I adore Kirby Air Riders because it’s so strange. This surprising follow-up to a specialized, single-button GameCube racing takes a big step forward. The difference between Air Riders on the GameCube and Air Riders on the Switch 2 is so great that it’s like going directly from Smash 64 to Ultimate without any sequels. It is difficult to envision a greater implementation of this concept because of its vast array of diverse material, significant unlockables, extensive customization, and unparalleled attention to detail. The problem is that that formula just isn’t as powerful as Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros.
A control scheme that is sometimes too basic for its own good can only be pushed so far, and Air Riders occasionally encounters obstacles brought on by its own self-imposed constraints. However, if you embrace this unexpected comeback on its own terms and put up with its unusual handling and off-the-rails physics, you’ll discover an exciting, hectic action racing game with an almost unbelievable amount of activities.
In addition to a comparable number of playable riders with unique stats and Final Smash-like special moves, Air Riders features over 20 machines, each of which handles very differently. Characters from every period of Kirby’s history make up this fantastic lineup. The humorous Chef Kawasaki, who serves fiery curry that kills competitors, is my favorite. There aren’t many riders and machines available at first, but by playing any mode you choose, you can immediately start unlocking more.
Automatic acceleration gives machines a continuous sense of forward movement. It’s your responsibility to navigate, attack opponents and other riders, drift-boost around fast corners, and glide off ramps to fly in the air. All of this is accomplished using the left stick and a single button that charges your boost while applying the brakes. (In contrast to the original, Air Riders added a second button, although its primary function is to initiate your special attack.) It takes a while to get used to this. At first, it doesn’t feel natural to skid around curves on a floaty machine, and many vehicles’ peculiarities—such as the Swerve Star’s restriction to turning only while braking—ask even more of you.
However, I adore how remarkably unique these ideas and simple controls are; nothing compares to the two Air Ride games, and learning the nuances of each machine is actually a lot of fun. All of the machines appear feasible in some form, even though some feel a little overpowered. For example, the fast Chariots that can easily round turns will probably be a very popular choice online. For example, the Jet Star is slow on the ground but accelerates rapidly when it lifts off, making you mentally bookmark the optimum places to breathe. This feels very different from Mario Kart, but in the same way, Mario Kart is much simpler for beginners to learn and play.
If you’re inviting friends to try out Air Riders for the first time, be prepared for a similar level of onboarding as teaching someone a new board game, unless they’re content to speed down the course like it’s a bowling lane with bumpers. In-depth lessons that go over everything in great detail are included.
Thanks to a surprising amount of legacy talent from playing a lot of the first game as a child, I quickly got adjusted to the controls and fell in love with how this sequel fully realized the promise of the original.
Air Ride, the classic racing mode with tense six-player races (the smaller number keeps the pandemonium somewhat in check) over an amazing assortment of eighteen courses—nine new and nine returning—is where this upgrade is most obvious. The racing in the first game frequently felt like it was playing itself with little involvement, which is a popular complaint (which I agree with). There are many additional factors to take into account in Air Riders that raise its skill ceiling to a reasonable level, even though it is still true that your machine may stumble to a conclusion without your intervention.
The skill ceiling can be raised to a reasonable level by taking into account additional factors when racing.
To improve your top speed, you need stay as close to your rivals’ racing line as possible because they leave a trail of stars in front of you. Because each kill increases your speed somewhat and charges your special meter, it’s crucial to defeat adversaries by inhaling them, employing copy ability attacks, or quickly rotating your machine. The small details, such as landing precisely parallel to the ground to increase your speed on each jump, are also important to consider. I felt incredibly engaged in while keeping track of the fast-paced action and repeatedly hitting A because some of these mechanics were improved from the original Air Ride.
All of this is enhanced by some amazing track design. With amazing visual effects, upbeat music, and a ton of branching paths that play to the strengths of various machines—such as a roadway up high that can only be reached by a vehicle with exceptional gliding capabilities—each new course seems like a rollercoaster ride. There isn’t exactly a poor entry in the schedule, but my favorite course is Mount Amberfalls, a downhill race with switchback turns through a stunning forest vibrant with fall hues. Even though the returning courses are much simpler, old fans still find them entertaining.
In other places, Top Ride offers top-down, bite-sized races on miniature courses modeled after the larger tracks, taking the action to an aerial perspective. This straightforward mode feels like it’s only here out of obligation to the original, and it wears down very quickly. To be fair, you can bring in any machine you want, so it’s more complex than it was in the past, but it still plays like a scaled-down, zoomed-out version of the usual races, which is what I’d want to do. It’s the poorest aspect of Air Riders and merely serves as a brief diversion from the more alluring modes, but it’s not horrible and if you liked it in the original, you’ll probably like it even more here.
The final major feature is City Trial, the beloved battle mode in which up to 16 riders enter an open city map and spend five minutes creating the most powerful machines they can. Everyone competes to win a minigame using that special machine when the allotted time has passed. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS is similar to Smash Run, which was greatly influenced by Air Ride’s City Trial. (Time is a circle that is flat.)
The centerpiece of this bundle is still City Trial, more than 20 years later. It’s a lot of fun to ride around the new Skyah area, hunt for stat boosts and a stronger machine, fight any opponents you come across, and cope with the unpredictable events that happen. Playing just one more game with friends is also quite simple.
It keeps things interesting by adding dozens of possible field events to each game, such as unexpected boss confrontations with well-known Kirby foes like Kracko and Dyna Blade, energy tanks that run at maximum capacity for a brief period of time, or a dense fog that envelops the entire city. Skyah’s environment also varies slightly: its forest area changes with the seasons, warp gates can be found in various locations, and if you’re lucky, distant islands full of power-ups will show up, providing you a significant advantage if you can construct a glider strong enough to reach them.
Verdict
It keeps things interesting by adding dozens of possible field events to each game, such as unexpected boss confrontations with well-known Kirby foes like Kracko and Dyna Blade, energy tanks that run at maximum capacity for a brief period of time, or a dense fog that envelops the entire city. Skyah’s environment also varies slightly: its forest area changes with the seasons, warp gates can be found in various locations, and if you’re lucky, distant islands full of power-ups will show up, providing you a significant advantage if you can construct a glider strong enough to reach them.
At times, Air Riders simply can’t resist adhering a bit too closely to its original design, which makes it less accessible to pick up and play than Mario Kart and less technically satisfying or competitively viable than a fighting game like Super Smash Bros. However, if you’re ready to go along for the ride, you’ll be in for a crazy action racing game with lots of things to do on your own as well as a lot of fun with others.
