Kirby Air Riders Review

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Fast Facts

A Labour Of Love

Kirby Air Riders feels like a game that requires very little introduction. The only game so far on the Switch 2 blessed to host two full Nintendo Directs to shares its premise with the world. It’s also incredibly hard to pinpoint exactly what type of game you are gearing up to play here. Mario Kart competitor it is not. Relentlessly addictive fun from the get go though? You bet!

Now the concept of Air Rides, isn’t a new one. The series original released on the GameCube back in 2003, titled the rather catchy Kirby Air Ride. It was reviewed rather mediocrely, but has since found a bit of a cult following (and will set you back a cool £220 from CEX if you wanted to (re)live the experience).

It’s also not a game I’ve ever played so I absolutely came into this review without any preconceptions or ideas around what to expect. From the offset it really does look like a sky based version of Mario Kart. It has a bright and vibrant colour palette with whimsical and cute characters across the board. However in many ways it just really isn’t a kart based racing game. It blends so many elements of games from my past into one package.

Story wise it’s a little thin, but i’ll try to summarise. On the Planet Popstar, a kind of celestial event takes place and 1000’s of propelled vehicles descend to the planets surface. It’s all a bit Matrix like in the backstory and the planets inhabitants realise that they can hop onto these machines and have them propel forward automatically. They are quickly adopted as a mode of transport and competition by the world, as well as Kirby and the gang. It rapidly becomes a way of life for all, until, you guessed it, something strange happens.

From the get-go it feels incredibly nostalgic. You launch straight into an opening cutscene every time the game is launched, with the bright and bold theme song blasting into your eardrums like a crescendo of classic Nintendo fuelled endorphins. From there you are met with several game modes, with each really delivering a different experience that draws from multiple gaming styles.

Air Ride

The first mode you are likely to dive into from the outset is Air Ride. This is the most Kart like experience in the game, where up to 6 riders, (4 Local, 6 Online) compete to cross the finish line first. The races take place across the sky, land and sea and with 18 courses in total there’s a lot to explore. The real difference to your more classic karting experience is air rides will propel themselves forward automatically.

The players role is more centred on directing, but also utilising speed boosts and attack manoeuvres to boost their chances to climb the podium. It’s intense high octane fun, and at times I felt like I truly lost track of what was going on. The only way you can steer off course is if you end up getting spun around in the wrong direction. Otherwise you are relentlessly pushing forward at all times.

When holding down the B button you are frozen in that moment to generate a speed boost. It does require careful timing and practice to ensure the benefits of charging this up is worth grinding your machine to a halt for those few seconds. This is especially important for sharp cornering, in a similar fashion to drifting in Mario Kart but more difficult to master.

Top Ride

Top Ride is a little more streamlined. It provides a top down view of the course, and allows up to 8 players to compete at a time. It reminds me of the classic Micro Machines games I used to play on Playstation, with a zoomed out view of the course. It’s more focused on tactics, and power ups are essential in your quest to win the race, as you will whip around the track far quicker. Simple harmless fun, but lacks the energy and depth of the Air Ride experience.

City Trial

City Trial is best described as a Battle Royale in vehicles. Up to 16 riders can compete across multiple challenges as they drive free around city scapes, collecting power ups and crashing into other competitors to damage their vehicles and steal their ride. It’s like a fusion of Super Smash Bros and Destruction Derby, and I’m here for it.

Road Trip

Here’s the big one, and my favourite game mode of them all. Road Trip is a roguelite mode that blends all aspects of City Trial, Air Ride and Top Ride into a story told across multiple stages. It incorporates level progression, vehicle improvements to speed, weight, handling and lots more. I’ve sunk many hours into Road Trip and am now working through new game+. It’s fun to have the variety to select one of three game options each time as you progress your way through multiple intervals across 11 stages. The story will take around 3-4 hours to complete.

Each stage ends with a cutscene that propels the story forward as we begin to unravel what is happening to the Air Rides. There is classic good vs evil at work here. You are also met with several boss battles to cap off each stage with a final epic boss battle to finish the tale. Super fun, and that final boss is Ganandorf tier!

Rewards Galore

In traditional Kirby style, there is a reward for everything… and I mean EVERYTHING. This does give you a little boost so frequently throughout the game that it keeps you hooked. Several very late nights so far have seen me trapped in the… one more race headspace. This can only be a good thing when I look back on my experience with Kirby Air Riders. It’s packed full of delights. Loads of fun characters (Rick is my all time favourite). The experience is high octane, relentless and over stimulating.

Lastly it’s a wonderful experience shared and I know this Christmas we are going to have a lot of fun as a family diving in and racing together. It’s not enough to usurp Mario Kart World, but then I don’t think it ever intended to. What it is in its own right, is a wonderfully fun game that I will keep playing for many hours more, both alone and as a shared experience. An absolute must buy for Switch 2 owners!

Rapid Reviews Rating

4.5 out of 5

4.5

Kirby Air Riders is available now on the eShop