Kirby Air Ride Sequel Brings City Trial Mode and Expansive Skyah Hub to Nintendo Switch 2

In a highly anticipated moment for Kirby fans, Nintendo unveiled fresh details about the upcoming Kirby Air Ride sequel during the latest Nintendo Direct, captivating the gaming community with the return of the beloved City Trial mode.

Originally seen on the Nintendo GameCube in 2003, Kirby Air Ride established itself as a cult favorite through its unique blend of racing and fast-paced minigames, developed under the guidance of industry veteran Masahiro Sakurai.

Now, two decades later, the franchise is set to make a thrilling comeback on the next-generation Nintendo Switch 2 hardware. During his in-depth presentation, series creator Masahiro Sakurai detailed major enhancements to City Trial mode, one of the most celebrated features from the GameCube classic.

The most significant addition is Skyah, a newly designed hub world serving as the main stage for players to explore, collect parts, and customize vehicles over a timed session.

The refreshed Skyah map expands significantly on the scale and variety of the original, offering diverse zones such as sprawling caves, volcanic areas, and dynamic oceanfronts, promising players more ways to navigate and strategize than ever before. Once players have assembled their optimal machines—within the classic five-minute time frame—they’ll transition to the Stadium events.

These concluding challenges bring together the custom vehicles in intense competitions, testing agility, speed, and even long-jump capabilities.

This format echoes the addictive gameplay loop that made the original City Trial so memorable for GameCube owners, but with the expanded capabilities of the Switch 2 platform, fans can expect broader maps, richer visuals, and smoother, more responsive controls. Reflecting on the original, Sakurai emphasized how City Trial mode was not just an extracurricular feature, but arguably the centerpiece of the Kirby Air Ride experience.

The expanded Skyah hub showcases Nintendo’s commitment to evolving its legacy games, while striking a balance between nostalgia and innovation that has defined its software releases across generations. Nintendo has yet to announce a concrete release date for the new Kirby Air Ride installment, although its presence in the Direct and deep-dive presentation indicate development is well underway for Switch 2.

The title is poised to harness next-generation hardware for both single-player and multiplayer experiences, likely arriving on both physical media and digitally via the eShop. As the Kirby Air Ride sequel snapshots both a return to form and a bold leap forward, fans eagerly await more details on all-new gameplay features, competitive Stadium events, and enhancements enabled by the Switch 2.

Stay tuned to Nintendo Life and official Nintendo channels for the latest news as it’s announced.

Nintendo Switch 2 Kirby Nintendo Switch Nintendo Nintendo Direct Switch 2 Kirby Air Ride Switch City Trial Masahiro Sakurai GameCube City Trial mode Skyah