Sakurai Says New Kirby Air Riders is 'Shaping Up' – And Reminiscing About the Good Ol' Days with Iwata!
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Masahiro Sakurai shares a small update on the development of the upcoming *Kirby Air Riders* sequel, reminiscing about working with the late Satoru Iwata and giving fans a glimmer of hope for a truly awesome game. It's making us miss the GameCube days, that's for sure!
Right, so it looks like we're finally getting a proper sequel to *Kirby Air Ride* (yes, the one from the GameCube!). Masahiro Sakurai, the legend himself, has dropped a little update, and honestly, it's got me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
According to a recent post, Sakurai reckons *Kirby Air Riders* is "shaping up to be something great." Now, that's not exactly a detailed breakdown of new features, is it? But from the guy who practically invented character brawlers with *Super Smash Bros.*, I'm inclined to believe him. He is working with Bandai Namco too, so this new Kirby iteration should have good bones!
Apparently, Sakurai’s been itching to do this for a while – a passion project after all those years wrestling with the gargantuan beast that was *Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*. Plus, he's teaming up with HAL Laboratory again, which is the first time since *Kirby and the Amazing Mirror* on the GBA. Nostalgia bomb, anyone?
But it's not all rainbows and Warp Stars, mate. The update also included a touching reflection on the late Satoru Iwata. Sakurai mentioned that he's about to reach the same age Iwata was when he sadly passed away. Iwata, of course, was a key figure at HAL Laboratory back in the day and worked alongside Sakurai on those early *Kirby* titles. Makes you think, doesn't it? (Grab a tissue...I'm not crying, you are!)
So, what can we expect from *Kirby Air Riders* (due out on the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025, apparently)? Well, details are still thinner than Kirby after inhaling all the air from Dream Land. But fans are already dreaming of new characters (Meta Knight, King Dedede – the usual suspects) and, of course, the return of the legendary City Trial mode. I mean, come on, who *doesn't* want to spend hours boosting around a city, collecting power-ups, and then smashing into their mates in a massive arena battle? Tell me it's not just me! Honestly, I’m betting we get a whole bunch of new racers, modes and content. Maybe even something completely unexpected... fingers crossed, eh?
Anyway, keep your eyes peeled for more updates. *Kirby Air Riders* is shaping up, and with Sakurai at the helm, it's almost certainly going to be a wild ride. Let's just hope it doesn't take another 20 years for a sequel to arrive!
Tags: Kirby, Nintendo, Masahiro Sakurai, Kirby Air Ride, Satoru Iwata
Original article: Game Rant