Gaming Influence: Thoughts - Kirby Air Riders Direct 8.19.2025

Hello everyone, 

Welcome to Gaming Influence, a reboot of the same name I created in WrestleCorp. However, I will not only share my thoughts on certain video games and video game series, but also on video game movies, anime, digital presentations, and more.

For this edition of Gaming Influence, I'll share my thoughts on the Kirby Air Riders Direct on August 19, 2025.

Anyway, let's get started!

For those unfamiliar with the Kirby Air Ride series, it's a racing game series developed by HAL Laboratory and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo. Kirby Air Riders is the sequel to Kirby Air Ride, which was released on GameCube in 2003.

With this game coming out this year, did Nintendo do enough to satisfy the Kirby Air Ride fans as well as players who have never played the series before? Let's find out and discuss what they've shown.

They first start off with the director of Kirby Air Riders, Masahiro Sakurai, introducing himself and the history of the Kirby Air Ride series, as this is the sequel to the first game, that first released on GameCube in 2003. He then mentioned that the reason why the game is called Kirby Air Riders as you can pick among multiple riders within the game. It's always great to see Masahiro Sakurai talk about his game development, and he looks to expand upon the series with Kirby Air Riders, which is awesome. Nice to see that Masahiro Sakurai is back on screen again after a year.

Rider Collection

There are going to be multiple riders that are playable within Kirby Air Riders. Those riders include Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight, Bandana Waddle Dee, and Chef Kawasaki. Masahuro Sakurai then mentioned that even though King Dedede and Meta Knight were playable in Kirby Air Ride, they were not riders, but in Kirby Air Riders, they are. 

Nice to see that there will be multiple riders in Kirby Air Riders than just multiple different colors of Kirby. It's great to see that Bandana Waddle Dee and Chef Kawasaki are added to the game as riders. I'm curious to see what other riders they'll add to the game itself.

How We Got Here

Masahiro Sakurai then discussed how Kirby Air Riders came to be, as he mentioned that both Shinya Takahashi, Nintendo Corporate Director, and Satoshi Mitsuhara, Former President of HAL Laboratory, wanted a new Kirby Air Ride game. While he was working on the DLC for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, that is when he wrote a proposal for the game, and that's how it came to be. He then mentioned that the game is developed by Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco, the same team that developed Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Awesome to see that Nintendo and HAL wanted a new Kirby Air Ride game, and that's how it came to be, as it's been twenty-two years since the last one, which is insane. Not only that, it looks like Masahiro Sakurai and Bandai Namco are working together again for Kirby Air Riders, which is awesome. When those two work together, greatness comes, and I love it.

Overview

Masahiro Sakurai went over what Kirby Air Ride is before mentioning that it's basically like Mario Kart, but with Kirby characters. Despite that, Nintendo gave him the go-ahead to develop the game. He then showed us gameplay of the game, as it's basically Kirby Air Ride with updated graphics. 

Man, this game looks beautiful and is a huge step up from Kirby Air Ride as well. It looks to be fast and chaotic, but that's what I love about it. Plus, the fact that Masahiro Sakurai mentioned that Kirby Air Riders is more than just the races makes me believe that City Trail has returned, but we'll get to that later. 

How to Ride

Similar to Kirby Air Ride, you have machines and riders to choose from, but this time, players have extra riders to play with, unlike Kirby Air Ride, which only had Kirby. Masahiro Sakurai then went on to discuss how the game plays, as when the rider is accelerating, it's automatic, and the only thing the player needs to do is move the left analog stick left to right to change directions. Also, just like in Kirby Air Ride, only one button is used to play the game, and that's the B button, where you can use it to Boost Charge. You can also use it to drift if you turn the left analog stick to the left or right. When gliding, players can tilt the direction that the machine is going in, up for going down, and down for going up. Masahiro Sakurai also mentioned that you have to land perfectly to gain a speed boost when gliding down to the ground.

It looks like the traditional way of playing Kirby Air Ride hasn't changed with Kirby Air Riders, and that's great to see. Despite only using one button to do everything, it's very convenient for non-gamers to get into the game, which is much appreciated. It's simple, but skill and technique are required to make the best out of it. 

Special

Masahiro Sakurai disappointedly said that in order to increase the game's depth, he had to use another button for specials. In order to use a special, the special gauge needs to be full, and once it's full, press the Y button to unleash the special. The special can either be an attack or a speed boost, depending on the rider.

Well, I spoke too soon when it comes to only using one button, but hey, at least it's only one extra button, which isn't bad. Plus, specials in this game are going to be awesome as they'll create fun and chaos among players. I'm all for this.

Special Collection

Kirby has Ultra Sword, which basically attacks riders on the front side. King Dedede has Jet Hammer, which he uses to increase speed. Meta Knight has Night Wing, which will increase his speed. Bandana Waddle Dee has Spear Cyclone as he uses his spear as his shield as well to hover above the air as a propeller. Chef Kawasaki has Superspicy Cooking, which burns players in sight. Cappy has Booster Cap, which basically increases his speed. Kirby can also use Burn, Snow Ball, and Crash as specials. He then introduced Cappy as a brand-new rider to the game.

I like how Masahiro Sakurai just casually showcased Cappy, but awesome to see him in the game. Really liking all of the specials that the riders have so far. As usual, Kirby gets multiple specials due to his being the main character, as expected. However, glad to see that all the riders have their own specials, which make them stand out.

Lessons

Masahiro Sakurai then went over lessons, which are basically the tutorial of the game. He recommended that players who are new to the series take lessons to get a good grasp of how the game plays. Once they pass the lessons, then they're ready for the main game.

Nice to see Masahiro Sakurai having these tutorials for newcomers to try out. The basics are always important when it comes to any video game, so having lessons on these is great. Hope it helps a lot of newcomers to get into the game.

Machines

Masahiro Sakurai then went over the machines within Kirby Air Riders. Those include Warp Star, Winged Star, Wagon Star, Wheelie Bike, Shadow Star, Paper Star, Bulk Star, and Swerve Star. Each machine has its own special attribute, whether it's for speed, gliding, or durability. In Kirby Air Ride, there were only two types of machines, but now, in Kirby Air Riders, there are multiple to choose from. Other machines in the game include Chariot and Tank Star. Machines can get damaged, and when they do, it'll give a small speed boost.

Nice to see that there will be a variety of machines that players can use in Kirby Air Riders compared to Kirby Air Ride, which is nice. I'm very curious to see if there'll be any unlockable machines in the game, but we'll have to wait and see. Either way, loving the machines we saw thus far with their own attributes.

Riders

Masahiro Sakurai mentioned previously that even though King Dedede and Meta Knight were playable in Kirby Air Ride, you couldn't pick their machines, but in Kirby Air Riders, they can. He then introduced more riders in the game, including Magolor, Gooey, Waddle Doo, Knuckle Joe, and Susie. He then mentioned that every rider has a weight difference, and that will impact the machine on its attributes. He also said that when playing in Air Ride Mode, players will pick the course first before picking their rider and machine. He then mentioned that Kirby is well known for his Copy Abilities, which isn't fair for other players, but decided to do it for every rider in the game.

Nice to see the new riders in the game, as there's a lot more than I expected, which is great to see. Similar to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, players pick the course first before choosing everything else, which will definitely have a lot of strategy going into each race. Also, the fact that Masahiro Sakurai and his team have to give every rider the Copy Ability is insane. Props to him and his team for doing that, even though that's a lot of work.

Copy Ability Collection

There are many copy abilities that riders can use within the game, which include Fire, Sword, Bomb, Wheel, Mike, Cutter, Jet, Steel Ball, and Plasma. Originally, in Kirby Air Ride, players would have to rapidly move the left analog stick left and right to charge it up, but in Kirby Air Riders, it automatically charges up, and you press the B button to unleash the Plasma. Copy abilities can be obtained by defeating enemies in the race itself. When an enemy doesn't have a Copy Ability, they can be used as a projectile to attack other players. Players can also defeat enemies to gain a speed boost, as well as use them to defeat other enemies in the race. Masahiro Sakurai then introduced a new rider in Starman, as anyone in the Kirby series can be in the game.

I love the variety of copy abilities that were showcased in the game, as there are returning ones and new ones as well, which is nice. Also, again, Masahiro Sakurai is just casually dropping another rider in the game just like that. Either way, I continue to love what I'm seeing so far, and I'm curious to see what else is there.

Air Ride 

Masahiro Sakurai then talked about Air Ride mode, or racing mode, which is the main mode of the game. As expected, players will race in a course and whoever gets to the finish line first wins. Six players can play in a race. He then showed a demonstration of Air Ride mode. 

Despite it being a typical racing mode, it still looks great, and seeing Masahiro Sakurai being happy when playing it is a sight to watch. This is probably the mode that I won't play the most, but will play regardless, as I do enjoy my regular races in racing games. 

Air Ride Course Collection

There will be many air ride courses in the game, including Floria Fields, Cavernous Corners, Cyberion Highway, and Mount Amberfalls. Masahiro Sakurai then introduced a technique in Kirby Air Riders called Star Slide, where players can gather stars within a course to attack other players and gain a speed boost. He then mentioned that when crossing a finish line online, they'll automatically enter another race while waiting for others to finish.

Man, love the variety of different courses within Air Ride mode as they all look beautiful and unique in their own way. I'm curious to see the other courses within Air Ride mode. Also, the Sar Slide technique will definitely be useful when it comes to racing. In addition, going to another race online without waiting for other players to finish is awesome, as it keeps the momentum going. Love it.

Machine Collection

There are a lot more machines in this game, including Turbo Star, Slick Star, Rocket Star, Rex Wheelie, and Battle Chariot. Masahiro Sakurai also mentioned that in Air Ride Mode, players can change the rules when racing, whether it's speed, the number of laps, etc. 

It's always great to see more machines, as it'll make races a lot more interesting. In addition, nice to see that players can change the rules of the races if they want to, to fit their preferences. More options are always great.

City Trail

Masahiro Sakurai then introduced City Trail, a mode returning from Kirby Air Ride. In Kirby Air Ride, the map takes place in a sandbox city. In Kirby Air Riders, the map will still be a sandbox, but it takes place on a floating island called Skyah. 

Yes! City Trail has returned, baby! Been wanting this for a long time and glad that it's happening in this day and age. Very curious to see if Masahirao Sakurai added any new features to this mode, or just remains the same like in Kirny Air Ride. I'll talk about that soon enough.

Skyah Highlights Collection

Skyah will have different areas for players to race around, including the Flower Field, Urban District, Plaza, Caves, Subway Station, Forest, Colosseum, Underground Mall, Sea, etc. Masahiro Sakurai then explained the concept of City Trail, where players will drive around to swap machines as well as collect power-ups within 5 minutes. Once the time limit expires, players will compete against each other in a stadium with the machine and power-ups they collected, and whoever wins that stadium challenge wins the City Trail. He then mentioned that in Kirby Air Ride, only 4 players can play City Trail, but with Kirby Air Riders, up to 16 players can play this mode. This mode can be played online or locally, but locally, only 8 human players can play; however, you can add 8 CPUs to get 16. 

Dang, Skyah is a lot bigger than I expected, but with adding more players to this mode, it's expected. This is what I've been waiting to see and play for the past two decades, and we're getting it with Kirby Air Riders. This is definitely the main mode for this game, and I can't wait to play it myself.

Skyah

Masahiro Sakurai then talked about how City Trail starts, as it starts by the player selecting their rider first. Once they do that, the game begins, where players will start with a Compact Star and will have to swap their Compact Star with another machine. Players can swap machines by either dismounting or pressing the Y button to instantly swap to another machine when they make contact with it, as it'll be useful when your machine is about to break. Players will then collect power-ups throughout the map, and these power-ups include speed, glide, weight, offense, defense, boost, etc. These power-ups can be found in boxes as well, and to break them, you have to use quick spin by rapidly moving the left analog stick left to right. Machines can break in this mode, and once they break, the player can roam around, but it's recommended to get another machine as soon as possible. He then introduced two events that will happen during City Trail, which include the Short Race and the Dustup Derby. A portal will appear when an event occurs, and it's up to the player whether they want to participate in the event or not. In Short Race, players will race each other in a certain section with Skyah, and whoever wins gets more power-ups. In Dustup Derby, players will battle each other, and whoever wins gets the most power-ups. Bosses will appear in City Trail as well, which makes the mode a lot more interesting.

Man, they're adding so much more to City Trail than I expected, especially with this new map. City Trail is still the City Trail we love back on Kirby Air Ride, and it looks to be better in Kirby Air Riders. This is going to be the mode to play in when getting this game for sure.

City Trail Field Event Collection

There will be field events that'll be happening in City Trail, which include Dyna Blade appearing, meteors falling, secret rooms opening, unidentified pillars appearing, items getting bigger, Kracko appearing, portals appearing, etc. 

Nice to see that there will be different field events happening in this mode to make things a lot more interesting and exciting. It makes me wonder if there will be other field events within this mode besides the ones they've shown. I guess we'll find out once we play the mode ourselves.

Stadium

Masahiro Sakurai then went over the stadiums where players will compete once the time limit is up in City Trail. The following stadiums in City Trail include Kirby Melee, Air Glider, Drag Race, Target Flight, Dustup Derby, Skydive, and Gourmet Race. There will be four stadiums that players can choose from, depending on the machines available to everyone. Players can then pick which stadium they want to attend. Masahiro Sakurai then demonstrated how City Trail works in the game. He then mentioned that when collecting items in the game, they can be reserved to be used later. Also, there are times when stadiums will be chosen at random without players getting the right to choose. In addition, if a player enters a stadium where no one is in, they automatically win that stadium. Just like in Air Ride mode, once players finish a game of City Trail, they can jump into the next one without waiting. Finally, when there are three players or fewer in City Trail, the pick of the Stadium will be at random. 

The number of stadiums that players can play within City Trail is awesome. Love the variety that it has, and I love how Masahiro Sakurai made it easier for newcomers to get an idea of which stadium to pick with the machine they have, with the recommendations. This is everything that I hope for with City Trail, and it looks to be amazing, so thank you, Masahiro Sakurai!

Main Theme

There is a main theme within Kirby Air Riders, and it's titled Starlit Journey. There's a Japanese and English version of the song, and you can listen to these songs as well as a few others within the game itself using Nintendo Music as it's available now.

Oh wow, there's actually a song within Kirby Air Riders that has vocals, and it's awesome. Loving that Masahiro Sakurai is actually promoting Nintendo Music by adding a few songs from Kirby Air Riders on the app. Loving the music within the game so far, and I'm curious to listen to the rest of the soundtrack once the game is released.

Closing

Masahiro Sakurai then closed the presentation he thanking the viewers for watching and that there'll be more details of the game right before the game's release. We then see one final trailer for the game as well as a tease for a new rider in Kirby Air Riders. We then see a release date for the game, which comes out on November 20, 2025.

My goodness. Masahiro Sakurai is definitely going out with this game, as it's everything that I wanted in a sequel to Kirby Air Ride. The amount of content that he put into this game is insane, and I'm so happy that we got City Trail back. Very curious to see about that new rider, and the fact that this game is a holiday game is very nice. This game is going to be great, and I can't wait to experience this game myself once it's released.

Overall, this was a great presentation from Nintendo. Masahiro Sakurai pretty much sold this game pretty well in my opinion, as he showed gameplay and went into detail on the modes within he game as well. I can definitely tell that Masahiro Sakurai put a lot of heart into this game, and it showed within this presentation. I'm definitely excited about playing City Trail mode, and I can't wait to see what else Masahiro Sakurai has in store for us when it comes to Kirby Air Riders, which will be released in three months.

You can catch the whole presentation of the Kirby Air Riders Direct yourself with the link below:

Those are my thoughts on the Kirby Air Riders Direct. Did this presentation convince you to purchase the game?

Let me know in the comments below, and thank you for reading.