On Aug. 19th, Super Smash Bros. creator Masuhiro Sakurai presented a Nintendo Direct dedicated to his upcoming racer, Kirby Air Riders. The long-awaited sequel to the 2003 GameCube hit promises new features, intense competitive gameplay, and Kirby’s pals joining, well, the ride. Sakurai demonstrated the vast improvements the racer has to offer.
Updating Air Ride’s Controls
Kirby Air Ride had a unique control scheme to set it apart from becoming another Mario Kart clone. Players have their vehicles on cruise control, whether they are using the control stick or not. The game’s racing mechanic encourages them to focus on mastering boost timing, quick turns, and using copy abilities. Kirby Air Ride also introduced gliding, which Mario Kart 7 took inspiration from.
Sakurai made a few changes in Kirby Air Riders for beginner racers. Quick turns and full movement have been exchanged for full cruise control. Players will only have to move left and right while racing on the ground. Gliding is similar, with only up and down in the air. Racers now have a special ability to damage or fly past their opponents’ vehicles. Only Kirby will have up to four specials based on his palette swap.
The Character Roster is More than Show
According to Sakurai, the name Kirby Air Riders refers to the allies and enemies becoming playable racers. Kirby Air Ride did feature King Dedede and Meta Knight, but neither could drive a vehicle. Vehicles can adapt to all sizes, including the Dreamland’s penguin king. However, a racer’s weight can affect vehicular performance.
The pink puffball also taught them how to copy enemy abilities without needing to inhale. Chef Kawasaki, who’s known to boil Kirby in his pot, can grapple with an extension ladle. Team Sora has the roster wearing the signature hat cosmetics. Seeing Bandana Dee wearing an ability hat is adorable!
Some racers are more equipped than others as seen with Meta Knight and Knuckle Joe. Attack options range from short to long reach. Others can improve certain racing skills, such as Susie, who can use a propeller for longer glides. Strategizing with different racers and vehicle combinations is the key to victory.
City Trials Enhances Competition with Added Modes
Kirby Air Ride fans are happy to see the return of City Trials. This mode is meant to be a competitive sandbox. This time, players are battling in the skies with an established name. Skyah. The city has been updated with reimagined and new sectors on the map. Sakurai happily entrusted the fan-favorite mode to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate partner, Bandai Namco.
The team has preserved City Trials’ chaotic nature and upgraded its mechanics. These challenges pressure players to drive and adapt to various situations while enhancing their vehicles with power-ups. Bandai Namco has changed how racers can swap their ride. Instead of parking and leaving a ride for another, Kirby and company can hijack unoccupied and driven vehicles.
Stadium Matches also make a comeback with added match types and online play. Kirby Air Ride contained 8 modes, including a battle against King Dedede. During the direct, Kirby Air Riders presented a few returning match types, like Target Flight and Kirby Melee. The newest one shown so far is Gourmet Race, adapted from Kirby Super Star.
Improved Multiplayer Setup
Both City Trials and Air Riding will be available for online, local wireless, and single screen. Online can host up to 16 players. Local wireless will have 8, and single screen will have 4. Players can freely select a stadium type without feeling pressured by the vote. Currently, for online play, anyone left in the room alone will automatically have a no-contest win.
As for the races, they will no longer be placed in a waiting room. Sakurai identified this problem in the final product of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate online matches: Instead of waiting for races, players will be put in another race session for a chance to play.
A New Villain Awaits
After Sakurai finished the presentation, Kirby Air Riders had one final surprise. The following scene featured a dark desert with a tumbleweed rolling. It takes the form of Kirby’s next threat-a biker with mufflers on the side of its mask. The biker rides Dark Wheelie and exhumes blue flames as it dashes to its destination.
Speculators believed this villain could be Dark Matter. The evidence is based on the multiple forms this entity has taken since Kirby’s Dream Land 2. The biker is made of dark void energy. Their mask and spiky hair have a similar resemblance to the entity’s Blade variant. The biker has a single blue eye on their hidden face. Until then, they are a mystery for the fans to solve. Kirby Air Riders will be available on the Nintendo eShop and in stores on Nov. 20th.
