Kirby Air Riders lands on Switch 2 Nov. 20 — second button, massive roster and City Trial for 16 players
Kirby Air Riders, the long-anticipated sequel to the GameCube racer Kirby Air Ride, will arrive on Switch 2 on Nov. 20, Nintendo confirmed during a special Nintendo Direct. Game director Masahiro Sakurai walked viewers through new mechanics, a bigger roster, fresh machines, and the return of City Trial.
- Release date and platform confirmed.
- New controls and character-specific special moves, including a second button.
- Expanded playable cast and new ride types such as the Swerve Star.
- City Trial returns as a much larger sandbox with online and local multiplayer.
Release date and where to play
The game is scheduled for release on Nov. 20 for Switch 2. Nintendo announced the date during a focused Nintendo Direct presentation led by Masahiro Sakurai.
Controls and new mechanics
Sakurai confirmed the sequel adds more depth to the controls. He said, “We’ve added a second button,” and also said, “Unfortunately. This is to expand the game’s depth.” The original Kirby Air Ride required only one button, but the new game introduces character-specific special moves. For example, Kirby’s special move is a frantic sword slash.
Playable cast and abilities
The playable roster is much larger than the original. Alongside Kirby, confirmed characters include King Dedede, Meta Knight, Chef Kawasaki, Bandana Waddle Dee, Cappy, Magolor, Gooey, Waddle Doo, Knuckle Joe, Susie, and Starman. Additionally, every character can mimic Kirby’s copy ability to keep things balanced.
Machines and movement
There’s also a long list of new machines for characters to ride. Some are straightforward, and some are unusual. Notably, the Swerve Star uses a stop-start technique that lets the rider move at high speed and sharp angles, changing how races can be approached.
City Trial is back — bigger and online
The fan-favorite City Trial mode returns. The sandbox remains a self-contained map, but it is now much larger and broken into subdivisions. Players can sprint through the sandbox to collect power-ups and then face off in a Stadium.
Multiplayer limits
City Trial supports up to 16 players online and up to 8 players in local wireless, expanding how many friends can join a single match compared with the past.
What we saw and what’s next
Sakurai’s Direct provided a deep dive into the new systems and ended with a short teaser. Nintendo says there’s still more to come. For now, the release date of Nov. 20 gives players about three months to wait before they can try the new mechanics and modes for themselves.
