Kirby Air Riders

Nintendo’s big Switch 2 direct back in April showcased a lot of games releasing during the console’s launch window, and a surprising reveal was Kirby Air Riders, a sequel to the GameCube racer from 2003. Thanks to a dedicated livestream led by legendary game director Masahiro Sakurai back in August, we learned a ton more about the game, including its expanded roster, modern touches, and new mechanics.

The original Kirby Air Ride’s big selling point is its simplicity: Everyone plays as Kirby (save for two unlockable cameos), and there’s only one button, which you use to drift around corners. It’s only natural that the sequel, Kirby Air Riders, would expand on each of these aspects. First, a new second button allows players to perform a Special move; each rider has a unique special move, which can speed you up, attack other players, or do some combination of the two.