10 Best Rider-Machine Combos in Kirby Air Riders

Okay, so in the original Kirby Air Ride, you could only switch between machines as Kirby himself. Dedede and Meta Knight were unlockable, but they were stuck with just their Wheelie Bike and flight, respectively. But in Air Riders? That’s totally changed! We’ve got a ton of new machines, and a bunch of new characters, and the best part is, everyone can ride whatever machine they want. It’s way more open now!

You can choose any Rider and Machine pairing you like, but keep in mind that each Rider has their own strengths and skills. It’s a good idea to pair a Rider with a Machine that enhances those abilities, rather than one that works against them. This can significantly improve your performance, turning a simple team into a strong contender.

10. Meta Knight And Shadow Star

Lean Into Its Specialties

The cutscenes for Road Trip mode reveal that Meta Knight prefers the Shadow Star as his Air Ride machine. This makes sense, as it’s the most similar vehicle to the wings he used in the original game. It’s also a powerful combination, playing to both Meta Knight’s strengths and the machine’s unique abilities.

Meta Knight and Shadow Star are all about speed, power, and flying. They make a fast and formidable team, boasting incredible acceleration, boost speed, and lift. Plus, their attacks are powerful – Shadow Star with his quick spins and Meta Knight with his sword.

Just be aware that this combination is powerful but fragile. It doesn’t have much health, and it’s not the fastest. While it can accelerate quickly and push enemies aside, you might struggle to escape a determined attacker or withstand their damage.

9. Rick And Chariot

A Nice, Smooth Ride

Air Riders features a wide range of tracks and landscapes. Some turns are incredibly sharp and difficult to handle, even with a speed boost. If you’re struggling with corners and staying on course, try using Rick the hamster with the standard Chariot – it’s a surprisingly nimble combination.

Okay, so this build isn’t about being the fastest chariot, I’m giving up a little bit of top speed and boost. But honestly, it’s worth it! I’m getting way better handling and traction, which means I can actually stick the turns and powerslide around those crazy corners without spinning out. I still have enough speed for the straightaways, and because Rick is a heavier character, I don’t get bumped around as easily by other players or those annoying track hazards. It’s a much more stable ride overall.

The Chariot is a wheeled vehicle, so it can’t fly. However, it gets a good speed boost when launched from ramps. Just avoid trying to cover large distances in the air, and you’ll be able to maintain your momentum and stay on track.

8. Scarfy And Tank Star

Give The Tank Some Extra Punch

Tank Star is a standard tank-style Machine that moves by driving on its tracks and charging forward. It quickly changes direction using a Boost Dash, but otherwise doesn’t turn well. To improve its handling, simply attach Scarfy to the top.

When Scarfy is equipped on a Machine, it significantly improves its handling and grip. While a Machine like Tank Star still needs a charge to make sharp turns, Scarfy allows for smaller, more precise adjustments while moving straight, so you won’t need to charge as often to change direction. Plus, Scarfy helps Machines charge up their boosts faster.

While using Scarfy does slightly lower Tank Star’s health, it’s generally a good trade-off. When Scarfy is hit, it gets angry and speeds up, which can be really helpful—just avoid getting stuck in big groups.

7. Waddle Dee And Wagon Star

A Little Dude Doing His Best

Okay, so the Wagon Star is seriously my go-to ice cream truck! It’s got really solid stats to start with, but it can’t build up a boost, which is a bummer because I love a good speed dash. That means you really need a Rider who can make up for that, and honestly, I was shocked to find out how amazing Waddle Dee is with it! He just complements the Wagon Star perfectly, it’s a surprisingly awesome combo.

Waddle Dee might not have flashy special skills, but he’s a well-rounded character with consistently good stats. He accelerates quickly, handles turns well, and has excellent grip. His top speed is also decent. When combined with the Wagon Star kart, he boasts a strong set of stats, giving him plenty of potential to perform well in races. This is especially true when you activate his special ability, which gives him an extra speed boost.

The main drawback of this combination is simply that Wagon Star can’t recharge its boost. You’ll likely need to adjust to taking corners manually instead of relying on Boost Dash, but that’s the only significant change you’ll have to make.

6. Daroach And Vampire Star

What’s Yours Is Mine

Daroach and Vampire Star are quite similar when racing. Daroach can automatically attack opponents and steal their special abilities, and Vampire Star’s speed boost lets it chomp racers to gain power. They both excel at disrupting other racers, making them a strong team when paired together.

Combining Daroach with the Vampire Star keeps most of the Vampire Star’s strengths, resulting in a character with excellent speed, acceleration, handling, and health. While the Vampire Star really shines after defeating an enemy and powering up, Daroach is already skilled at approaching opponents from behind for a fast attack. A quick Boost Dash beforehand will maximize their combined potential.

Keep in mind that Vampire Star slows down significantly when not boosted, so constantly scan for your next target. To attack effectively, use a Boost Dash – simply slashing with Daroach’s claws won’t register as a hit.

5. Taranza And Turbo Star

Super Hang-On

Taranza can shoot webs at enemies to stun them, or at walls to quickly pull himself towards them. He’s especially good at using these webs to swing around corners and keep moving. Interestingly, the Turbo Star machine shares this ability to perform well when navigating corners.

Okay, so the Turbo Star is fast – seriously fast when you’re sliding. The cool thing is it builds up speed while you’re actually sliding, but forget about turning or charging it up when you’re not. It’s pretty useless outside of a slide, honestly. That’s where Taranza comes in! I’ve found the best way to use it is to just let Taranza’s webs do the steering. I sling a web onto the corner I want to turn around and then slide right into it. It keeps my speed up without me having to fight with the Turbo Star’s clunky controls. It’s a game changer!

This strategy needs you to be quick and focused – you’ll need to watch where Taranza is aiming to use his web at the perfect moment. Missing the mark will cause you to crash into a wall and halt, and it can be tough to regain speed after the Turbo Star boost wears off.

4. Gooey And Rex Wheelie

Stick To The Ground

Traveling by wheeled Machines feels quite different than using floating Stars or rolling Chariots. It might take some practice, particularly if your Rider isn’t helping it move naturally. If you want to truly master the powerful Rex Wheelie, Gooey is the perfect character to use.

Combining Gooey with Rex Wheelie really showcases what makes Rex Wheelie great. It keeps its powerful attacks and fast speed, but also gets improved handling, better grip, and a slightly faster charge. Rex Wheelie can be tricky to learn, particularly with sharp turns, so having that extra control and charge speed will be a big help when you need to navigate corners quickly.

Just so you know, Rex Wheelie still can’t fly and doesn’t gain much speed from ramps. Using Gooey makes the Rex Wheelie a little lighter, which means you might be bumped around more, but it’s still a fairly heavy vehicle overall.

3. Knuckle Joe And Battle Chariot

An Engine Of Pure Offense

I’m really getting into Air Riders, and it’s way more than just racing! Sure, speed and sharp turns are fun, but you also have to fight to survive. I’ve learned that a bike built for winning races isn’t always the best in a brawl. If you want to dominate a Dustup Derby, you need a seriously aggressive combo. Honestly, I’ve found that unlocking Knuckle Joe and pairing him with the Battle Chariot is the way to go – it’s a total game changer!

Battle Chariot is a powerhouse of a Machine, boasting incredible health, weight, and attack strength, and it’s surprisingly fast too. Knuckle Joe is a strong fighter on his own, able to quickly jab at nearby enemies and unleash a powerful charged punch. He’s so capable, you don’t even need to equip weapons or special abilities – he can handle most fights, especially when you activate his special move.

Okay, so let’s be real, Knuckle Joe and Battle Chariot aren’t exactly built for winning races the normal way. They don’t get a huge speed boost, and turning with them can be kinda clunky. But honestly, that’s not what we’re using them for, right? We’re picking this combo to fight, and that’s where they really shine. If I’m rolling with these two, I’m going in expecting a brawl!

2. King Dedede And Wheelie Bike

You Can’t Beat The Classics

Okay, so in the original Kirby Air Ride, Dedede was stuck with his Wheelie Bike – he couldn’t switch to anything else. Now, they’ve let him change machines, but honestly, it’s tough finding anything that really fits his size. It’s kinda funny, because I’ve been playing around with it, and the Wheelie Bike still feels like the best option for him. Maybe he had the right idea all along!

Using Wheelie Bike with Dedede isn’t the best for handling corners or staying on track. However, it significantly increases his health, weight, and maximum speed, making him incredibly fast and powerful on straight paths.

This combination charges a bit slowly, so you’ll need to hold your roll slightly longer before activating Boost Dash. However, its high top speed means you won’t lose much momentum while charging, unlike with other Riders. And once you do Boost Dash, you’ll accelerate incredibly quickly.

1. Starman And Jet Star

Achieve Aerial Superiority

Jet Star’s main strength is increasing its speed while gliding. So, it makes sense to pair it with a Rider who excels at aerial combat. And when it comes to dominating the skies, there’s really no better choice than Sakurai’s beloved character, Starman.

Starman is naturally better at controlling Machines while they’re airborne, and like Jet Star, he gets a significant speed boost when launching from a ramp. This combination means even a slow start can send you flying down the track, quickly surpassing your rivals.

The main weakness of Jet Star and Starman is their poor performance on the ground. To get the most out of them, you’ll want to focus on flying as much as possible. In a race, always choose a ramp over a booster – getting airborne is key.

2025-11-24 22:42