Topic: Kirby Air Riders

Edit: It seems like Kirby Air Riders was this mysterious game! It looks awesome, can’t wait for it! I love City Trial from the GameCube Kirby Air Ride so I hope we get that mode!

Masahiro Sakurai (creator of Kirby & Super Smash Bros.) announced that "I [Sakurai] received a request to write a game proposal, which I finished at lightning speed. I'm sorry I can't share more about this project, but assuming we're able to get it made, it should be announced sooner or later." He also said later, "The game project I've mentioned had already started production, so as I'd prepared for, I had to work on both ventures at once. [the new game and his Creating Games channel]". (this was a part of his last episode, also can be seen here https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/10/masahiro-sakurai-co... )

If I am understanding this correctly, the timeline is October 2021 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate finished DLC, then he had to wait until April 2022 to figure out the new game's team, so in the meantime he pre-recorded almost all of his Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games videos. I'd assume the game has been being developed since they got the team.

We don't know what platforms this game will be on, but my guess is that it will be a Nintendo game since that's pretty much what he does.

What do you guys think it is? A new Super Smash Bros.? New IP? Revisiting the Kirby franchise? Kid Icarus comeback? Is this a Switch 2 game? When will it release?

I hope it isn't Super Smash Bros, and ends up being something else entirely. i just want the man to be able to make something that isn't Smash again. Something like another Kid Icarus, or some sort of new IP. Hell, even a revival of an old IP that Nintendo hasn't touched for ages. Anything but another iteration of Smash.

It had better be a Meteos sequel or I'll riot.

I just hope it's not Smash. I have nothing against it, but it feels like Sakurai's creative talent is somewhat wasted on a series that nowadays is so formulaic. I know many people have a lot of issues with Kid Icarus Uprising but it's personally one of my favorite videogames ever, so I say let him go wild.

I'll get the hashtags trending. How does #MeteosTwoOrBust sound?

I've seen this thrown around along with the narrative that Sakurai doesn't like working on Smash Bros., when everything he's said and done leans into the opposite. Guy clearly loves the series and probably doesn't mind still working on it. As much as I'd like to see him flex his muscles on a different project I doubt he'd feel stifled if it wasn't. You have to wonder how much of these takes are coming from people who are just getting tired of Smash Bros. Like, I get the sentiment, but at the same time, you gotta take what you can get.

Personally I believe it's Smash Bros., especially since the next console shouldn't be too far away now and Nintendo probably wants one on the console pretty early on.

As for Kid Icarus, I think he disliked making Uprising and didn't want to do it again, so I am doubting that he's doing that.

I think Smash Bros 6 could have a really creative story mode (perhaps even more so than SSB Brawl's story subspace?), there's a lot they could do with it. Ultimate's story mode was definitely lacking compared to subspace, it had a pretty cool intro but after that we didn't really get that much.

@N00BiSH Oh I don't mean to say that he has been "forced" to work on Smash against his will or anything; in fact, it's clear to me that he basically IS what makes Smash succeed thanks to the passion and detail he puts into it. But that's what makes me wish we could see him direct something else - I love when such talented game designers apply themselves to different contexts and genres. Imagine if Miyamoto only ever made 2D Mario platformers - I'm sure he'd be happy anyway and all those games would be great, but we would have missed out on stuff like Star Fox, Pikmin, etc.

@Laurenzio Don't worry, I'm not talking about you specifically, I've just seen the take flying around and wanted to comment on it.

I mean, it's a little selfish, but I really hope it's smash. I don't think it will be necessarily, but it's what I would definitely be most excited about.

I'm also on team Smash but, (if this is the case) I do think there's a good chance of it being a massive shake-up to the formula and not simply just "the next iteration".
Perhaps something more story-driven? Maybe a Tekken-style 3D version of Smash?
Given how seemingly quick the proposal was put together, I would imagine it's an idea he's had for quite some time.

It was neither Kid Icarus or Smash Bros, we got a new Kirby game from Mr. Sakurai himself! It feels symbolic his last Kirby game over 2 decades ago was Kirby Air Ride, and he returns with a sequel! This is awesome, very impressive trailer.

any predictions for kirby air riders before the forty-FIVE minute long direct arrives tomorrow at 9 AM EST??! sakurai is bound to have some surprises for us.
my guesses are (some are wild):
-kart modes with a wide roster of kirby characters, and some characters from other nintendo franchises. we have nintendo kart and mario kart.
-an explorable world with hidden collectibles
-minigames
-a fleshed out story mode
-a reminder for star crossed world in the direct
-late september release date

I would love to see characters from newer Kirby games like the Star Allies witch sister trio and Elfilin.

Looking forward to seeing the Kirby Air Riders Direct. Actually pretty excited for the game itself, more so than the next Smash Bros. actually. I liked the original GameCube game even though it's been ages since I last played it.

Air Ride Mode, Ciry Trial, a plethora of characters and vehicles are awaiting in Kirby Air Riders on November 20th, 2025! It looks astounding 😻 pre-orders are $70, available today

What I've seen of this game is so awesome! Sakurai is definitely one of my favorite game directors, since his previous game (Smash Ultimate) is my second favorite game of all time.

Glad I watched this because it, unfortunately, is exactly what I expected.

More Air Ride.

I'm sure the new stuff is gonna delight fans, I'm just not really..a fan of the old game. I was also kind of shocked when he mentioned this is faster than the old one because it looked about the same to me, which isn't fast at all. Also seems very on rails in terms of track design, as in, I've seen a ton of very narrow spaces the machines seem to kind of just follow.

Like I said elsewhere, great for the fans, glad y'all get this sequel, but I'm not part of the people they want to appeal to, I think. More of the same means I'm out, in this case.

I'll say this tho, for the fans' sake I seriously hope city trail isn't just five minutes of roaming and then ten seconds of 1 (one) minigame again. The events do seem like they'd mix things up a lot but the leveling stats seems kind of moot if it's just for one, short minigame. Might as well not include that part, if you get me.

I don't get this. This is like complaining about every Mario Kart being the exact same. You don't play those kinds of games because of how they radically reinvent everything per entry, you play them because the core gameplay is consistently solid. You can't even complain that it's diminishing returns in this because of the twenty-year gap between this and Air Ride.

This constant air of cynicism surrounding the Switch 2 is getting ridiculous. You don't gotta like it but I don't think you gotta be like this either.

@N00BiSH I thought that, just maybe, they'd come up with a fresh idea after 20 years.

Especially when the original already was pretty barebones.

@Dom_31 clearly the goal was to expand and refine the core gameplay of the original to make it more satisfying to play. It did not need some big crazy whatever gimmick. And even then, the Direct only covered the basics. That ending teaser hints at more to come.