Kirby Air Riders review: Friendship ended with Mario Kart, now Kirby is my best friend

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A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Kirby Air Ride really feels like a classic GameCube game at its heart.

Some players might be put off by this – why would anyone want a game that feels like it’s from an old, somewhat silly console from 2001?

Games like Air Riders remind me, and many others, of a simpler time – a bit strange maybe, but definitely full of fun.

Air Riders is a sequel to 2003’s Kirby Air Ride, and unsurprisingly, it plays very similarly.

The game is easy to control, though the turning and drifting might feel a little different if you’re used to games like Mario Kart. But you’ll quickly get the hang of it and be racing at full speed in no time!

One of the core mechanics is the classic Kirby concept of absorbing enemies to steal their powers.

When you defeat opponents during a race, you’ll gain a speed boost and also unlock their special ability. This could let you attack with fireballs or powerful sword attacks, for example.

Races are fast, chaotic, and surprisingly tough once you turn the AI difficulty up a few notches.

Before every race, you can pick from 20 famous characters and a vehicle. Each character and vehicle has different strengths, weaknesses, and special abilities.

The rider and vehicle you pick can really change how you race, depending on your preferred style.

Meta Knight’s airship isn’t the fastest on regular tracks like Floria Fields, but put him on a stage like Airtopia Ruins, where he can fly, and he’s incredibly effective.

Because the way you play largely depends on the vehicles you choose, the game allows for a lot of skillful play and offers a wide range of options.

Unlike games like Mario Kart, where success mostly depends on drifting skills and item luck, this game allows two players with completely different approaches to both be successful. A player’s skill in one area doesn’t necessarily limit another player’s ability to win using a different strategy.

There are a few different modes to choose from, each with a slightly different offering.

Air Ride is a quick, single race where you pick a driver and car, select a track, and start racing. Top Ride is very similar, but the game is viewed from directly above.

Okay, so Air Riders just dropped a new mode called Road Trip, and honestly, it’s the closest thing they’ve got to a real story mode. It’s not quite a full story experience, but it’s definitely the most narrative-driven thing they’ve done so far, which is awesome!

It feels a lot like the Classic Mode from Super Smash Bros.: you complete a series of increasingly difficult challenges, earning upgrades as you progress towards your vehicle’s ultimate destination.

The story mode is enjoyable, but after playing it about one and a half times, I didn’t feel motivated to continue much further.

However, Air Riders truly shines with its City Trial mode, which is a fun mix of racing, collecting items, and party game elements.

Players race against the clock around the floating island of Skyah, exploring diverse locations like cities, pirate ships, and volcanoes. They’ll gather improvements, switch vehicles, battle opponents, and occasionally take on a massive boss.

After a frantic scramble to improve their gear, players immediately jump into a chaotic minigame. These minigames feel a bit like a Mario Party game with cars, and each one is designed to suit different character builds.

Your chosen rider and vehicle will make some minigames easy and others very difficult. This means you’ll need to think strategically when deciding which minigame to play. Thankfully, the game helps by suggesting the best option for your particular setup when playing with others.

That leads me to what makes Kirby Air Riders really special: it’s incredibly fun when playing with others.

Playing alone is enjoyable, but the real fun begins when you join a chaotic match with fifteen other players. There’s something incredibly satisfying about racing around and bumping into everyone else – it’s hard not to have a blast!

I haven’t had much chance to play with friends yet, as I’m still in the review phase and mostly playing online. But I’m really looking forward to Christmas when I can finally play this game with my friends and have some serious fun!

Air Riders is an enjoyable game, but it doesn’t have a lot of lasting appeal. After trying out all the single-player modes a few times, I don’t feel motivated to keep playing by myself.

Air Riders isn’t a typical racing game. It’s better described as a party game, as I’ve mentioned before.

Kirby Air Ride is a blast to play, successfully updating the GameCube classic while keeping all of its quirky and unique personality.

I likely won’t play this game when I first get my Switch 2 and am testing it out on my own.

When I just want to relax and have some silly, over-the-top fun with friends, Kirby Air Riders will definitely be one of my first choices.

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2025-11-19 14:48