Games

Published on November 20th, 2025 | by Adrian Gunning

KIRBY AIR RIDERS GLIDES ONTO NINTENDO SWITCH 2 TODAY

Charge, boost, and spin to attack your rivals in Kirby Air Riders, a fast-paced vehicle action game from Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco Studios, Inc. coming to Nintendo Switch 2 today.

Kirby Air Riders gives players a large roster of riders to choose from, each with their own unique attributes including weight, durability, Copy Abilities and Special moves. In addition, the game includes new and returning game modes, Air Ride machines with their own characteristics, which can be mixed and matched with riders, and much more for players to discover. Players can also use GameChat*1 to connect with their friends via video or voice chat to enhance the fun.

The Kirby Air Riders overview trailer offers an in-depth look at the game.

More details on some of the game’s modes and features can be found below:

  • City Trial: The mode from the original Kirby Air Ride returns, this time located on a new floating island called Skyah. Here, riders will drive around freely collecting power-ups, attacking opponents to damage (and steal) their machines with the objective of upgrading their own machine as much as possible. There are also random Field Events that occur throughout this phase. This is the first phase of the City Trial experience, and players have five minutes of intense vehicle action to secure their machine and as many power-ups as they can.
  • The second phase of any City Trial is Stadiums in which riders take their 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 they or their opponents have gathered. Up to 16 players*2 can play City Trial together and with Team Battles*3, two teams of eight can compete against each other.
  • Air Ride: In this mode, up to six riders battle it out to be the first to cross the finish line. During a race, each machine scatters small stars along the track. When collected, these stars increase the rider’s speed. Additionally, by attacking opposing riders, players can earn extra stars for an extra boost.
  • Lessons: With all the different riders, machines, techniques and game modes – some may want a little time to hone their skills. The Lessons mode allows players to learn the basics of the game and try out some of the more advanced gameplay mechanics.
  • Top Ride: Top Ride is all about racing from a top-down perspective and includes courses inspired by those available in Air Ride mode. Up to eight players can play Top Ride online*2, or up to four players and four CPU can play offline on a single console.
  • Road Trip: It’s time to hit the road and complete different challenges from Air Ride, City Trial and Top Ride including races, battles, and Field Events – while collecting machines and items to be used between challenges along the way. But this is no random Road Trip. There is a story behind why Kirby, King Dedede, Waddle Dee, Starman and other riders are embarking on this journey.
  • Additional modes: Time Attack can be played solo in either Air Ride or Top Ride modes, and challenges players to get their best time over a set number of laps. Free Run is available in either of those modes, too, and offers a practise space for moves or setting a Personal Best. In City Trial, Free Run can be used to explore Skyah without any time limits or obstacles.
  • amiibo: Each two-part Kirby Air Riders amiibo figure*4, comes with one rider and one machine – such as Kirby with the Warp Star – which together form an amiibo figure. Players can mix and match their riders and machines to make different combinations, resulting in different amiibo figures players can tap to bring into the game. By racing together with them, the rider’s level and proficiency with that machine will increase.

Additionally, there are new online and multiplayer elements that will be available in Kirby Air Riders, providing different ways to play with friends and family:

  • Paddock: In Kirby Air Riders, there is a new way for friends to gather for online play in the paddock*2 *3. Acting like a lobby, this area lets players move around as a rider and set up matches, interact with friends and pick and choose which mode they’d like to play. It’s even possible for several matches to be happening within a single paddock. Up to 32 players can enter one paddock.
  • Global Win Power: The game features a Class system and a new metric called Global Win Power*3. First, a player’s Class ranking is measured not with a letter grade, but with colours. Their Global Win Power is also displayed on a player’s License.
  • Licenses: Any online multiplayer experience in Kirby Air Riders starts with creating a License*3. This is how others will be able to identify a player online. It is viewable when competing against other players.

Furthermore, players can customise their Kirby Air Riders experience to their liking by acquiring and personalising their Air Ride machines with Miles and by completing challenges on the Checklist, creating their personalised garage, and selecting the music playing during City Trial – among a variety of other options.

Kirby Air Riders hits the road on Nintendo Switch 2 today, introducing new features, returning and new modes, characters, machines and more.  


About the Author

Adrian lives in Melbourne Australia and has a huge passion for gaming, technology and pop culture. He recently finished his a Bachelor of Journalism and is currently focusing on games journalism. When not writing and playing video games, Adrian can be found in Comics 'R' Us debating the pros of the DC Universe and cons of the Marvel Universe.


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