9 Kirby Characters That Should’ve Been In Air Riders

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Kirby Air Riders now lets you race as many different characters from the Kirby series, not just Kirby himself! Each character has their own special abilities and stats, which adds a lot of variety to the gameplay. It’s also just fun to see some familiar faces from older games having a bit of lighthearted fun, similar to how you can play as Bowser in Mario Kart.

I usually don’t complain about good things, and this game has a fantastic roster of characters from all throughout the Kirby series. Still, there are a few characters I was hoping to see included. Since we likely won’t get any future updates with more characters, this might be wishful thinking, but it’s fun to imagine what could be!

9. Adeleine

Everyone’s Favorite Artist

Adeleine is one of Kirby’s longtime friends and a gifted artist. She first appeared in Kirby 64, though a similar artist appeared earlier in Kirby’s Dream Land 3 – it’s unclear if they were the same person. What makes Adeleine special is her amazing ability to magically bring her paintings and creations to life.

Adeleine hasn’t been featured in many recent Kirby games, probably because her strength isn’t fighting – though she was a playable character in Kirby Star Allies. Still, it would be great to see her in Air Riders! She’s known for looking good in hats, and this game has tons of hat options. Plus, she’s a fan favorite, consistently appearing in artwork created by both fans and the official Kirby artists.

Given her artistic talent, her special ability would likely involve art. She might be able to quickly paint designs onto her equipment, or even temporarily disguise her Machine to look like a famous one, such as the Dragoon or Hydra.

8. Ribbon

She Deserves A Vacation

Ribbon made her debut in Kirby 64 as a cheerful fairy from Ripple Star. After her home planet was attacked by Dark Matter, she escaped on a rocket. When Ripple Star’s important crystal broke into pieces, Ribbon asked Kirby for help putting it back together and saving her people from the darkness, and Kirby eagerly agreed.

Ribbon shows up in games even less often than Adeleine, though they teamed up in Kirby Star Allies, where Ribbon carried Adeleine. I feel like Ribbon deserves a chance to relax and enjoy herself. She experienced a lot of hardship during the Dark Matter crisis, so it’d be great to see her doing something fun, like racing in Air Ride, and genuinely being happy.

Ribbon would likely be a fast and nimble racer, working well with Machines that focus on gliding, such as the Paper Star. Her special ability could involve using her crystal to create a dazzling display of laser beams, similar to a disco ball.

7. Prince Fluff

An Interesting Animation Challenge

Prince Fluff is a key character in Kirby’s Epic Yarn. He’s a former prince who teams up with Kirby to save the yarn world from a powerful, evil wizard. While he looks a lot like Kirby, this is supposedly just a coincidence – perhaps he’s a version of Kirby from another reality. Either way, he’s a kind and capable ally, especially skilled with his yarn whip.

Bringing Prince Fluff, who is essentially a flat, yarn-based character, into the 3D world of Kirby Air Riders presents a clear challenge. I’m not sure how they could realistically make him work – perhaps as a wireframe with a yarn outline and visible eyes, but a transparent body. It would be an interesting artistic puzzle, at the very least.

Fluff has a couple of potential special abilities. He could use a yarn whip like Taranza’s webs to swing and grab onto things, making it easier to navigate turns. Or, he could transform into a fast vehicle like a rocket or truck to speed down the track.

6. Chuchu

A Little Extra Animal Friends Action

In Kirby’s Dream Land 3, Kirby isn’t alone – he’s assisted by a group of animal helpers called the Animal Friends. We’ve already seen Rick from this team in Air Riders, and it would be great to include more of them. Any of the Animal Friends would be welcome, but if I had to choose, I’d pick Chuchu the octopus. She might look like just a pink blob, and that’s understandable, but she’s actually an octopus!

Chuchu often rode on Kirby’s head, taking advantage of his power to copy abilities. This allowed her to change her own shape and even create things like parasols or brooms to ride on. Because of all this experience riding on things – and people! – it makes perfect sense that she’d be able to handle an Air Ride Machine.

When thinking about a special ability for Chuchu, a witch’s broom immediately comes to mind. It’s a classic association, and would allow her to glide. Another option is her natural ability to cling to surfaces – she could stick to walls and ceilings and roll around on them.

5. Elfilin

Kirby’s Newest Friend

Elfilin is a new friend to Kirby, first appearing in the game Kirby and the Forgotten Land. He and Kirby became friends while escaping the Beast Pack, who were trying to bring Elfilin back to his source – a strong psychic creature named Fecto Elfilis. Even though he comes from a powerful being, Elfilin is sweet and caring, making him a great companion for Kirby.

It’s a bit surprising Elfilin wasn’t added to Air Riders, especially since Forgotten Land and its Switch 2 update are still fairly new. It feels like a missed chance to promote the game. Still, Elfilin has strong psychic abilities that would make him a competitive Rider, and he’d be adorable celebrating a win!

Even though Elfilin might not want to, a perfect special move for him would likely involve transforming into his powerful Fecto Elfilis form. He’d be able to fly independently, without needing the Machine, and attack enemies with energy blasts. Because of his massive wings, his flight capabilities would probably be as good as Dragoon’s, at least for the duration of the special move.

4. Leongar

Let’s Get Wild With It

Leongar initially appears as the main villain in Kirby and the Forgotten Land, though it’s later discovered that Fecto Elfilis is the true threat. He’s a powerful and proud lion who leads the Beast Pack. When Kirby first encounters him, Leongar is hostile, but they eventually become allies after Kirby frees him from a dream prison.

Leongar might be a bit large for an Air Ride Machine, but King Dedede’s size changes from game to game, so we could simply make him smaller to fit. Even if reduced in size, Leongar’s claws and teeth would still make him a fearsome competitor on the track.

For special attacks, we could go with something straightforward – Leongar unleashing a strong roar and quick claw attacks, like Wolverine. Alternatively, we could get really creative and have him transform into his huge, messy Fecto Forgo form, spreading goo all over the place. Just picture how shocked everyone would be during a race!

3. Elline

Fun With Modeling Clay

In Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee meet Elline, a kind fairy. After the witch Claycia drains Planet Popstar of its color, Elline wakes them up and helps them on their journey. She can turn into a paintbrush, creating rainbow paths for Kirby to roll on, safely navigating obstacles and enemies.

Okay, so I’ve been thinking about who could really shine as a playable character, and Elline from Air Ride would be awesome for the Kirby games where you use the stylus, like Canvas Curse and Rainbow Curse. Those games don’t really have a lot of standout characters already. She’s actually in Air Ride’s Road Trip mode, but it’s kinda disappointing – she’s just a flat image floating around. It’d be so much better if she was a full 3D model, maybe with that clay look that fits those Kirby games so well. Seriously, a proper model would make her look amazing!

Okay, so thinking about where Elline comes from, I think her special ability could let her draw a rainbow line that acts like a guide for her Machine. Like, she could draw it upwards to help launch her into the air, or across gaps and rough terrain. It’d be super useful, especially if she’s using a Machine that isn’t great at flying on its own, like a Wheelie Bike. Basically, it’d give her a boost where she needs it!

2. The Mage Sisters

All Three Of ‘Em

Francisca, Flamberge, and Zan Partizanne – known as the Mage Sisters – are enemies in the game Kirby Star Allies. They initially work for the villains Jambastion and Hyness, but by the end of the story, they appear to become allies with Kirby. It’s funny how Kirby always manages to befriend even those who try to harm him!

Each of the Sisters—Francisca, Flamberge, and Zan—controls a different element and fights with a unique weapon: Francisca uses ice and an axe, Flamberge wields fire and a greatsword, and Zan battles with lightning and a spear. Any one of them would integrate well into the Air Riders’ gameplay, but ideally, we’d have all three available. They could either share a single Machine, or players could quickly switch between them during gameplay, similar to how Lololo and Lalala work.

The Sisters could combine their powers – whether riding together or apart – to unleash a powerful storm of fire, ice, and lightning. This combination would create a spectacular elemental tornado, and all the necessary elements are already part of the game.

1. Morpho Knight

Let Him Do Something Silly

Morpho Knight first showed up as a secret character in Kirby Star Allies and remains one of the most enigmatic figures in the Kirby series. He’s a more powerful form of Galacta Knight. Although initially considered outside of the main story, his return in Kirby and the Forgotten Land‘s extra content suggests there’s more to his story than previously believed.

Morpho Knight is meant to be a scary and incredibly strong boss, but it’s funny to see such a powerful figure riding around on a Warp Star or Wheelie Bike. It’s similar to the appeal of Noir Dedede – the contrast is just entertaining. Since Morpho Knight seems to be a recurring character in Kirby games, leaning into this amusing side could help define his image.

Morpho Knight would likely fight with a sword, just like Meta Knight. His butterfly wings could also help him glide further. For his special move, he could use the disorienting attack from the Forgotten Land game, where flapping his wings messes with the player’s view and controls. This would be particularly challenging in a City Trial, and that’s exactly the idea.

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2025-11-22 22:42