Kirby Air Ride
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Kirby Air Ride is the only Kirby game released for the Nintendo GameCube, and is the most recent spin-off game, as well. It's also the only available Kirby racing game. Kirby Air Ride is a simplistic racing game, requiring only the A button, and the control stick, to fully play the game. Other options can be used, such as the shoulder buttons, instead of the A button, for boosting, and rotating the camera around using the C stick.
This game features three modes, all which are different from one another. Multiple people can participate at a time (this game was the first Nintendo game to feature the use of LAN broadband adapter, enabling the players to possess their own personal screen while playing the game), playing as different color Kirby clones, as well as all other characters available.
Modes
Kirby Air Ride has three different modes. All vary in technique and gameplay, but use the same basic controls, when regarding vehicle control. All modes have a Free Run mode, and all modes have a unique checklist, which basically keeps track of objects that must be unlocked and objects that are unlocked. One thing to note is that if one unlocks Green Kirby in one mode, he is not available in any other mode until he is unlocked by completing a certain task in other modes.
Air Ride
Air Ride is a mode that revolves solely on racing. Players choose only the default Warpstar at the beginning of the game, but as they progress, they may also unlock more vehicles for use. Players can choose up to 9 tracks to race on, with one* being secret. The player can copy different abilities from the varied enemies in the track, attack other rivals (with or without the abilities), and try to place 1st in the race. All courses, except for Fantasy Meadows, has 2 laps in default (in the case of Fantasy Meadows, 3), but the player can adjust the number of laps, as well as other options, using the game settings.
Top Ride
Top Ride is the simplest mode in the game, which, like Air Ride, revolves on racing. Races are played on an overhead view, with the default number of laps being, usually, 5. Tracks in this mode are considerably shorter, and smaller, than the ones in Air Ride, due to the overhead capability. Copy abilities can not be used in this mode, but there are items that, after a while, fall on the course that can help the players. The game can also be tweaked using different settings.
City Trial
The most extensive mode in the game, City Trial does not focus solely on racing, unlike Air Ride and Top Ride. Instead, players roam around in a sandbox-like environment city, collecting patches to power-up their machine in order to compete in the Stadium with other opponents. The Stadium can differ from time to time, with the player adjusting on what Stadiums are going to appear, such as Single Race or Destruction Derby, or can have it randomized. Players can abandon their vehicles in order to find a vehicle better suited to their needs. Events can happen from time to time, either hindering or helping players' progress.
Copy Abilities
Courses
- Fantasy Meadows
- Celestial Valley
- Sky Sands
- Frozen Hillside
- Magma Flows
- Machine Passage
- Beanstalk Park
- Checker Knights
- Nebula Belt
Machines
There are a total of sixteen rideable machines in Kirby Air Ride, not including the machines used in Top Ride mode. In Air Ride mode, all but the Warp Star must be unlocked, in order to be used. As for City Trial, players start out with the Compact Star, and must find the vehicle they want in the city, before they can use it. The vehicles may or may not be available at times, and they can appear in different spots in the city. Players can then hop off their current vehicle, and ride on another vehicle.
| Machine | Name | Description | Modes Available In |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:WarpstarKAR.JPG | Warp Star | The Warpstar is the most balanced machine in Kirby Air Ride. It is the default machine in Air Ride mode before the player unlocks anything. Just as with balanced machines, this machine has no major flaws or advantages. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:CompactStarKAR.jpg | Compact Star | The Compact Star is a star that is exclusive to City Trial and all of its modes. The Compact Star mainly has all around stats, but trades speed for control. It also has somewhat low HP compared to most other machines. This is also the default machine if players play the main game in City Trial. | City Trial |
| File:TurboStarKAR.JPG | Turbo Star | The Turbo Star has great control, but handling that takes time to get used to. It also does not have great battling capabilities such as vitality and offense. This unusual machine also charges up very slowly when not in motion, but charges up quickly when stopping the motion. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:FormulastarKAR.JPG | Formula Star | The Formula Star is a vehicle with very high top speed, but poor handling and acceleration, which makes it a likely candidate for Drag Races only. It also have poor gliding, poor charging, and poor battling capabilities. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:SlickKAR.JPG | Slick Star | The Slick Star is a speedy machine with above-average charging. The major drawback of the Slick Star is its slippery handling, which can take some time to get used to for the player. All other stats are around average. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:SwervestarKAR.JPG | Swerve Star | This machine cannot turn while moving, but can turn while charging or gliding, making it a unique machine. It also has excellent acceleration, which boosts to its top speed instantly. It is about average everywhere else, except for gliding, which is below average. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:WagonstarKAR.JPG | Wagon Star | The Wagon Star cannot charge, stopping the vehicle merely halts the vehicle in a spot without the gauge meter filling. To pay up for the lack of that ability, it has mostly above average stats and has excellent HP. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:BulkStarKAR.JPG | Bulk Star | This machine uses the charge energy as fuel; when the charge gauge is empty, the vehicle is unable to move on its own. The Bulk Star is very heavy, with great battling capabilities and can even go at very high top speeds if patched properly in City Trial. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:ShadowKAR.JPG | Shadow Star | The Shadow Star has excellent offensive, acceleration, and gliding stats. However, it has low defenses, especially HP, that other machines that can easily take it down. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:WingStarKAR.JPG | Winged Star | The Winged Star is a fairly slow machine, but has a superb gliding ability. However, it performs poorly when it comes to battling other machines and is very light. All other stats all around average. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:RocketStarKAR.JPG | Rocket Star | The Rocket Star has very poor top speed, but has a massive charge boost that sends it propelling at very high speeds. However, it does not have fast charging, which is another drawback. All other stats are approximately average. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:JetstarKAR.JPG | Jet Star | The Jet Star is an average machine and well-rounded everywhere. However, it has a special gliding ability; whenever it hits the air, a burst of speed sends it propelling and when it makes a good landing, another burst of speed follows. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:WheelieBikeKAR.JPG | Wheelie Bike | The Wheelie Bike always hits the ground with a single wheel, unlike the other machines based on stars. It has average stats mostly everywhere, but its major drawback is its control and its gliding. Due to it being on the ground, it automatically hits boosts without stopping. It also has high top speeds. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:WheelieScooterKAR.JPG | Wheelie Scooter | This machine has very low top speeds, but very high handling, charging, and acceleration stats. It also gains speed when it drives off ramps, drives over boosts, or drives over rails. However, it has low battling capabilities. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:RexWheelieKAR.JPG | Rex Wheelie | The Rex Wheelie has handling that takes time to get used to, but due to its large size and weight, it has superb battling capabilities. It does not have great gliding or acceleration either, but it has fairly high top speeds. | Air Ride, City Trial |
| File:FlightWarpstarKAR.jpg | Flight Warpstar | Exclusive to Free Run mode in City Trial, the Flight Warpstar is merely a Warpstar with enhanced gliding capabilities. According to the bio in the instruction booklet, it states that the machine is good practice with gliding. | City Trial, Free Run Only |
Legendary Machines
Legendary Machines only appear in City Trial Mode. In the main mode, they can only be found after assembling machine parts, found in certain red boxes scattered across the city. When all 3 parts are collected, the machine automatically forms, replacing the machine Kirby is riding on. In Free Run mode, once unlocked all 3 parts for each legendary, Kirby can use them whenever he wants.
| Machine | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:DragoonKAR.jpg | Dragoon | This legendary machine is extremely speedy with very high acceleration. Its main advantage is its excellent gliding, where it can reach 80 miles per hour in the air. Due to its weight however, it is not easily controlled and it has average battle capabilities. |
| File:HydraKAR.JPG | Hydra | This legendary machine has extreme battle stats and it can withstand a lot of blows from other machines. However, it runs similarly to a Bulk Star; it uses charge as fuel. Unlike the Bulk Star, it takes a great deal of time to charge up. When charged up, the Hydra can go at speeds as fast as 124 miles per hour and it slowly takes up charge fuel, so the Hydra does not need to be constantly charged. |
Top Ride Machines
In Top Ride Mode, there are only two machines available that are exclusive for this mode. Other than their appearance, the two machines' only difference are their control options.
| Machine | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:TopRideKAR.JPG | Free Star | The Free Star is a machine that turns in the direction the control pad is faced, no matter what direction it is facing. It is the default machine for use, unless the player switches which star he/she wants to use. |
| File:TopRideStarKARBlue.JPG | Steer Star | The Steer Star is a machine that turns when only the left and right directions get pushed in the control stick, like a normal star. The Steer Star does not automatically get available when the player is just getting ready to play Top Ride, but the player can change his/her machine option. |
Characters
Gallery
Ability Artwork
- KARMikeKirby.png
Other
- KARCityTrialScene.JPG
A scene, showing the city, in City Trial. - CarTargetFlight.JPG
A scene from the Stadium Mode, Target Flight. - CarTopRideScene.JPG
A scene from the mode, Top Ride. - AirRidingKirbys.png
Kirby, and several of his opponents, riding on various machines.
- Secret Track
