New Kirby Air Riders Direct reveals how to get the "Legendary Air Ride Machines" Dragoon and Hydra

Following the massive, 60-minute “Kirby Air Riders Direct 2” presentation, new details have been revealed about how players will acquire the “Legendary Air Ride Machines.”

The two iconic and powerful machines from the 2003 original, the “Dragoon” and the “Hydra,” will be returning in this new Nintendo Switch 2 sequel.

The Dragoon is famous for its unrivaled air performance, while the Hydra boasts superior ground speed and attack power.

Just as in the original game, these machines cannot be selected from the start.

Players must assemble them by finding and collecting three “Legendary Machine Parts” (A, B, and C) within the fan-favorite “City Trial” mode.

A new quality-of-life feature has been added: once two parts of a Legendary Machine are combined, they will now “stick together,” making it easier to manage them on the chaotic map.

This change helps to balance the fact that City Trial now supports up to 16 players online, making the parts more difficult to secure.

The presentation also revealed a new “Team Battle” mode for City Trial, which splits the 16 players into two teams of eight.

In this mode, the Legendary Machine parts are shared among teammates, allowing a full team to work together to assemble the powerful machines.

This was just one part of the massive, 60-minute presentation hosted by the game’s director, Masahiro Sakurai.

The Direct also revealed:

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.

kirby air riders multiplayer screenshot 1

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.

“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).