Kirby Air Riders confirmed for Nintendo Switch 2

After more than two decades, Kirby Air Ride is finally making its grand return with a brand-new entry titled Kirby Air Riders, set to launch on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025. The announcement was made during the Nintendo Direct today, with a cinematic reveal trailer showcasing colorful Kirbys and futuristic new vehicles.

While no actual gameplay was revealed, the biggest surprise came in the form of Masahiro Sakurai, the legendary creator of Kirby and Super Smash Bros., being confirmed as the project’s director.

Let's look deeper into it.

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The GameCube classic Kirby Air Riders returns with a new look in Nintendo Switch 2

For those unaware, Kirby Air Ride is a unique racing title that launched on the GameCube platform in 2003. Unlike other racing games, it featured an automatic acceleration system, meaning the player didn't need to press any button to travel forward - as gameplay was based around accelerating, steering, braking, and utilizing Kirby’s signature copy abilities to gain an advantage.

The City Trial mode was the best part of the original title - it was an open-ended free-roam mode where you could traverse a massive city and collect power-ups and legendary vehicles before being assigned a random final challenge. It could be a race, or a battle, or another unexpected event, but no two matches ever felt the same.

As of now, Nintendo has not confirmed whether City Trial will return in Kirby Air Riders, but given its massive popularity, it would be surprising if it didn’t make a comeback in some form.

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Kirby Air Riders set for a 2025 release on Nintendo Switch 2?

While an exact release date has yet to be provided, Kirby Air Riders is locked in for a 2025 launch window on Nintendo Switch 2. The announcement alone is enough to get longtime fans excited, but with no gameplay footage yet, there are still plenty of unanswered questions.

Nintendo will likely reveal more in upcoming Nintendo Directs, possibly offering a first look at gameplay, returning mechanics, and new features in the coming months. Until then, fans can only speculate on how this sequel will expand upon its cult-classic predecessor, which sold over 1.2 million copies worldwide.

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