Kirby Air Riders Review | Dream Land’s Wildest Ride Yet

Updated at: November 28, 2025
Published at: November 19, 2025
Reviewed on: Nintendo Switch 2
Price: $70
Clear Time: 10 Hours

Story: 6/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Visuals: 9/10
Audio: 10/10
Value for Money: 7/10
Overall Score: 80/100

Kirby Air Riders Review Overview

Kirby Air Riders brings back a concept many players thought Nintendo would never touch again. The original Kirby Air Ride released in 2003 on the GameCube and became a cult favorite. It was simple, fast, and surprisingly addictive. More than twenty years later, Masahiro Sakurai returns as director with a brand-new sequel on the Switch 2.

Kirby Air Riders stays true to the original idea. You guide Kirby or another rider across colorful tracks that mix speed, chaos, and abilities. You can copy enemy powers, use special moves, and drift for boosts. The simple control system makes the game easy to learn, but the chaos keeps every race exciting.

The game also brings back City Trial, a mode that many players consider the heart of the original. Plus, a new Road Trip story mode gives solo players something to progress through. The result is a racing game that feels playful, wild, and full of energy.

What Is Kirby Air Riders?

Kirby Air Riders is a fast-paced racing game where all characters move automatically. Your job is to steer, drift, boost, and use abilities at the right moment. It features 20 playable characters, including Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight, Bandana Waddle Dee, and several deeper cuts like Starman. Each one has a special move that changes how you race.

The game includes:

• 20 riders
• Dozens of Air Ride Machines
• City Trial mode
• Top Ride mode
• Air Ride mode
• Road Trip story mode
• Online and local multiplayer
• Customization options
• Stat upgrades and collectibles

It is a complete package for fans who love racing chaos, experimentation, and Kirby’s fun personality.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• City Trial mode is endlessly fun
• Great soundtrack and sound design
• Strong visual direction
• Tons of machine customization
• Wide character roster

Cons

• Story mode feels shallow
• Controls can feel too simple
• Screen can get overwhelming
• Repetition in challenges
• Occasional readability issues in hectic moments

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Kirby Air Riders Story Review (6/10)

The Road Trip story mode tries to give the game emotional weight, but it only works halfway. The story is simple and focuses on a mysterious lifeform that wants to move freely. Kirby and friends travel around Planet Popstar to help it understand motion and freedom.

The cutscenes look nice. The environments are colorful. The bosses are dramatic. But the story never goes deep enough to make you care. You move through challenges quickly, and there is little character interaction. It feels closer to a challenge ladder than a true adventure.

Still, Road Trip adds structure to progression. It helps players unlock new Machines, shop for upgrades, and uncover different paths. Even if the story is not memorable, the mode itself adds good single-player value.

Kirby Air Riders Gameplay Review (8/10)

This is where the game shines. Everything in Kirby Air Riders is built for fast, chaotic fun.

Simple Controls With Hidden Depth

Your Machine moves by itself. You steer with the stick and drift with a single button. When you drift, you charge a boost similar to Mario Kart. Copy abilities also return, letting you inhale enemies and either spit them out or gain powers like Sword, Fire, or Needle.

The problem is that the simplicity sometimes becomes a weakness. For example:

• One button controls both drifting and attacking
• Using abilities can slow you down
• Spin attacks require waggling the joystick
• Some Machines control awkwardly at high speeds

But once everything clicks, the races feel fast and wild. You boost around corners, launch off ramps, land perfectly for speed bursts, and try to react before the screen fills with effects.

Machines Bring Strategy

Each Air Ride Machine has a clear identity. Some are easy to use. Others require learning their quirks:

• Transform Star switches forms mid-race
• Vampire Star steals abilities automatically
• Swerve Star cannot turn but releases huge boosts

Choosing the right Machine for each mode becomes its own challenge. Experimenting with them is one of the most enjoyable parts of the game.

A Strong Set of Modes

Air Ride is classic racing.
Top Ride uses a top-down viewpoint with tiny maps.
City Trial is the highlight, offering exploration, stat upgrades, random events, and final challenges.
Road Trip gives a structured story experience.

City Trial especially stands out. Every run is different. You hunt for upgrades, fight other players, chase Machines, run from bosses, and hope you get good luck. It’s chaotic, but in the best way.

Kirby Air Riders Visuals Review (9/10)

Kirby Air Riders looks vibrant and energetic on the Switch 2. The tracks are filled with loops, gliding sections, hazards, and decorations. Characters move expressively. Machines have cool designs. Special moves explode with bright effects.

Sometimes the visual density becomes too much. With so many players using abilities at once, you may lose track of your Machine. But overall, the game is pure eye candy.

Kirby Air Riders Audio Review (10/10)

The soundtrack is excellent. It mixes nostalgic Kirby themes with new tracks that match the game’s speed and style. Sound effects feel satisfying, especially when using abilities or drifting into boosts. The game also includes a music player, letting you listen to tracks anytime.

It’s one of the strongest parts of the package.

Kirby Air Riders Value for Money Review (7/10)

Kirby Air Riders offers many modes, upgrades, Machines, and achievements. You can easily spend 20+ hours chasing everything. City Trial alone can keep you entertained for months.

However, some players may feel the $70 price is steep. The story is short. The modes loop often. And there is no DLC planned.

Still, if you enjoy fun, chaotic racers, the game is worth it.

Final Verdict — 80/100

Kirby Air Riders takes a simple idea and expands it into something fast, wild, and joyful. It doesn’t reinvent kart racing, but it adds charm, personality, and lots of replay value. The controls can be a bit too simple, and the story doesn’t hit hard, but the gameplay more than makes up for it.

If you love chaos, speed, and Kirby’s world, this is an easy game to recommend.

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