In the latest Direct, dedicated entirely to Kirby Air Riders, director Masahiro Sakurai confirmed the return of Top Ride. Introduced in the first game, it essentially turns races into a top-down experience. That carries over into the sequel, but with some twists.
Upon selecting your Rider and Machine, you can customize the number of CPU players, their level, the Machines, and a handicap before starting. It features the same rules as Air Ride Mode with no changes to Boost Charges or drifting. The biggest change is that every player has their own screen and that all Riders and Machines are available.
There are also two control schemes – Free and Steer – to choose from, and courses inspired by Air Ride Mode will appear. Of course, you can set the view to a single screen for everyone and enable a diorama-style effect to capture the original’s color palette. While up to eight players can partake in a Top Ride race, four are recommended.
It even features exclusive items like Kaboomb (explodes when picked up), Drift Flames (leave a flame trail), and Drill Driver (attaches a drill to the front). And yes, it’s playable online.
Kirby Air Riders launches on November 20th for Nintendo Switch 2 at $69.99. Stay tuned for more details from the Direct shortly.