“POYO!” – Kirby, probably
Nintendo’s latest Direct presentation aired Tuesday morning on the brand’s YouTube and Twitch accounts. This time, the whole affair cast a spotlight on spherical star-drivin’ protagonist Kirby. Air Riders, a long-anticipated follow-up to the 2003 GameCube hit Kirby Air Ride. The sequel is slated to drop on November 20, 2025, per the Direct — more than two decades after the first installment.
“You might be asking yourself if it’s basically Mario Kart,” game director Masahiro Sakurai says just minutes into the nearly hourlong Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Direct presentation. “You race and battle with familiar characters around courses with different features, or so they say.” He pauses, flashing a sly smirk. “OK, so it basically is like Mario Kart.”
Today’s spot is the third release-specific Direct since the Nintendo Switch 2 dropped in June, Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza getting their time in the limelight first. Miss anything? Don’t fret — we’ve got you covered on all things Planet Popstar.
Choose Your Rider
“Even though there were two other characters in the previous game, Kirby was basically your only rider,” he said. “Kirby could ride on various machines in that game. This time around, you can also have fun with each character’s unique traits.”
Alongside the star of the show (pun intended), racers can choose King Dedede, Meta Knight, Bandana Waddle Dee, Chef Kawasaki, and other familiar franchise faces. Each brings special attributes to the table, including weight, durability, and attacks. Kirby Air Riders will allow players to mix and match drivers and rides.
Ride Techniques
Like most cartoon kart racers, each vehicle comes with its own stats. These vehicles usually hover above the ground and move forward automatically; there’s no need to press any buttons or push your joystick forward. You will, however, still need to use the left stick to move left or right.
By pressing the B Button during a race, you’ll hit the ground and start a Boost Charge and brake. Drivers can Boost Dash by releasing. Additionally, tilting the left stick and holding the Boost Charge button through sharp corners allows riders to drift and take tight turns without compromising speed.
Special Moves
We know that, in most kart racers, speed ain’t everything. In Air Riders, the Y Button is your “Special button,” and it activates your chosen driver’s one-of-a-kind power move. Attack opponents to quickly fill up that Special Gauge, and once it’s ready to go, unleash a devastating move on nearby racers.
In the Direct, Sakurai says that most characters have one distinct Special, but Kirby has four — one for each color Kirby you can play as. As you progress and hone your skills, deliver complex attacks by combining Specials with standard attack techniques.
Vehicle Details
Just like the multifaceted riders, each machine is built differently. Some for speed, some to withstand serious damage, and so on.
Most vehicles will glide through the air if jumping from structure to structure, and players can control their machine by tilting the left stick up or down to ascend or descend. Stick the landing and you’ll pick up some extra speed, or attempt some extreme rail grinds or other maneuvers. Reminds me of Mario Kart World…
Copy Abilities
The classic Kirby move is back — thank goodness! Kirby Air Riders allows drivers to inhale and subsequently copy an enemy’s capabilities. The skill is one Kirby fans should already know their way around, but in Air Riders, drivers can tap into the ability to temporarily gain additional attacks or increase their speed. Select your target wisely, because their skillset might not be right for your current environment.
City Trial Mode
“The main event,” as the presentation refers to it, is the game’s City Trial Mode. Taken from the original Kirby Air Ride, this iteration brings expanded and enhanced gameplay. City Trials comprise two parts: players assemble their ride by all means necessary in the first before moving to the second phase, where they’ll put their machine to the test.
City Trial is now located on Skyah, a massive floating island. Drive around at your leisure and grab power-ups, take down opponents, swipe other riders’ machines and items, or sabotage their race altogether. When the race starts, players get a no-frills ride that’s neither durable nor fast. Now, keep the objective of upgrading your machine in mind as you locate power-ups, blast opponents, and work to improve your own vehicle.
Sometimes, Field Events randomly occur on the Skyah map, and you’ll need to hustle to that spot to partake. Hop into challenges like Short Race and Dustup Derby, but players should proceed with caution: these events may mean racers run into Kirby franchise bosses like Kracko and Dyna Blade.
From there, head to the Stadiums, where racers can compete with their custom kart to be crowned the winner. Each Stadium includes a different challenge that players can select based on their customizations (or opponents’ rides). If you can’t decide, the game may suggest an option based on your ride’s stats. Battle up to 8 friends via local wireless, or up to 16 players online. Riders can also use GameChat to connect with friends via video or voice chat.
Air Ride Mode
In this mode, up to 6 riders compete to cross the finish line first. Attack opponents and gain speed-boosting stars. Don’t hold back, because by standing tall against other riders, you’ll be able to get some extra boosts.
You can also follow the Star Slide — a move that’s kind of like drafting or slipstreaming — and pick up speed by tailing other riders and collecting the trail of stars in their wake. Hey, every little bit helps!
Lessons
You still hanging in there? It’s a lot of info, I know, but it’ll be worth it in November!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the mechanics, practice might do you some good. It’s a good thing Air Riders offers its own Lessons. In this game mode, players can learn the basics, work to hone their skills, and eventually apply what they’ve learned to the next no-holds-barred race.
‘Kirby Air Riders’ on Nintendo Music
If you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership, you can enjoy a few tunes from the Kirby Air Riders soundtrack. Per Nintendo’s press release, the game’s main theme (available with English vocals) and some other tracks will be available on the app later today. Likewise, check out Nintendo Today!, the brand’s calendar app. Nintendo increasingly uses this application to reveal big brand announcements.
Event Appearances
Some speculated that the Kirby Air Riders Direct was timed to coincide with Gamescom or PAX, and it turns out that there’s a little truth to that (well, for the latter, anyway).
If you’re heading to the PNW for PAX West 2025 — held in Seattle, Washington, during the last weekend of August — you may get to try a hands-on demo of Kirby Air Riders at the Nintendo booth #1923. According to Nintendo’s press release, “the demos will require a Warp Pipe Pass reservation. The Warp Pipe Pass registration period begins Aug. 21, with reservations available on a first-come, first-served basis.”
Kirby Air Riders lands on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 20, 2025.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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