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Kirby Air Riders combines the minimalist controls of kart racing with the chaos of fighting games even more effectively than its predecessor, 2003’s Kirby Air Ride for the GameCube. The fusion of racing and combat can be jarring to newcomers. However, should you persist, you will find that Kirby Air Riders offers a distinct and memorable experience, melding the slick accessibility of Mario Kart with the frenetic, gorgeously paced battles of Super Smash Bros.
Precariously maneuvering a glider through opposing riders and dangerous obstacles will feel uncanny at first, particularly to those who haven’t played the original Air Ride. However, once you hit the sweet spot and learn the sweet science of slowing down to charge before boosting forward at just the right times, you’ll feel a sense of satisfaction from the continuous momentum.
Journey on
After getting comfortable with the basics, you’ll soon discover that your choice of rider and machine (yes, that’s what the vehicles are called) in Kirby Air Riders has far-reaching consequences for how you might approach each race.
You’ll easily find your favourite rider thanks to distinct special moves new to Air Riders and adorable animations that capture the charms of the Kirby All-Stars cast. These are as charming and colourful as you might expect from a well-loved Kirby title.
The machines themselves offer meaningful scope for variance and customization, making it all the more crucial to choose the right one for the way you play each game mode. While some, like the chariot, are great for making sharp turns, the winged star is great for tracks that feature lots of ramps. There is meaningful strategy and customisability at play here; those looking for depth will be satisfied.
As you play through Kirby Air Riders’ two major game modes, you’ll find ample opportunity for further customization in a gauntlet that, at times, scratches the roguelike itch.
The two central offerings are Road Trip, a fast-paced story mode where you complete various challenges with your chosen machine, and City Trial, a sandbox battle royal where you battle players for power-ups and compete in various events to come out on top.
To prosper in either, you’ll need to memorise the distinct personalities of your machines and your characters. This preparation is the difference between winning races and events or being completely out of your depth.
Faster than your fears
City Trial is the main attraction. Skyah, despite being the only city trial map, offers a luscious sandbox filled with a huge variety of power-ups, unique machines, and random events that make each time you visit feel different.
You’ll have to duel other players you encounter for these power-ups. Here, you’ll frantically spin your joystick as you attempt to build momentum, all to slam into another rider and knock them off their machine.
Kirby Air Rider’s pleasingly simple control scheme makes these clashes accessible while never detracting from the frenetic tension that underpins these unfailingly kinetic engagements.
No two City Trial experiences are the same. Distilling roguelike and battle royale-adjacent qualities, City Trial offers a range of different events and Mario Kart-like power-ups, all leading up to a curated final gauntlet known as a Stadium Event, which you’ll select at the end of the trial.
Kirby’s roguelike adventure
In City Trial, events are the spice of life. Meteors might rain from the sky, or you may be called upon to enter into spontaneous races with your competitors. At its best, it’s reminiscent of Hades 2, asking different things of its players every time.
Each City Trial concludes with several exciting, Mario Party-like Stadium Events. These are duels between a handful of players that wrap up each city trial. Triumph in these mini-games is essential for overall victory.
You’ll be given a slim roster of four events to choose from at the close of each City Trial. This pressurised decision space forces you to evaluate your build and to find the best (or, in some cases, least punishing) option. While this may seem arbitrary and dissatisfying, in practice, this mechanic adds a pleasing brutality to proceedings, reminiscent of the most hardcore e-sport decision spaces.
It’s this variation that makes City Trial so captivating each time that you let yourself lose and allow yourself to be part of the chaos. Those who don’t mind taking their lumps will feel a strong urge to head back into the fray.
It’s highly replayable, particularly if you’re with friends. There’s online multiplayer and local split-screen co-op for both City Trial and Air Ride, something which makes both modes far more fulfilling than playing them against NPCs.
In the infinite sky
Aside from the main attraction, there’s still a huge variety of races to enjoy, missions to complete, and collectables to unlock. Air Ride offers 18 whimsical tracks that each present a fully realised world, complete with various paths to take and unique obstacles that can entirely change your approach to racing.
Once you’ve found your flow with each course, you can easily make them feel brand new again by choosing new racers, trying new machines, or taking new paths.
The story mode, Road Trip, is similar to City Trial in its execution, preparing players for Kirby Air Riders’ most prominent mode. That said, Road Trip offers little to distinguish itself from City Trial proper, so it may not be of interest to those wishing to dive in at the deep end from the start.
Kirby Air Riders distinguishes itself by combining seemingly unrelated genres with a skill and fluidity that make for a captivating and genuinely distinctive experience. Just like other Kirby games before it, the controls are minimalist, and just like Smash Bros Ultimate, uncontrollable factors and intricate details make every match feel unpredictable.
It’s the combination of these factors, however, that gives Kirby Air Riders its distinct identity and appeal. That said, as with any novel departure from genre orthodoxy, those wishing to explore these uncharted lands shall need to abandon their preconceptions and embrace the unknown, contending with Air Riders’ learning curve.
Air Riders speaks for itself, unashamedly offering eclectic and strange mechanics and asking you to meet it in the middle. This process isn’t necessarily easy, but it is absolutely rewarding.
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2. Code provided by the publisher.
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