If the first Kirby Air Riders Direct somehow left you a bit disappointed with the upcoming game, the second Kirby Air Riders Direct should get rid of all your concerns. Once again, game director Masahiro Sakurai played host, this time for a 60-minute presentation that somehow didn’t feel that long. The deep dive shared details on new and returning features from Kirby Air Ride, a wide assortment of customization options, and a story-driven Road Trip mode. Those who felt Mario Kart World was a bit shallow will want to check out Kirby Air Riders on November 20 because it’s packed full of things to do.
To start things off, Sakurai confirmed Top Ride from the original Kirby Air Ride is making a return. The mode uses a top-down perspective and includes courses inspired by those in Air Ride mode. As someone who grew up loving Super Off Road, I’m really excited to see how Top Ride has evolved for a new generation. The mode lets players choose their riders and machines separately and will play very similarly to other modes since they can use Quick Spins, Boost Charges, and Copy Abilities. There were some items exclusive to Top Ride shown today, such as Kaboomb, Drift Flames, and Drill Driver. The mode supports up to eight players online or offline with three other players on a single system and four CPUs.
Sakurai also revealed Road Trip, a new mode that lets players hit the road to complete different challenges from Air Ride, City Trial, and Top Ride. This mode is where the story of the game lies, as players will learn why Kirby, King Dedede, Bandana Waddle Dee, Starman, and other riders are setting off on the journey. Obviously, they want to keep details on this mode a bit of a mystery, but there is a teaser at the end of today’s Direct.
This was just the start, as the presentation also shared more details on the paddock, a new way for friends to gather for online play. It’s essentially a lobby, but players can move around as riders, set up matches, and interact with friends before choosing which mode they want to play. Players can also change the music in the paddock, send emotes, and strike poses with their characters using the control sticks.
Next up was the reveal of Swap Relay, a new type of race for Air Ride mode. In Swap Relay, players select a machine for each lap, and after each lap, they automatically swap to the next machine. The mode allows players to experiment with different rider and machine pairings, and they can relay with local players by handing off the controller like a baton.
If that isn’t enough, Sakurai also shared that the Checklist from Kirby Air Ride is back. As players clear certain objectives, a Checklist box is flipped over. In total, there are five Checklist tabs: Air Ride, Top Ride, City Trial, Road Trip, and Online. The more objectives players check off, the more content unlocks. If you’re worried about the Online tab, no riders or machines are locked behind it, so completing that tab isn’t required.
We also got a look at several new machines, including the Transform Star, which is both a star-type flying machine and a bike-type flying machine. Players can rapidly move the Left Stick to swap between the two types, and it’s just one of the new machines being introduced in Kirby Air Riders. We’ll also get the return of legendary machines such as Dragoon and Hydra. That’s not the only content making a return. All nine Air Ride courses from the original game will be in Kirby Air Riders, bringing the total to 18.
Sakurai also shared details on new power-up items like the Mega Cannon in City Trial, detailed Stadiums, and boss battles like Robo Dedede. Boss battles take place inside an arena and look to be a fun addition to change up gameplay. It’s clear Sakurai put a lot of love and passion into building this game, and we’re not sure why we’re surprised Kirby Air Riders is packed with things to do. After all, Sakurai is the mastermind behind the Super Smash Bros. series.
There’s also a collection of amiibo figures coming that are significantly larger than your typical amiibo. Each one consists of two pieces, one for the rider and one for the machine, that can be swapped thanks to magnets. Each combination can appear in the game, and players will be able to train their amiibo Figure Player and increase its experience level, much like in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The new amiibo include Kirby and Warp Star, Bandana Waddle Dee and Winged Star, Meta Knight and Shadow Star (March 5, 2026), King Dedede and Tank Star (2026), and Chef Kawasaki and Hop Star (2026).
If that isn’t enough for you, online players also have a lot to look forward to. Kirby Air Riders has a Class system and a new metric called Global Win Power. Before we get to Global Win Power, the Class ranking isn’t measured by a letter grade but by the colors of the rainbow. These indicate a player’s Class and match them with similarly leveled players online. Increasing a Class level can cause changes in City Trial, though details weren’t shared. As for Global Win Power, each multiplayer game mode has its own ranking, which is based on the total number of wins. It is not actually directly related to a player’s Class ranking and increases the more they play.
Those hopping online to compete will get to customize a License, which also displays Class ranking and Global Win Power. Decorations for the licenses include glitter effects, stickers, and a player’s Street Name, which is selected by pairing two preset terms. Online players can also compete in Team Battles with up to 16 players in City Trial, splitting everyone into two teams of eight. Legendary machine parts can be shared between teammates, with whoever picks up the final piece getting to ride it. If there are 10 or more players competing, players will be split into two instances of the same stadium, and teams will compete for the high score.
Not interested in online play? Additional single-player content includes Time Attack in either Air Ride or Top Ride mode, where players can challenge themselves to set a best time over a set number of laps. There’s also Free Run in Air Ride or Top Ride modes, where players can practice their moves or set a Personal Best without any opponents in the way. Want to roam Skyah without any time limits? There’s a Free Run for City Trial too.
Finally, there are plenty of customizable accessories to unlock in Kirby Air Riders. These can be bought with the currency Miles, which is earned while playing. The Miles Shop is home to machines, machine decorations, license decorations, music tracks, and customizable Headwear for the riders. The My Machine feature allows players to customize their machines with decals, accessories, patterns, and special effects. They can then take that personalized machine to the Machine Market, listing it for in-game currency. The more a machine sells, the more expensive it gets. It’s worth noting that players don’t earn any currency from selling a machine, nor do they lose the machine if it sells. It’s just a fun way to see which customized machines are popular among players, since they cost Miles to purchase.
Another new feature in Kirby Air Riders is a set of machine-shaped Gummies collectibles. There isn’t a lot to it, as they’re basically shaped like the machines of opponents you’ve defeated. You can play around with the Gummies, but collecting more doesn’t have any impact on gameplay. You can think of them like collecting ears in Diablo II.
Music lovers will be happy to hear that Shogo Sakai and Noriyuki Iwadare are behind the game’s soundtrack. Sakai worked on the original Kirby Air Ride, while Iwadare composed for the Super Smash Bros. series. Kirby Air Riders has a My Music option, just like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where players can select the music they’d like to listen to during City Trial. This includes tracks from across the Kirby game series.
Sakurai also showed off many of the game’s settings and options, including accessibility and visual effects options. The game will also feature announcer voices in different languages and styles that provide commentary during races and narration during the Road Trip story. Don’t worry, players will be able to enjoy customizable button mapping too.
If you’re still on the fence about Kirby Air Riders, Nintendo Switch Online members can get hands-on with the game during the Kirby Air Riders: Global Test Ride event. The online demo will take place across six events:
- November 8, 12:00 AM Pacific – 6:00 AM Pacific (3:00 AM Eastern – 9:00 AM Eastern)
- November 8, 4:00 PM Pacific – 10:00 PM Pacific (7:00 PM Eastern – November 9 1:00 AM Eastern)
- November 9, 7:00 AM Pacific – 1:00 PM Pacific (10:00 AM Eastern – 4:00 PM Eastern)
- November 15, 12:00 AM Pacific – 6:00 AM Pacific (3:00 AM Eastern – 9:00 AM Eastern)
- November 15, 4:00 PM Pacific – 10:00 PM Pacific (7:00 PM Eastern – November 16 1:00 AM Eastern)
- November 16, 7:00 AM Pacific – 1:00 PM Pacific (10:00 AM Eastern – 4:00 PM Eastern)
The Global Test Ride will have Lessons, Air Ride, and City Trial, with Floria Fields, Waveflow Waters, and Mount Amberfalls available in Air Ride. Players will be able to enter the paddock, create a room, and invite friends to City Trial or play with others worldwide. While the launch will allow up to 32 players in the paddock, the Global Test Ride will only support up to 16 people. The download will be available in the afternoon on November 7, and players can enjoy Lessons outside the Global Test Ride times.
