Guide: Kirby Air Riders Direct: Every Announcement
By Whew, what a whirlwind! Masahiro Sakurai just brought his exhaustive overview of Kirby Air Riders to a close in the newest focused Direct, and every second was overflowing with facts.
Sakurai blew the lid off everything from the full cast to the control scheme, so we’ve gathered the following summary so you can track every reveal at your own pace.
Hit the Boost Charge, folks—let’s rocket ahead…
Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Direct (August 2025) – The Full Presentation
If you somehow missed the actual broadcast, you’ll find the entire thing below. Honestly, a replay or three could be well worth your time.
Kirby Air Riders Direct – Rapid-Fire Recap
Next up: every announcement, delivered in order. First stop, the racers…
Racers
Gone are the slim pickings of old—Air Riders launches with a bustling lineup. The following names kept popping up, paired with signature stat sheets and skills. We’ve corralled them in one tidy list:
Quick note: dust off your Kirby lore; a few of these are real deep pulls.
- Kirby – Jack-of-all-trades, no glaring flaws
- King Dedede – Heavy hitter who brings the hammer down
- Meta Knight – Sword slashes straight through traffic
- Bandana Waddle Dee – Reliable jockey with quick Boost Charge and a trusty spear
- Chef Kawasaki – Snacks heal a bigger chunk of health
- Cappy – Its mushroom cap acts as a mobile shield
- Magolor – Speedier pickup after Star Slides plus spell-flinging charm
- Gooey – Lashes foes with his extendable tongue
- Waddle Doo – Blasts shots from that giant eye
- Knuckle Joe – Dishes out punch combos and an explosive charge-up
- Susie – Concealed propeller grants slick air control
- Starman – Seems right at home above the ground
Development Backdrop
Per Sakurai, Air Riders began rolling once Nintendo’s Shinya Takahashi and HAL’s Satoshi Mitsuhara personally nudged him to revive the series.
He also confirmed that Bandai Namco is steering the project’s day-to-day development.
Control Scheme
The Direct even found room for a control showcase. Vehicles throttle forward automatically and stick to a straight line, sparing your thumbs constant holding. The key inputs we were shown:
- B – Boost Charge
- Y – Use Character Special
- Left-stick up / down – Adjust gliding altitude
- Hold Y (City Trial) – Leap off your ride
Signature Attacks
New to the series: every racer wields an exclusive Special. These skills range from instant speed spikes to pinpoint strikes. Here’s the current list:
- Pink Kirby – Ultra Sword
- Red Kirby – Burn
- Yellow Kirby – Crash
- Blue Kirby – Snow Ball
- King Dedede – Jet Hammer
- Meta Knight – Night Wing
- Bandana Waddle Dee – Spear Cyclone
- Chef Kawasaki – Superspicy Cooking
- Cappy – Booster Cap
Training Zone
Feeling overwhelmed? Hop into the “Lessons” tab. Targeted walkthroughs split the controls and character quirks across five bite-sized categories: Basics, City Trial, Copy Abilities, and Advanced. They’re built to let you practice every trick first-hand.
Ride Arsenal
The vehicle (…or as the game insists, machine) garage is just as stacked as the character select. Each unit carries distinct strengths and quirks, and they’re open to any racer. Here’s the fleet so far:
- Warp Star – All-rounder without weak spots
- Winged Star – Sluggish on the ground, lightning in the sky
- Wagon Star – Trades Boost Charge for outstanding stats
- Wheelie Bike – Classic single-wheel racer
- Shadow Star – Boosted attack rating
- Paper Star – Lightning off the line, folds under pressure
- Bulk Star – Guzzles Burst Charges for power; armored frame
- Swerve Star – Only knows how to boost or brake
- Chariot – Tight cornering ace
- Tank Star – Charge-based dashes hit harder
- Turbo Star – Incredible top speed, slippery steering
- Slick Star – Ice-road levels of low traction
- Rocket Star – Explosive acceleration at full Boost
- Rex Wheelie – Sky-high top velocity if you can keep it
- Battle Chariot – Bulky juggernaut that flings rivals skyward
Copy Abilities
Sakurai confirmed that, for once, Kirby isn’t hogging the Copy ability spotlight—everyone can swipe a power-up on the track. Here’s every ability spotted thus far:
- Fire
- Sword
- Bomb
- Wheel
- Mike
- Cutter
- Jet
- Steel Ball
- Plasma
Air Ride Mode
Finally, the game modes. First in line: Air Ride. It’s your baseline race setting—six contenders lap a course as they boost, bash, and blaze past one another.
The options look plentiful, with toggles for destructible vehicles, slower velocities, lap counts and more. Sakurai even dished out a pro tip: use slipstream-style Star Slides for that extra burst to the finish line.
Below is a complete list of the tracks Sakurai showcased today:
- Floria Fields
- Cavernous Corners
- Cyberion Highway
- Mount Amberfalls
City Trial
Next up, the mode the entire fan base was itching to see: City Trial. That chaotic, do-it-yourself ride creator from Air Riders is back, looking every bit as hectic as we remember.
The segment introduced Skyah, a colossal airborne isle acting as the mode’s central playground. Much like the classic formula, you get five minutes to zip across the zone, mix-and-match rides, and scoop up stat boosts while events and hazards keep you on your toes. You’ll be rubbing shoulders with as many as fifteen other racers, all chasing the very same upgrades.
Once tinkering time is over, it’s straight to the Stadium lineup, where everyone votes on which trial will truly put their creation to the test. Each stadium carries a unique objective, so balance and adaptability are key.
Here are the Stadium minigames Sakurai pulled back the curtain on this time:
- Kirby Melee – Rack up the most knockouts before time’s up
- Air Glider – Blast off a ramp and coast for maximum distance
- Drag Race – Floor it and clock the quickest straight-line sprint
- Target Flight – Tag score-panel targets to pile on the points
- Dustup Derby – KO rivals as fast as possible inside the countdown
- Skydive – Plummet fast while smacking targets for a top score
- Gourmet Race – Gobble goodies to out-feast the competition
Music
The stream let us hear the main Kirby Air Riders anthem, titled “Starlit Journey,” for the very first time. As if that weren’t enough, Nintendo confirmed the track will slide into the Nintendo Music app later today, joined by a handful of other songs from Air Riders.
Release Date
After dragging us along on one thrilling ride after another, the presentation capped off with the launch-day reveal: Kirby Air Riders blasts onto Switch 2 on 20 November 2025.
Just before the curtain fell, we spied one last enigmatic racer—dark, shadowy, and totally teasing another future announcement.
Poll
Whew, that was an avalanche of info—dense, yet undeniably exciting. Say what you will, but Sakurai sure knows how to spotlight every last detail.
Sound off with your own verdict on the Kirby Air Riders Direct right here in our poll.