Kirby Air Riders is a jet-powered racing battle game where Kirby and friends race a range of floating machines. Play involves short, weapon-strewn sprints in your craft that auto-accelerate while you brake, drift and attack to outmanoeuvre rivals. It stands out for its instinctive air-racing and almost endless stream of abilities and characters.
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It's quick to start as you pick a rider and machine, then charge, boost and spin-attack round a series of tracks. Unlike other racing games, the focus here is on balancing drifting and braking to hit the best line. Forward motion is automatic, but you must use your brakes for control and to store up dashes. It's chaotic at first, but when it clicks, it's almost zen-like.
As you progress, you discover lots of tricks and techniques to give you a speed advantage, like deftly balancing your craft to land flat after jumping and getting a fresh shot of momentum. The Road Trip mode serves as the main story, offering a chaptered route of races, events, and boss battles. Completing these events unlocks riders, machines, cosmetics, and new challenges.
The result is a maniacal racing challenge, with a focus on forward thinking and good racing instincts. The sheer number of things to do, unusual style of racing and multiplayer focus mean there's nothing quite like it.
