If one Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Direct wasn’t enough, the game’s director, Masahiro Sakurai, hosted as second much longer direct this morning which revealed that the Kirby Air Ride sequel will host Global Test Ride Event that will give Nintendo Switch 2 owners a first taste of the game’s online mode before its launch on the November 8th-9th and November 15th-16th weekends, according to Nintendo via a press release.
Those looking to plan their weekends for next month’s Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive online demo event will be able to play through the Lessons, Air Ride, and City Trial modes. The course available in Kirby Air Riders’ Air Ride mode includes Floria Fields, Waveflow Waters and Mount Amberfalls. At the same time, Kirby Air Riders players can create a room with up to 32 players, during the Global Test Ride event that limit is cut in half to just 16. Those who have digitally preordered Kirby Air Riders will be able to rock an in-game hat during the Global Test Ride event, but for whatever reason, Nintendo says the hat item can’t be transferred to the full game.
To attend the event, Nintendo Switch 2 owners will need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. The Kirby Air Riders Global Test Ride event is scheduled for sometime in the afternoon on November 7th, the Friday before the first weekend kick-off. The test (air) ride won’t run nonstop throughout the full two weekends, as there will be breaks in between, but the event has been divided into six time slots, listed below.
- Nov. 8, 3 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET
- Nov. 8, 7 p.m. – 1 a.m. ET
- Nov. 9, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET
- Nov. 15, 3 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET
- Nov. 15, 7 p.m. – 1 a.m. ET
- Nov. 16, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET
Alongside the news, more Kirby Air Riders details have been confirmed during today’s Nintendo Direct, including a deeper look at gameplay, more modes coming to Kirby Air Riders next month, the game’s new amiibos coming in 2026, and more, according to a press release.
Key Details:
- 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 three other players 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 paddock. 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 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 Checklist 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 an 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 figures, 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 5th, 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!
Kirby Air Riders launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 20th.
