Everything announced in the “Kirby Air Riders Direct 2” presentation
Game Director Masahiro Sakurai has hosted a second “Kirby Air Riders Direct,” offering fans a massive, 60-minute deep dive into the new features, modes, and customizable fun coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 on November 20th.
The presentation gave fans a comprehensive look at how the sequel is expanding on the 2003 GameCube classic, confirming a huge roster of riders, the return of legendary machines, and extensive online features.
Here is a full breakdown of everything announced in today’s presentation:
- New “Road Trip” Mode: A brand-new, story-driven single-player campaign was revealed. Players will travel across a map and complete a series of challenges from Air Ride, City Trial, and Top Ride, all while collecting machines and items.
- “Top Ride” Returns: The classic, top-down racing mode from the original Kirby Air Ride is officially back. It will feature new items and Copy Abilities and will be playable with up to eight players online.
- Expanded Roster: A host of new playable characters were confirmed, including Taranza, the duo Lololo & Lalala, Daroach, Marx, Rick, Rocky, Scarfy, and Waddle Dee.
- New amiibo: Three new amiibo sets were unveiled: “Meta Knight & Devil Star,” “King Dedede & Tank Star,” and “Chef Kawasaki & Hop Star.” These join the previously announced Kirby and Waddle Dee amiibo. All five sets feature magnetic, swappable riders and machines that are recognized in-game.
- “Global Test Ride” Demo: A special, online demo event will be held for Nintendo Switch Online members. The demo will be active during specific windows on November 8th-9th and November 15th-16th, allowing players to test the Lessons, Air Ride, and City Trial modes.
- New Online Features: The presentation detailed “Licenses” (customizable player cards), “Global Win Power” (a new ranking metric), and 16-player “Team Battles” for City Trial.
- New “Paddock” Online Hub: A new online lobby system was shown, which allows players to move around as their rider, set up matches, and interact with friends.
- New Air Ride & City Trial Content: A new “Swap Relay” race type was revealed, as was a new “Transform Star” machine that can swap between flight and bike modes. The presentation also confirmed the return of all nine original Air Ride courses, a new “Mega Cannon” power-up, a new boss named “Robo Dedede,” and the return of the legendary machines, Dragoon and Hydra.
- “Checklist” Returns: The fan-favorite objective grid from the original game is back with five categories, including new tabs for “Road Trip” and “Online.”
- Deep Customization: A “Miles” in-game currency system will allow players to buy machines, parts, and music tracks. The “My Machine” feature allows for deep customization and even an in-game marketplace to sell your creations.
- “My Music” Feature: A Super Smash Bros.-style “My Music” option will be included, allowing players to select their favorite tracks from across the Kirby series to play during City Trial.
- Accessibility Options: The game will feature extensive motion sickness countermeasures, including options to adjust the camera’s field of view, rotation speed, and the amount of camera shake.
Kirby Air Riders is scheduled to be released on Thursday, the 20th of November, 2025, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2.
The standard digital edition is priced at ¥7,980 (approx. $54 USD / £43 GBP), and the physical package version is priced at ¥8,980 (approx. $61 USD / £49 GBP).
The latest Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Direct can now be viewed in full on YouTube:
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