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Early Review Finds Kirby Air Riders Stylish but Shallow Ahead of Switch 2 Launch

The Switch 2 exclusive is positioned to recast Sakurai’s once-panned GameCube experiment.

Overview

  • Kirby Air Riders releases November 20 as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, following extensive pre-launch promotion.
  • ComicBook.com’s review awards a 3 out of 5, praising the music and presentation but finding limited mechanical depth and overly simple controls.
  • Air Ride races can feel flat with little rubberbanding, Top Ride stands out for its customization, and City Trial’s concluding mini-game is cited as the weakest part.
  • Single-player Road Trip largely repackages existing content and may not sustain solo play, and the reviewer did not evaluate online multiplayer during the review period.
  • Polygon notes the sequel could prompt a reassessment of 2003’s Kirby Air Ride, which holds a 61 on Metacritic after criticism of its one-button scheme and City Trial mode, with current goodwill for Sakurai and Kirby potentially shifting perceptions.