NintendoI got to play Kirby Air Riders on Switch 2 at Gamescom 2025, and it was pure chaos in the best way.
Kirby Air Riders is a full revival of the 2003 GameCube classic, directed once again by Masahiro Sakurai more than 20 years after the original.
Nintendo has been positioning the Switch 2 as a home for big multiplayer titles, and bringing back Kirby’s high-speed racer now is certainly a statement of intent. Fans have been asking for a sequel or remake for years, and with online play for up to 16 players, they hope this will deliver.
City Trial returns as the centerpiece, an expanded open arena where up to 16 players race across the track on floating platforms, collect power-ups, trigger random events, and then face off in stadium challenges. The mix of free roaming and structured finales creates a constant loop that keeps the session moving.
Speaking of moving, Kirby’s machine moves forward automatically, leaving you to steer, drift, boost, and unleash specials at the right moment. Power-ups change how your vehicle handles, and Copy Abilities let you absorb new skills on the fly, giving races a sense of improvisation. You won’t pick it all up immediately, but with some time, there is depth as you start stacking upgrades and chaining moves.
The visuals were bright and smooth on Switch 2 hardware, with colorful stages that popped. While it has that Mario Kart competitiveness, it leans more into party game chaos, with every round made different depending on the events and abilities in play.
Kirby Air Riders launches November 20, 2025, exclusively on Switch 2. Sakurai’s modern revival of the GameCube classic is a multiplayer title designed to stand alongside Nintendo’s biggest releases.
Whether it stands the test of time with more than just nostalgia will be the question, but it is a frantic, funny racer that could quickly become a Switch 2 staple.
