Nintendo Direct goes live again this morning, and it’s all about the new Kirby Air Riders. As was officially announced earlier this week, Nintendo will livestream its next Direct presentation very soon on its official channels to give us another particularly lengthy look at the new Kirby racing title.
Nintendo Direct goes live again today
Nintendo finally gave us a proper look at the new Kirby Air Riders this past summer with quite an in-depth 45-minute look at what seemed like just about everything the game had to offer and then some – the playable Riders, new control scheme, a sort of battle mode, the City Trial mode, some mini games, and a whole lot more.
However, it apparently has more to say about it…a whole lot more in fact. Today’s Nintendo Direct is expected to run for roughly 60 minutes – that’s a long Direct, and a very long one for a single game that just had its own 45-minute livestream not more than a couple months ago now.
What exactly Nintendo and creator Mr. Sakurai have to say about the game for another hour is unclear. I mean that seems like a very long time even if it is just mostly gameplay and we already got a detailed demonstration on loads of aspects of the game. But this is Sakurai after all, so who knows.
We already have the November 11, 2025 release date on Switch 2 and what we thought was loads of details on just about every aspect of the experience, so what will be on tap here today? We are expecting a ton of gameplay, but there’s got to be more to this show than just that. Are they just going to tell us everything again, maybe introduce some new Riders? I’m hoping for something special here, some special edition hardware, maybe even a complete Switch 2 package with a special edition console for the holidays, and a themed Switch 2 Kirby Pro Controller perhaps. You would think Nintendo might save all of that for the Metroid Prime 4 launch, but you never know.
Today’s Nintendo Direct starts at 6 a.m. PT/9 a.m. ET and you watch it along with us down below:
Join us on Oct. 23 at 6 a.m. PT for a second Kirby Air Riders Direct with director Mr. Sakurai. The livestreamed presentation will last roughly 60 minutes and feature more info on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 game.
Updating…
Here are all of the official details courtesy of Nintendo from today’s presentaion:
Headlining the presentation were the introduction of the story-driven Road Trip mode and the return of Top Ride, a mode originally introduced in the 2003 Nintendo GameCube game Kirby Air Ride. These game modes are just some of the features highlighted in this presentation, with Mr. Sakurai revealing how Kirby Air Riders expands its gameplay experience on Nintendo Switch 2 – including introducing a large roster of riders, the return of legendary machines, customizable features, online1 play and more. It’s time to get ready for a whole new level of fast-paced action.
And as for the new features and details covered in the presentation, here’s what Mr. Sakurai revealed about what you can expect when the game lands:
- Top Ride: A game mode originally introduced in Kirby Air Ride, Top Ride is all about racing from a top-down perspective and includes courses inspired by those available in Air Ride mode. Just as in other game modes, you can choose your riders and machines separately. You can also use Quick Spins and Boost Charges, plus Copy Abilities such as Flash, which causes the rider to surge forward with electricity – rivals that are hit will be in for a shocking surprise! There are also items exclusive to Top Ride to help you gain even more of an advantage over your opponents, including Kaboomb, Drift Flames, Drill Driver and more! Top Ride can be played online with up to eight players, or offline with other three players2 on a single system and four CPUs.
- Road Trip: In today’s presentation, Mr. Sakurai introduced a new mode called Road Trip. Hit the road and complete different challenges from Air Ride, City Trial and Top Ride including races, battles, and Field Events – all the while collecting machines and items you can use between challenges. But this is no random Road Trip. There is a story behind why Kirby, King Dedede, Bandana Waddle Dee, Starman and other riders are embarking on this journey, and it’s hinted at during the presentation …
- Paddock: In Kirby Air Riders, there is a new way for friends to gather for online play in the paddock3. Acting like a lobby, this area lets players move around as a rider and set up matches, interact with friends and pick and choose which mode they’d like to play. It’s even possible for several matches to be happening within a single paddock. Players can also change the music. You can also send emotes, and work on character poses using the control sticks in combination.
- Swap Relay: The presentation dove deeper into Air Ride mode, introducing a new type of race called Swap Relay. Here, you’ll select a machine for each individual lap and automatically swap machines as you complete laps. Find the right combos and experiment with different pairings of rider and machine. You can even relay with other players locally by handing off the controller like a baton!
- Transform Star: The Transform Star is both a star type flying machine and a bike type driving machine and is one of the new machines being introduced in Kirby Air Riders! By rapidly moving the Left Stick you can swap between both types to keep your opponents on their toes.
- Checklist: The Checklist3 from Kirby Air Ride is back as well. As you clear certain objectives, a Checklist box gets flipped over. The more you achieve, the more unlockable content you can access. There are five Checklist tabs, representing Air Ride, Top Ride, City Trial, Road Trip and Online. Clicking on an unopened box which is next to opened box will take you right to that objective, all set up and ready to play. Rest assured that there are no riders or machines locked behind the Online tab, so completing that tab is not required. You can jump in immediately and start filling up your Checklist.
- amiibo: The presentation revealed more of the Kirby Air Riders amiibo figures4, which are significantly larger than typical amiibo. Mr. Sakurai showcased Meta Knight & Shadow Star, King Dedede & Tank Star and Chef Kawasaki & Hop Star. They, too, can swap riders and machines! Each rider, including those revealed in the three new two-part amiibo packs, is attached magnetically to their machine, and you can swap them out with other Kirby Air Riders amiibo, with the new combo appearing in the game as well! You will also be able to train up your amiibo Figure Player and increase their experience levels. The amiibo will launch on:
- Meta Knight & Shadow Star: March 5, 2026
- King Dedede & Tank Star: 2026
- Chef Kawasaki & Hop Star: 2026
- And So Much More: The presentation confirmed the return of all nine Air Ride courses from the original game, from Fantasy Meadows to Nebula Belt, bringing the total number of courses to 18. The presentation later offered details on a new City Trial power-up item called the Mega Cannon. It also covered Stadiums, as well as boss battles which teased the debut of a boss battle exclusive opponent called Robo Dedede – a boss who can transform between Dedede mode and Car mode! There are also returning Copy Abilities and even ways to collect and rebuild the legendary machines Dragoon and Hydra!
Want to experience Kirby Air Riders ahead of its launch? Nintendo Switch Online members can get hands-on with the game in the Kirby Air Riders: Global Test Ride event. The online demo event will take place on Nov. 8-9 and Nov. 15-16, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.
- Nov. 8, 12:00 am – 6:00 am PT
- Nov. 8, 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm PT
- Nov. 9, 7:00 am – 1:00 pm PT
- Nov. 15, 12:00 am – 6:00 am PT
- Nov. 15, 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm PT
- Nov. 16, 7:00 am – 1:00 pm PT
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