Nintendo has unveiled Kirby Air Riders in a new Direct presentation, following a brief trailer back in April. The game is set for release on 20th November this year on Switch 2.
The presentation was classic Masahiro Sakurai, creator of both the Kirby and Smash Bros. series. At 45 minutes long, it was an extensive look at what appears to be quite a simplistic racing game, bringing to mind those old Smash Bros. Ultimate character reveals spending forever detailing every move. And with a familiar structure and graphic design, it felt like an extension of the game design YouTube channel he’s been running the past few years.
“Why is making a game so hard?”, Sakurai amusingly questioned at the beginning of the Direct, later declaring “This game is quite fun!” while playing, as if surprised by his own handiwork.
As for the game itself, it’s a follow-up to Kirby Air Ride – a racing spin-off for the titular character that released on GameCube over 20 years ago – and sees players riding on magical stars around courses, sucking up enemies for special abilities, and speed boosting around colourful courses.
But no, it’s nothing like Mario Kart. Sakurai said so!
What makes the game different is the simplicity of the controls – just like the previous game, only one button is used. Acceleration is automatic, meaning the stick is used purely for steering, while a single button is used to brake before releasing for a speed boost – that’s how you drift around corners. Get close enough to enemies and the same button is used for sucking up their abilities and attacking them.