Top Ride Is Back in Kirby Air Riders, and Road Trip Is New

During the Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Direct 2, Masahiro Sakurai announced some of the additional features in the game like a returning Top Ride racing mode and new Road Trip mode that combines Air Ride, Top Ride, and City Trial. He also confirmed original Kirby Air Ride Courses will return and the game, for 19 total, and the game will be compatible with the GameCube controller. Swap Relay will also appear as a type of race where you use a different Machine with your rider for each lap or use it like a relay where another player controls it for each lap. A Kirby Air Riders Global Test Ride online demo is also planned.

Much of the early part fo the hour long presentation went over Top Ride in Kirby Air Riders. We can choose our character and their vehicle before going into a race, with up to eight people able to take part in each one. Free Controls and Steer Controls are options, with the controls inspired by Air Ride in Top Ride. The tracks are wider, and each person’s Switch 2 shows where they are on the track. Items can also be collected while you race, like Drift Flames fire or a Kaboom bomb. Like Air Ride and City Trials, it can be played online.

In Road Trip, you pick a character, then go on a journey in Kirby Air Riders. You then take on challenges, like selecting a rival and then trying to beat them in certain situations. Items can be picked up, as can machines. It will also be possible to encounter different characters there. 

Other details came up in the Kirby Air Riders Direct 2. There’s an 8v8 Team Battle option for City Trial, for example. Legendary Machines return for that mode. When playing online, there is a hub area where you can watch matches or listen to music between rounds. Daroach, Lololo & Lalala, Marx, Rick, Rocky, Scarfy, Taranza, and Waddle Dee are confirmed to be playable characters too, though some secret ones won’t be revealed ahead of launch. There will also be a Transform Star machine that can shift between star and bike forms if you Quick Spin. Air Ride and Top Ride both also have Time Attack and Free Run modes. City Trial also has a Free Run mode for exploring Skyah, which includes an underground parking lot with all the Machines to try. City Trial Field Events also appeared. Stadiums can be played outside of City Trial too, and one type will be a VS Boss stadium inspired by VS King Dedede. 

As for the Kirby Air Riders Global Test Ride online demo, here are the dates and times:

November 8, 2025: 12am-6am PT/3am-9am ET November 8, 2025: 4pm-10pm PT/7pm-1am ET November 9, 2025: 7am-1pm PT/10am-4pm ET November 15, 2025: 12am-6am PT/3am-9am ET November 15, 2025: 4pm-10pm PT/7pm-1am ET November 16, 2025: 7am-1pm PT/10am-4pm ET

Here’s the full Kirby Air Riders Direct 2 looking at Top Ride and Road Trip modes and other features.

Kirby Air Riders will come to the Switch 2 on November 20, 2025. The original Kirby Air Ride game appeared on the GameCube. 

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