Kirby Air Riders facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kirby Air Riders |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Developer(s) |
|
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Director(s) | Masahiro Sakurai |
| Producer(s) | Shinya Saito Makoto Okazaki |
| Designer(s) | Yuma Ishizuka Takamitsu Ijima Masashi Kubo Takeshi Azuma Takanori Ikezawa |
| Programmer(s) | Takashi Nakagawa Masakazu Yorifuji |
| Artist(s) | Tadashi Sato Kota Ochiai Masafumi Takagi |
| Composer(s) |
|
| Series | Kirby |
| Engine | SOL-AVES |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Release date(s) | November 20, 2025 |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Kirby Air Riders (known in Japan as Kirby's Air Rider) is an exciting racing video game that came out on November 20, 2025. It was made by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd., and Nintendo published it for the Nintendo Switch 2. This game is a new adventure in the popular Kirby series, following up on Kirby Air Ride from 2003.
The game was first shown in April 2025. Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of the Kirby series, directed this game. It was his first Kirby game since the original Air Ride.
Kirby Air Riders offers four fun ways to play, all about racing, exploring, and battling with cool vehicles. It builds on the original Kirby Air Ride by bringing back all the classic modes. Many new characters, machines, ways to play, and customization options were added. The game also introduced "Road Trip," a story mode, and online multiplayer so you can play with friends far away. Overall, players really liked the game, especially its awesome look and feel.
Contents
How to Play Kirby Air Riders
Kirby Air Riders makes it easy to jump into the action! You mostly focus on steering, boosting, and using Kirby's famous Copy Abilities to take powers from enemies.
Characters and Machines
Unlike the first Air Ride game, this new version features 21 different playable characters, called "Riders." All Riders can use Copy Abilities, and each one has a special move. Kirby himself has four different special moves, depending on which color you choose for him. You can also pick from 22 unique machines, each with its own strengths.
Game Modes
The game brings back three popular modes from the original Kirby Air Ride:
- Air Ride: This is a classic racing mode where you complete laps as fast as you can. It has 18 race tracks, including all 9 from the first game. You can race with up to 6 players. There's even a new relay race option where you can swap vehicles after each lap!
- City Trial: Explore a huge map called Skyah! Here, you collect power-ups, find new machines, and battle other players. After exploring, everyone competes in a "Stadium event" to see who wins. Skyah has many secret areas, even floating islands! Up to 16 players can join in City Trial.
- Top Ride: This mode is for up to 8 players and offers a different racing experience.
The game also introduced a brand-new mode:
- Road Trip: This is the story mode for Kirby Air Riders. You play challenges and mini-games to help your Rider become one with their vehicle. Characters from past Kirby games will help you on your journey. You collect stats, machines, and "Road Miles" to buy helpful items. In this mode, you'll face off against powerful bosses like Gigantes and, in New Game+, Galactic Nova.
Controls and Special Moves
Your machines move forward automatically, so you just need to steer and keep your balance. You can brake, boost, and drift using the B button. The Y button lets you perform special moves or switch machines. If you move the control stick side-to-side, you can do a spin attack to damage opponents.
As you attack other characters, you fill up a "Special Gauge." Once it's full, you can unleash your unique "Special" ability! You can also get speed boosts by attacking enemies or landing perfectly. Following the star trails left by opponents can help you catch up quickly.
Customization and Online Play
You can earn "Miles" by playing the game. These Miles act as in-game currency to unlock cool customization options for your characters and vehicles. You can make your machines look unique in the "My Machines" menu.
When playing online, you can hang out in the "Paddock," a special lobby where you can meet other players before matches. Your performance in online matches affects your "Global Win Power," which is a ranking shown on your in-game license. You can even customize your license with stickers!
Amiibo and Challenges
You can scan five different Kirby Air Riders Amiibo figures into the game. These figures can be trained as "Figure Players" to race alongside you. The game also has 150 challenges for each game mode, adding up to 750 achievements in total! Completing these challenges unlocks collectible items and helps reveal a large mural.
Daily and Limited Events
After the game's release, "Daily Air Ride" and "Limited Time Events" were added. Daily Air Ride lets online players race on a different course each day. Limited Time Events offer special rules for races. These events are planned to run for a year after the game's launch.
The Story of Kirby Air Riders
The adventure begins when a special machine named Zorah crashes on Planet Popstar. It stays stuck for a very long time, wishing it could move. This wish is heard by the magical Fountain of Dreams and granted by a space satellite called Galactic Nova.
The Rise of Riders
Galactic Nova starts creating Air Ride machines, inspired by Zorah. These machines are sent to Popstar, waiting to be awakened. People who can connect with these machines and make them move become known as "riders." Soon, these machines become a big part of life on Popstar.
But Galactic Nova has a secret plan. It transforms Zorah into a giant machine called Gigantes. If a very strong-willed rider activates Gigantes, it could destroy the planet! Galactic Nova sends a signal to all strong riders, urging them and their machines to journey towards Gigantes.
A mysterious rider and machine duo, Noir Dedede, tries to stop everyone, including you, from reaching Gigantes. Noir Dedede was created from a piece of Zorah's original will.
The Final Battle
As the player, you eventually reach Gigantes. It awakens when it senses you! You battle Gigantes and manage to weaken it. Then, you race against Noir Dedede to reach the machine's core.
- If Noir Dedede wins the race, it combines with Zorah's core inside Gigantes and self destructs.
- If you win, you break through Gigantes, stopping its dangerous power. Noir Dedede then loses its strength, and Galactic Nova flies away from Popstar.
The True Ending
There's a special "true ending" you can unlock! If you collect all twenty machines in the "Road Trip" mode during New Game+, the story continues. Gigantes attacks you again and absorbs all your machines, becoming an even stronger "Hyper Gigantes."
Noir Dedede then helps you by calling two Legendary Machines, Hydra and Dragoon, to fight alongside you. After defeating Hyper Gigantes, Noir Dedede combines with Zorah's core. It takes control of Hyper Gigantes to create a path for you to reach Galactic Nova. A third Legendary Machine, Leo, appears to guide you. You defeat Galactic Nova, which then explodes.
With Zorah's original core safe, the machines work together to rebuild Zorah's first form. Now, Zorah is free to travel across the stars!
Making and Promoting Kirby Air Riders
Kirby Air Riders was first announced on April 2, 2025, during a Nintendo Direct presentation about the Nintendo Switch 2. Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of the Kirby series, was revealed as the director. His teams at Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. developed the game. This was Sakurai's first time directing a Kirby game since the original Kirby Air Ride in 2003.
Work on the game began in 2021, with full production starting in April 2022. It was the first game to use the new SOL-AVES engine, created by Bandai Namco Studios.
Sakurai hinted at the game in October 2024 on his YouTube channel, Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games. He called it a top-secret project he had been working on.
A 45-minute Nintendo Direct hosted by Sakurai about Kirby Air Riders aired on August 19, 2025. It showed the first gameplay, new characters, and announced the game's release date. Seven music tracks from the game were added to the Nintendo Music app that same day.
A second, hour-long Nintendo Direct about the game aired on October 23, 2025, with Sakurai hosting again. This Direct revealed online features, more new characters, returning race tracks, other new modes, vehicle customizations, a music player, and the story mode. It ended by announcing a live demo. More music tracks were added to the Nintendo Music app. Sakurai mentioned that he had put "everything" into this game and did not plan to add any downloadable content (DLC) or create a follow-up.
Global Test Ride and Amiibo
The "Global Test Ride" was a live demo held for Nintendo Switch Online members on November 8–9 and November 15–16, 2025. This allowed players to try out the game before its official release. It included the Lessons, Air Ride, and City Trial modes, with different characters and machines available each week.
Special Kirby Air Riders Amiibo figures, each with a character and machine, were released over time. Two of them came out with the game. These figures have bases that let you swap riders and machines. When scanned into the game, the rider and machine can be trained as a "Figure Player."
Advertising and Reception
Advertisements for the game appeared on trams in Melbourne, Australia, starting November 5, 2025. Readers of Famitsu magazine ranked it as their most anticipated game the week it came out. Kirby Air Riders was also featured on the cover of Weekly Famitsu on its release day.
Before the game's release, an advertisement titled "What's that? Huh?" received mixed reactions. Some critics compared it to the DK Rap from Donkey Kong 64. While some found it "cheesy" or "bizarre," others still enjoyed its unique style.
Music
The game's music was created by Shogo Sakai and Noriyuki Iwadare. Sakai also worked on the original Kirby Air Ride, and Iwadare has composed for the Super Smash Bros. series. The game includes music from the previous Air Ride and other Super Smash Bros. games. The main theme, "Starlit Journey," was composed by Noriyuki Iwadare. YuReeNa performed the Japanese vocals, and MJ Cube performed the English vocals.
