Masahiro Sakurai, the director of Kirby Air Riders, recently shared updates on the highly anticipated kart racer and took a moment to honor the late Satoru Iwata, former Nintendo President. At the recent Switch 2 Direct in April, several exciting first-party Nintendo games were announced, including a sequel to the beloved 2003 title, Kirby Air Ride. This new game is scheduled for release on the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025, with Bandai Namco collaborating with Sakurai on development, much like their involvement in the Super Smash Bros. series.
Rumors suggest that Sakurai was given the opportunity to work on Kirby Air Riders as a strategic move by Nintendo in exchange for developing the next installment in the Super Smash Bros. franchise, although there are no official announcements regarding that yet. After spending considerable time on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Kirby Air Riders has become a passion project for Sakurai.
This game marks his reunion with HAL Laboratory, the original developer of the Kirby series, for the first time since 2004’s Kirby and the Amazing Mirror. In a recent update via Twitter, Sakurai celebrated the anniversary of the original Kirby Air Ride by expressing enthusiasm about the project. He mentioned that Kirby Air Riders is “shaping up to be something great.” While details about the game are still sparse, fans are eagerly anticipating how it will expand on its predecessor by possibly introducing new playable characters and retaining beloved modes like City Trial.
As the gaming world looks toward 2025, the excitement for kart racers, including the upcoming Kirby Air Riders, Mario Kart World, and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, continues to build. Directed by the visionary Masahiro Sakurai, Kirby Air Riders promises to deliver a delightful racing experience featuring the iconic pink hero.