Kirby Air Riders Feels Like A Direct Attack On Mario Kart World

Even in a packed year for kart racers, Kirby Air Riders is playing for keeps. Will it earn a place alongside Mario Kart World and Sonic Racing: Crossworlds? Director Masahiro Sakurai hopes so. The legendary developer said he doesn’t plan on continuing the series; the upcoming Switch 2 exclusive is a one-and-done. “I’ve thrown everything I have into this game,” he said during its latest livestream preview. He certainly has. Just when you thought you knew everything Kirby Air Riders has to offer, Sakurai announces even more modes, characters, and features, including a roguelike adventure called Road Trip.

In a second hour-long Direct-style presentation for Kirby Air Riders that went live on Thursday, the famed Smash Bros. Ultimate director reminded fans why he’s the king of content maximalism. If you thought Nintendo’s latest racing game, out November 20, would be just a racing game with a sandbox mode, you would be sorely mistaken, my pink, puffy friend. Some are already calling it the “Kirby game of all Kirby games.”

Sorry to break the order of my reporting of the Kirby Air Riders Direct, but I needed to share Sakurai's closing speech because what a guy! He is a masterclass in game development. pic.twitter.com/ngXoBgcj4X

— Kābī (@KirPinkFury) October 23, 2025

This is far from the full list of newly revealed features players will get to mess around with:

• Top-down camera view race mode called Top Ride
• Roguelike mode with random challenges from other modes and unique story beats called Road Trip
• Match lobby called Paddock where you can interact and move between different online races
• Variant of Air Ride called Swap Relay where you change machines every lap
• Machine that can switch configurations called Transform Star
• Set of achievements called Checklist that lets you chase unlockables throughout the game
• Global Win Power shows how many times you’ve won in addition to your online class ranking
• Custom licenses to show off your personality online
• Boss battles
• Expanded roster including the spider Taranza, wily duo Lololo & Lalala, the bug-eyed Marx, and others

“We’re not planning DLC, everything is here”

Like I said, this is an incomplete and abridged rundown of all of the gameplay elements Sakurai dove into during the latest and likely final preview of Kirby Air Riders ahead of release. He also mentioned how players will earn miles by playing that are spent to unlock more parts of the Machine Market to outfit your ride. Plus there are new collectibles called Gummies. They sound a bit like the stickers from Smash Bros. Ultimate. “Who knows, maybe you’ll become a Gummillionaire!” Nintendo’s words, not mine.

But wait, there’s still more! Kibry Air Riders is also getting dedicated amiibo figures. There are three, all launching next year starting on March 5 with Meta Knight & Shadow Star, followed later on by King Dedede & Tank Star and Chef Kawasaki & Hop Star. Like the new amiibo Nintendo’s been rolling out, these are bigger, more complex, and will likely have those bigger $30 price tags to match (JK: they’re actually $50 each). Has Nintendo given Sakurai a blank check to do whatever he wants with Kirby Air Riders before he makes the next Smash Bros.? Probably.

We’ll see how it all adds up in practice, but on paper at least, the game is certainly shaping up to satiate even the most ravenous fans’ demands in a way the somewhat content-lite Mario Kart World maybe didn’t when it debuted back over the summer. “Just so you know, we’re not planning DLC, everything is here,” Sakurai said of Kirby Air Riders. Ouch! Switch Online subscribers can try the game for free during Global Test Ride events on Nov. 8-9 and Nov. 15-16.