Kirby Air Riders: All New Machines, Ranked

Kirby Air Riders delivers on the promise of the original game, offering a fun variety of vehicles to fly and explore. These ‘Air Ride Machines’ are central to the experience, and this new installment features all the vehicles from the first game, plus an impressive ten brand new ones!

With enough skill, any of the Air Ride Machines can work well – we wouldn’t say any are truly bad. However, some are better suited for specific playstyles or characters, meaning they might take more effort to master. Others are useful right away. If we were choosing for City Trial, we’d pick some machines over others – these are the ones we’d be less likely to use, and the ones we’d grab first.

Spoilers for unlocks ahead.

10. Gigantes

Hilarious, But Impractical

Okay, so in Kirby Air Ride, they’ve added two new machines, and I’m really hyped about the first one: the Gigantes! You unlock it after beating Road Trip mode and then tackling the City Trial. It’s built in three parts like the other machines, but get this – when it’s fully assembled, it gets HUGE, like, almost as big as it was when you actually fought it in Road Trip! It’s so big, even Skyah struggles to fit it!

It’s incredibly fun to control such a massive machine, especially one armed with powerful weapons capable of leveling a city. However, Gigantes is too large to use anywhere except the City Trial, and when it appears there, it automatically switches the game mode to a VS. battle – it’s the only logical outcome, really.

Driving Gigantes is incredibly fun, but it’s more of a massive, playful vehicle than a serious air ride system. While it’s great for enjoyment, it doesn’t really function like a traditional air ride machine and isn’t very useful for practical purposes.

9. Tank Star

Like A Heavier Swerve Star

When Kirby Air Ride was first advertised, one of the new vehicle types highlighted was the Tank, easily recognized by the Tank Star. A demolition derby just isn’t complete without a tank, right?

Okay, so Tank Star is kinda unique. It doesn’t steer very well while you’re just moving normally – it basically goes straight. But when you start charging up, the treads come out and then you can turn. It feels a bit like Swerve Star in that way, but here’s the big difference: while I’m charging up with Tank Star, it keeps rolling in whatever direction I was already heading until I let go of the charge and actually steer it. It takes some getting used to, but it’s a cool mechanic!

Tank Star is pretty durable, making it okay for modes like Kirby Melee and Dustup Derby. However, it handles strangely and needs constant adjustments. If you don’t carefully manage its boosts – either not charging enough or charging for too long – you can easily miss opportunities to turn. If you’re already going to be struggling with that, a Swerve Star is a better choice because it’s faster.

8. Vampire Star

Needs Regular Snacks

The Air Riders aren’t just about speed; they’re about overpowering your rivals. Whether you’re racing on a track or navigating city streets, a little extra boost can make all the difference. That’s exactly what Vampire Star is designed to deliver.

Vampire Star starts out with fairly average stats – it’s not particularly speedy, takes a while to power up, and isn’t the most agile. What makes it special is its ability to deploy fangs after a Charge Boost, which automatically attack nearby opponents. Each time Vampire Star bites an enemy, all of its stats receive a temporary boost.

Vampire Star can become really fast by repeatedly attacking multiple enemies, but it’s difficult to pull off. If you break the attack chain or lose your speed boost, opponents will quickly overtake you. And once they figure out your strategy, they’ll be harder to hit. It’s similar to playing Pac-Man – successfully eating a long line of ghosts is great, but failing means trouble.

7. Hop Star

Situational Usefulness

Most Air Ride vehicles let you quickly spin by moving the control stick back and forth, which pushes away enemies and obstacles. However, the Hop Star is different – instead of spinning, quickly moving the stick makes it bounce upwards.

This ability lets you jump over obstacles, enemies, and hazards on the track. Holding the jump button in the air will bring you crashing down, potentially damaging opponents below. While it seems powerful, it doesn’t actually help much when you’re playing the game.

Taking away your Quick Spin reduces your options for defending yourself while racing. While a Quick Spin is effective for overtaking opponents, simply hopping doesn’t push them aside. Hop Star has okay stats, making it usable, but there are stronger choices that won’t remove your Quick Spin ability.

6. Transform Star

Requires Some Skill

Okay, so I absolutely love when vehicles can transform – even a simple change gets me super excited! But honestly, what always gets me thinking is how hard it must be to actually control something that changes forms. You’re basically needing to be a master of two different ways of moving at once, and that’s exactly the challenge with Transform Star. It’s really tough to get the hang of!

Transform Star can quickly change between two forms during a Quick Spin. It begins as a Star, floating above the ground. While it’s a bit tricky to control in this form, it moves smoothly. When you use a Quick Spin, it turns into a Bike, rolling along the ground on a single wheel. You’ll lose the ability to glide, but it becomes much faster and easier to steer.

Okay, so the Transform Star is seriously good for racing and City Trials if you can master it. The biggest thing is learning exactly when to transform – timing is everything. And trust me, it’s tough not to just Quick Spin whenever another racer gets close! It’s a tricky Machine to get the hang of, and honestly, it’s not for everyone. There’s a real skill gap with this one.

5. Bull Tank

Come In Like A Wrecking Ball

My main issue with Tank Star is that it doesn’t fully embrace what a tank should be. A tank needs to be a powerful, destructive force, not just agile. If you want a tank that delivers serious impact, the Bull Tank is a much better choice.

Bull Tank is a fully powered-up Tank Star. Like the original, it can redirect opponents, but it’s much tougher thanks to its heavy armor. When you charge directly at Bull Tank, anything in its path will be forcefully spun around and sent flying backwards. It takes a little time to accelerate, but once it gets going, it’s nearly unstoppable.

Charge Boosts still take some getting used to – they can be tricky to control – but the added speed means you won’t have to worry as much about making small adjustments. Just choose a direction and go! You’ll likely reach your destination, whether it’s the finish line or right over your opponents.

4. Battle Chariot

Run ‘Em Down

If you want a powerful vehicle with strong attack capabilities, but the Bull Tank feels too over-the-top, the Battle Chariot is a good alternative. It’s the closest thing in the game to driving a monster truck, offering plenty of size and strength.

The Battle Chariot is a powerful and destructive weapon, capable of quickly traversing any terrain and easily overpowering opponents. Unlike the slower Bull Tank, its two-wheeled design gives it superior handling and allows for incredible speed and Boost capabilities. It’s not only heavily armored but also exceptionally fast – dangerously so.

The Battle Chariot can be a little tricky to steer quickly. While it’s very powerful, it takes effort to slow down and turn if you overshoot during a race like the Dustup Derby. But once you get used to its strength and speed, it’s a real winner and can handle even the toughest competitions.

3. Chariot

Smooth And Speedy

The original Kirby Air Ride only let you drive on the ground using the Wheelie vehicles. While each Wheelie had its advantages, balancing on just one wheel could be difficult to control. The standard Chariot fixed this by having two wheels, making it much more stable.

The Chariot offers a comfortable and smooth ride thanks to its two large wheels. It handles well on both straightaways and turns. Unlike the Wheelies, which are difficult to drift and require quick adjustments, the Chariot provides more control, letting you easily prepare for and execute a boost dash.

Okay, so the Chariot isn’t the fastest vehicle out there – it’s a little slower than the Battle Chariot, honestly. Forget about winning any straight-line races! But I’ve found it can actually be pretty good in City Trials. If you focus on upgrading its speed, it can really surprise you – a few speed boosts and it gets moving! It’s not a speed demon, but it’s definitely workable.

2. Paper Star

Just Don’t Get Hit

Honestly, when I’m racing, getting up to speed FAST is everything. That’s why I always choose Yoshi in Mario Kart – he just goes. I care way more about acceleration than anything else, even how solid a kart actually feels. That’s probably why I love Paper Star so much – it’s all about that initial burst of speed!

The Paper Star is a remarkably nimble vehicle known for its quick acceleration and good handling. It’s also one of the best gliders in the game, capable of crossing Skyah in a single flight. However, its lightweight design makes it very fragile – it has the lowest health of any vehicle, meaning it can be destroyed quickly.

Paper Star is fairly durable and can be improved with a few upgrades in City Trial. In Air Ride and Top Ride, you don’t have to worry much about getting wrecked. Just avoid using it in Dustup Derbies, and it’s a good choice for most other game modes.

1. Leo

A New Legend Is Born

Leo is the second new vehicle you can unlock in Legendary Air Ride after completing the true ending of Road Trip. It’s a massive, fiery lion, and you’re lucky enough to be able to ride it – consider it a real honor to experience its powerful grace!

Leo is an incredibly well-rounded machine. It’s unbelievably fast on both tracks and city streets, easily destroying anything in its path with powerful claws and leaving a trail of fire. But it’s not just about speed and power – Leo can also brake and turn with amazing precision, handling even the tightest corners flawlessly.

Leo’s biggest weakness is its inability to fly. However, it can jump incredibly high with a simple control movement, and whether launched from a ramp or just a quick jump, it has the power to cover half of Skyah in a single leap. Unless you’re competing in events focused on gliding or racing, getting Leo almost guarantees a win – and it looks great doing it!

2025-11-23 22:42