Small pink puff, big multiplayer energy
By Paul Hunter
It's been 22 years since Kirby Air Ride graced the Nintendo GameCube, and now the legendary series is back on Nintendo Switch 2. Kirby Air Riders gets you right into the action: You jump in, grab a machine, and the racing fun begins. At a glance it looks like it belongs next to Mario Kart World, with bright tracks and familiar faces flying past the camera. A few corners later, it becomes obvious this racer is chasing something very different.
Instead of holding down an accelerator, your ride keeps moving, so your focus shifts to timing, angles, and knowing when to lean in or back off. The first races feel strange, almost like the game is asking you to forget years of kart habits. Once it clicks, though, that constant push forward gives the game a whole new feeling of speed.
Kirby Air Riders backs that idea up with a plethora of modes. You get straightforward races, Road Trip runs between races, chaotic City Trial sessions, and quick Top Ride tracks. Single-player and multiplayer options are available, so you can race to your heart's content whether you are sharing a screen or jumping online.
So is this unique take on Kirby racing worth lining up on the grid for? Let's find out!
Road Trip sets you on a journey made up of challenges from all of the other game modes. You choose a rider, pick a machine, and follow a path that breaks down into quick missions, whether that's a straightforward race, a top down race, or a city trial challenge.
Underneath all of this runs a light story. You get glimpses of how Air Riding began, and how it sits inside of the Kirby universe, all handled through brief cutscenes that pop up between chapters, adding a bit of charm and reinforcing that sense of progression through the story.
Road Trip ends up feeling like much more than a side trip. It's a centrepiece offering that gives Kirby Air Riders a fun, steady journey to follow when you want a guided break from the busier modes.
The core system focuses on a brake-to-boost rhythm. Holding brake fills a boost, and letting go fires that stored speed down a straightaway or around a corner. If you turn too hard, you may lose momentum and spin out. But tilt just enough and you may swing cleanly through a bend and launch out with a burst of speed. There's also gliding on some courses, adding a rush of airborne racing to keep the mix fresh.
Before races you'll need to pick your machine and there's a good variety on offer. Some are built for accelerating down straight stretches, while other are better at weaving through dense bends or throwing out heavier attacks. Swapping to a different machine can completely change your strategy and it's fun to experiment.
Copy abilities and special moves are also in the mix. Inhaling an enemy gives you a power that you can hold for the right moment, either to protect your racing position or shake up the pack. Special moves are powerful attacks that can give you the upper hand in races. This might be waving the Ultra Sword around, throwing bombs or lighting up the raceway with fireballs. Special moves can quickly launch you into the lead when timed right.
As exhilarating as Kirby Air Riders is on your own, it can be even better when playing with family or friends.
In City Trial, you and your friends drop into a large map with limited time. You cruise around, collect power-ups, swap machines whenever you find something better, and prepare for whatever final event throws at you. This could be putting everyone into a race or minigame that puts the pressure on.
Local multiplayer feels built for quick sessions. The shared view stays visible, even when abilities start going off and machines are clashing all over the place. City Trial is especially good on a couch because you see every groan and cheer when someone tosses a power-up or nails a last-second hit.
Online, the game keeps that same high energy. The Paddock acts as a warm-up area where you and your crew can test rides, experiment with builds, or just mess around before matches. Once events start, the pacing and structure are close to local play, so jumping between the two is seamless.
Top Ride rounds things out as a smaller, top-down multiplayer mode. Tracks are tiny, rounds are over fast, and it sits perfectly between longer City Trial runs when you want to reset the mood. Together, these modes turn Kirby Air Riders into an easy pick for multiplayer nights, whether you are on the couch or playing online.
The variety in track design helps a lot. Some routes send you soaring for long stretches, others lean on tight bends or small bumps that test your timing. A few tracks throw in guided moments that twist your angle or toss you into the air for a short burst, just long enough to shake up the field. It never feels like you are running the same race over and over. Backgrounds and small effects keep moving too, so races always look alive.
Machines stand out immediately. Each one has a unique look and personality, and you start to guess how they might handle before the race even begins. Characters sit on the machines with expressive faces and smooth animations that make every glide, tilt, and attack feel great.
Audio is the icing on the cake. The soundtrack's fast tempo matches the action, rising just enough when the pace picks up. Boosts, glides, and hits have sharp sounds that really bring the on screen action to life. Performance stays silky smooth the whole time, even in busy City Trial rounds, so the gameplay never slows down even with all the chaos on screen.
Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Developer: Bandai Namco Studios, Sora Ltd.
Publisher: Nintedno
Genre: Racing
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
It's been 22 years since Kirby Air Ride graced the Nintendo GameCube, and now the legendary series is back on Nintendo Switch 2. Kirby Air Riders gets you right into the action: You jump in, grab a machine, and the racing fun begins. At a glance it looks like it belongs next to Mario Kart World, with bright tracks and familiar faces flying past the camera. A few corners later, it becomes obvious this racer is chasing something very different.
Instead of holding down an accelerator, your ride keeps moving, so your focus shifts to timing, angles, and knowing when to lean in or back off. The first races feel strange, almost like the game is asking you to forget years of kart habits. Once it clicks, though, that constant push forward gives the game a whole new feeling of speed.
Kirby Air Riders backs that idea up with a plethora of modes. You get straightforward races, Road Trip runs between races, chaotic City Trial sessions, and quick Top Ride tracks. Single-player and multiplayer options are available, so you can race to your heart's content whether you are sharing a screen or jumping online.
So is this unique take on Kirby racing worth lining up on the grid for? Let's find out!
Story and Narrative
While most of your time goes into racing and learning machines, the game sneaks in a light narrative through the Road Trip mode.Road Trip sets you on a journey made up of challenges from all of the other game modes. You choose a rider, pick a machine, and follow a path that breaks down into quick missions, whether that's a straightforward race, a top down race, or a city trial challenge.
Underneath all of this runs a light story. You get glimpses of how Air Riding began, and how it sits inside of the Kirby universe, all handled through brief cutscenes that pop up between chapters, adding a bit of charm and reinforcing that sense of progression through the story.
Road Trip ends up feeling like much more than a side trip. It's a centrepiece offering that gives Kirby Air Riders a fun, steady journey to follow when you want a guided break from the busier modes.
Gameplay and Multiplayer
Kirby Air Riders is one of those racers that may rewire your hands as your machines accelerate on its own, and so the whole race is about what you do with brakes, drifts, boosts, and glides.The core system focuses on a brake-to-boost rhythm. Holding brake fills a boost, and letting go fires that stored speed down a straightaway or around a corner. If you turn too hard, you may lose momentum and spin out. But tilt just enough and you may swing cleanly through a bend and launch out with a burst of speed. There's also gliding on some courses, adding a rush of airborne racing to keep the mix fresh.
Before races you'll need to pick your machine and there's a good variety on offer. Some are built for accelerating down straight stretches, while other are better at weaving through dense bends or throwing out heavier attacks. Swapping to a different machine can completely change your strategy and it's fun to experiment.
Copy abilities and special moves are also in the mix. Inhaling an enemy gives you a power that you can hold for the right moment, either to protect your racing position or shake up the pack. Special moves are powerful attacks that can give you the upper hand in races. This might be waving the Ultra Sword around, throwing bombs or lighting up the raceway with fireballs. Special moves can quickly launch you into the lead when timed right.
As exhilarating as Kirby Air Riders is on your own, it can be even better when playing with family or friends.
In City Trial, you and your friends drop into a large map with limited time. You cruise around, collect power-ups, swap machines whenever you find something better, and prepare for whatever final event throws at you. This could be putting everyone into a race or minigame that puts the pressure on.
Local multiplayer feels built for quick sessions. The shared view stays visible, even when abilities start going off and machines are clashing all over the place. City Trial is especially good on a couch because you see every groan and cheer when someone tosses a power-up or nails a last-second hit.
Online, the game keeps that same high energy. The Paddock acts as a warm-up area where you and your crew can test rides, experiment with builds, or just mess around before matches. Once events start, the pacing and structure are close to local play, so jumping between the two is seamless.
Top Ride rounds things out as a smaller, top-down multiplayer mode. Tracks are tiny, rounds are over fast, and it sits perfectly between longer City Trial runs when you want to reset the mood. Together, these modes turn Kirby Air Riders into an easy pick for multiplayer nights, whether you are on the couch or playing online.
Presentation and Audio
Visually, Kirby Air Riders hits that sweet spot between cute and chaotic. Tracks rush past at a strong pace, yet the layouts stay clear enough that you can always pick out the next turn or glide target. The familiar soft shapes and round edges from the Kirby series fit this style well, giving the courses a distinct look and plenty of charm.The variety in track design helps a lot. Some routes send you soaring for long stretches, others lean on tight bends or small bumps that test your timing. A few tracks throw in guided moments that twist your angle or toss you into the air for a short burst, just long enough to shake up the field. It never feels like you are running the same race over and over. Backgrounds and small effects keep moving too, so races always look alive.
Machines stand out immediately. Each one has a unique look and personality, and you start to guess how they might handle before the race even begins. Characters sit on the machines with expressive faces and smooth animations that make every glide, tilt, and attack feel great.
Audio is the icing on the cake. The soundtrack's fast tempo matches the action, rising just enough when the pace picks up. Boosts, glides, and hits have sharp sounds that really bring the on screen action to life. Performance stays silky smooth the whole time, even in busy City Trial rounds, so the gameplay never slows down even with all the chaos on screen.
The Verdict
Kirby Air Riders proves it is far more than a simple Kirby spin-off. The focus on managing speed instead of holding an accelerator gives the racing its own identity, and the mode lineup keeps that idea front and centre. Road Trip, City Trial, Top Ride, and standard races all offer different ways to play, and the fun never stops with both couch co-op and online. With a sharp presentation, punchy sound, and smooth animations, Kirby Air Riders lands as a standout racer on Nintendo’s new hardware.Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Kirby Air Riders details
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2Developer: Bandai Namco Studios, Sora Ltd.
Publisher: Nintedno
Genre: Racing
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
A key was provided by the publisher.