Get a full look at Kirby Air Riders via today’s Nintendo Direct

Masahiro Sakurai joined today’s Nintendo Direct presentation to give fans a deep dive on Kirby Air Riders for the Switch 2.

Riding high

Dare we say that Kirby Air Riders is one of the lesser known titles amongst those in the Switch 2’s launch year? That might seem like an odd thing to say at first, and we definitely get that. After all, Kirby is one of Nintendo’s premier characters. And not only that, but the man behind his newest game, Masahiro Sakurai, is the same creative force that brought fans Super Smash Bros.

Still, there’s been relatively little chatter about Kirby Air Riders online, and its November 20th release date hasn’t really been advertised much by Nintendo. Those points are just all the more reason though, why this morning’s Nintendo Direct was kind of necessary.

In the lengthy 45 minute presentation, Sakurai himself walked prospective players through the notables of the game’s play, plus its modes, both new and returning from the GameCube’s Kirby Air Rider. Mixed in with the former, fans will find a look at the riders, their machines, and how to do things like boost and make use of specials.

As for those modes, City Trial, Air Ride, and Stadium play will be included in Kirby Air Riders, with City Trial being described as “the main event” by Sakurai. Back from that mentioned original game, the mode will be both enhanced and expanded, giving players more to explore in this new sequel/remake.

Take a scroll down the page here, to check out the full Nintendo Direct, and familiarize yourself with the full bulleted highlight-list, straight from the company.

Read below for more about the features and gameplay spotlighted by Mr. Sakurai:

• Riding Techniques: Each Air Ride machine, or “machine” for short, has different forms and traits. They usually hover above the ground and move forward automatically – no need to press any buttons or tilt the left Joy-Con 2 control stick forward to accelerate. Use the left stick to change direction by tilting it left or right. So, what do the buttons do?
• Boost Charge: By pressing the B Button, your machine will hit the ground, and you’ll start a Boost Charge and brake. Releasing the button activates a Boost Dash. As Mr. Sakurai explained, this is more than just a speed boost – by tilting the left stick and holding the Boost Charge button through sharp corners, you can perform drift maneuvers, which help you gain even more of a speed advantage.
• Specials: It takes more than speed and deft maneuvering to get ahead of the competition, however. The Y Button is your “Special button,” and it activates your character’s unique Special move. Attack your rival riders and enemies to fill up your Special Gauge and, once full, unleash your Special! While most characters have one distinct Special, Kirby has four different Special moves – one for each color Kirby you can play as. Combine certain Specials with attack techniques like Quick Spin, which is activated by wiggling the control stick, and you’ll be on your way to victory!
• Riders: Kirby Air Riders adds a strategic element to its mayhem by adding more importance to your choice of rider. Each rider in the game has their own unique traits which can impact their machine’s performance, including weight, durability, Specials, close range attacks and more. These factors can either give them an advantage or cause more unpredictability during the action depending on the environment you’re in. In fact, this is why Air Ride mode has you select your course first, then the rider and machine you want to use. In addition to the well-balanced pink puff, your roster of riders includes familiar faces from the world of Kirby, like Meta Knight, King Dedede, Bandana Waddle Dee, as well as enemies in the Kirby series like Cappy, Chef Kawasaki, Starman and … well, you’ll just have to play and see who else shows up, won’t you? And to keep you moving forward and keep your opponents on their toes, Kirby Air Riders also lets you mix and match riders and machines.
• Machines: Air Ride machines are built for more than just speed! Each machine, like the riders, can even sustain different amounts of damage. Most machines will also glide through the air if you jump from a ramp or other structure, and you can control your machine by tilting the left stick up or down to ascend or descend. Make a perfect landing and you’ll be rewarded with more speed. You can also perform rail grinds, drifts and other maneuvers.
• Copy Abilities: To level the playing field, Kirby Air Riders gives all the riders the ability to inhale or capture to copy an enemy’s abilities. Use these newly acquired abilities to temporarily gain additional ways to attack or increase your speed.

Mr. Sakurai also unveiled the returning game modes and experiences that await players in Kirby Air Riders, including City Trial mode, which he described as “the main event.” The mode from the original Kirby Air Ride returns, this time expanded and enhanced with more room to explore:

• Skyah: City Trial is now located on a huge floating island called Skyah! Here, you’ll drive around freely collecting power-ups, attacking opponents to damage (and steal) their machines or cause them to drop power-ups you can then scoop up for yourself, all with the objective of upgrading your machine as much as possible. You start out with a small, weak machine, but through finding power-ups, attacking opponents and swapping to other machines, you can upgrade your ride. There are also random Field Events that occur throughout this phase. Some of these events pop up unexpectedly somewhere on the Skyah map, and you’ll need to hustle to that location to participate. Events include challenges like Short Race, where you’ll race through a sectioned-off area of the map, with power-ups awarded based on how you finish. There is also Dustup Derby, where the goal is to battle your opponents to knock them out and earn more power-ups. Be warned, these events may also involve the appearance of familiar bosses from the world of Kirby, including Kracko and Dyna Blade! This is only the first phase of the City Trial experience, and you’ll have five minutes of intense vehicle action to secure your machine and as many power-ups as you can. After that, it’s on to phase two …
• Stadiums: Take your powered-up machine to a Stadium and compete to be crowned the winner. Each Stadium includes a different challenge that players will strategically select based on the power-ups you or your opponents have gathered. Some Stadiums will even be recommended for you based on your machine’s stats, in case you have any trouble deciding which one to take on. In Kirby Air Riders, you can also battle friends via local wireless¹ with up to 8 players, or online² with up to 16 players. Use GameChat³ to connect with your friends via video or voice chat to enhance the fun!

In addition to City Trial, Kirby Air Riders features other returning modes with updated features, including …

• Air Ride Mode: In this mode, up to six riders can compete to cross the finish line first. Attack opposing riders and by hitting them you’ll gain small stars that increase your speed. What makes this experience unique is that you’ll compete by getting speed boosts via attacking! So go ahead and cut loose on your rivals! You can also follow the Star Slide – you speed up by following behind other riders and collecting the trail of stars in their wake. These extra speed boosts will help you leave your opponents in the (star) dust.
• Lessons: With all the different riders, machines, techniques and game modes – you may want a little time to practice. The Lessons mode allows you to learn the basics of the game and try out some of the more advanced gameplay mechanics.

Plus, if you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership then you’re in luck! Seven tracks from the Kirby Air Riders soundtrack – including the main theme with English language vocals – will be released on the Nintendo Music app⁴ later today!

And this is all just the beginning. Now that you’re up to speed on what awaits in Kirby Air Riders, there’s more news waiting in the wings, so please stay tuned for further updates.

Attendees to the upcoming PAX West 2025 event, held in Seattle Aug. 29 – Sept. 1, will have the opportunity to get a hands-on demo of Kirby Air Riders at Nintendo booth #1923! Please note that the demos will require a Warp Pipe Pass reservation⁵. The Warp Pipe Pass registration period begins Aug. 21, with reservations available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit this page to register.

Remember that Nintendo Switch 2 features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/us/gaming-systems/switch-2/

¹ Additional games and systems required for multiplayer mode. Sold separately.

² Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) and Nintendo Account required for online features. Membership auto-renews after initial term at the then-current price unless canceled. Not available in all countries. Internet access required for online features. Terms apply. nintendo.com/purchase-terms

³ Internet, Nintendo Switch Online membership and Nintendo Account required for online features, including GameChat. Compatible USB camera required for video features. Not available in all countries. Terms and GameChat requirements apply. support.nintendo.com Games, systems, memberships and some accessories sold separately. Until March 31, 2026, GameChat can be used without a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Afterwards, a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be required to use GameChat.

⁴ Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) and Nintendo Account required. Not available in all countries. Internet and compatible smart device required to use app. Data charges may apply. Terms apply. nintendo.com/purchase-terms

⁵ A Nintendo Account is required to register for a Warp Pipe Pass. Terms apply. More information available here.

Nintendo press release