks to its simple controls – you only need to use the Y and B buttons. However, it’s not overly simplistic. The game features a variety of courses inspired by the series, each with its own distinct design. To win the harder races, you’ll need to really learn the layouts of each course.

So, what can you do with all these riders, machines, maps, and abilities?

Overall, Kirby Air Riders offers the following modes:

Air Ride is back, and now up to six players can compete instead of just four! It’s a straightforward racing mode where you can challenge the computer or race against friends on any track in the game. Plus, there are many different ways to enjoy Air Ride.

You can choose a traditional race, adjust the rules to your liking, or try a free run or time attack. This mode is a great way to become fully comfortable with the game after completing the tutorial lessons.

Top Ride is back, offering fast-paced, top-down racing. Though it was a smaller part of the first game, the developers decided to include it again. These races are quick and easy to jump into, providing a short burst of competitive fun.

Okay, so last but absolutely not least, there’s City Trial! Honestly, it’s insane – it throws everything at you at once! It’s like all the different game modes had a baby, and it’s a wild ride. It’s easily one of my favorites.

In City Trial, you’ll start in a world packed with vehicles, power-ups, and loot. To win, you’ll need to either find a better vehicle or fully upgrade the one you have. You can do this by smashing crates, battling other players, and taking part in the random events that happen during each match.

When time runs out in a City Trial match, you’ll move on to compete in events chosen by the players. The key difference from the original game is that you get to pick which event you want to play.

Your vehicle upgrades and choice of car become important here. Different events require different cars or specific improvements to give you an edge. While they don’t guarantee a win, they can significantly increase your odds of success.

Air Riders lets you compete online with up to 16 players in City Trial mode. Before each match, you can hang out in a lobby, show off your vehicle collection to friends, and enjoy a variety of social features built into the game.

Kirby Air Riders Story

Currently, Kirby Air Riders doesn’t have a story mode, which is typical for most racing games, including the original Kirby Air Ride. The developers are prioritizing fun and replayable gameplay, aiming for a similar experience to both the original game and the Super Smash Bros. series.

That covers everything we currently know about the Kirby Air Ride release date and gameplay. For even more in-depth information, you can check out the two Nintendo Direct presentations about the game.

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2025-11-06 21:10