Nintendo Switch 2 has had a highly successful launch year, supported by a catalogue featuring titles such as Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza and Pokémon Legends Z-A, which have provided a strong boost to the Japanese company's new generation. While we wait to see what happens with titles like the new 3D Mario game and the upcoming The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo is turning to other major characters and franchises to bolster its release lineup. In this regard, Kirby has been one of the standouts in these first few months.

Following the arrival of the enhanced version of Kirby and the Forgotten Land, the final stretch of the year on Nintendo Switch 2 is rounded off with the arrival of Kirby Air Riders, one of the most unconventional video games to emerge from the Kyoto-based company's studios to date. To achieve this, they've enlisted one of the most iconic figures in wild action gaming: Masahiro Sakurai. The creator behind Super Smash Bros. has thrown himself into a project that, while it may look like a Kirby-starring version of Mario Kart, turns out to be far more than that. It's not a racing game, but a vehicle-based action title with various gameplay elements that have nothing to do with speed.

A new entry in one of Nintendo's most overlooked franchises that leverages the capabilities of Nintendo Switch 2 to deliver a strategic experience amid absolute chaos. One of those quintessentially Nintendo experiences that could mark a turning point in the genre and serve as a gateway to something even bigger coming to the new generation console's catalogue.

A driving game with automatic acceleration

Kirby Air Riders is built on a concept as simple as it is brilliant, inherited directly from the original GameCube version that was, at the time, inexplicably underrated: automatic acceleration. In this game, players don't need to hold down a button to move forward. Their vehicle—one of the iconic Warp Stars or Air Ride machines—constantly moves at high speed around the courses. This frees players from constantly managing drift or speed, allowing them to focus entirely on strategy, combat and exploration of the environment.

The key to gameplay lies in managing tight turns (through drifting) and, above all, in Kirby's copy ability. By inhaling enemies scattered around the track, Kirby instantly acquires their powers. This mechanic, essential to all his platforming games, becomes the primary tool for action here, allowing him to wield swords, throw ice projectiles or even transform into a bomber that terrorizes rivals. Mastering the timing to switch abilities at just the right moment to overcome an obstacle or take down an opponent is what truly separates novices from masters on the track. It's controlled chaos where split-second decision-making, very much in the Smash Bros. style, matters more than top speed.

A battle mode that breaks away from any racing game

If there's one mode that defines this franchise's philosophy and has been completely reinvented in Kirby Air Riders, it's City Trial. This isn't a traditional racing mode; it's a chaotic and frenetic battle royale on wheels, completely removed from classic racing competition. The mode takes place on an expansive open map—a massive city that must be explored within a limited time. The objective is both simple and insane: find power-ups and upgrades hidden throughout the city (vehicle parts, attack, defense or speed boosters) and collect them for the grand finale event, which is always random.

Exploration blends with multiplayer combat, where players constantly fight to steal each other's upgrades or simply hinder their progress. The final event can be anything from a wild race, a high jump challenge, an aerial battle, or a pure combat showdown in a closed arena. The new console's capabilities allow this mode to expand to support up to 16 players online, elevating the strategic chaos to absurd levels and ensuring that each match is a completely unique experience. Kirby Air Riders is, in essence, proof that Sakurai remains a design genius capable of transforming a racing game into a multiplayer action masterpiece.

With Masahiro Sakurai's singular vision, Kirby Air Riders establishes itself not only as a worthy successor, but as a reinvention that harnesses the power of Nintendo Switch 2 to reach its full potential. By focusing on action and strategy over speed, Nintendo isn't content with simply reviving a forgotten gem—it's offering an alternative to traditional racing games. This new Kirby adventure promises to be the perfect finale for the console's first year, making it clear that the future of the Big N will be as chaotic and fun as it is unexpected.