Screenshots & trailers
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 79 | 40 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 90 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 90 | 305 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 89 | 750 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 88.5, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 23,448.524 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (102)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Despite its design flaws and City Trial misses, Kirby Air Riders offers enough substance and charm to make it a game you’ll keep coming back to, whether for quick bursts of fun or to teach your friends something new when they come over.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“When it comes down what truly matters, I can be a dingus mushroom and wear an eggshell for a hat. That alone makes Kirby Air Riders one of the best spin-off games a platformer’s ever had. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Air Riders is plenty sophisticated. It’s just so fast that, until you’ve had some practice, its small nuances blow by without you even noticing. Hell, it may even be fast enough to give the last remaining F-Zero holdouts a rush.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Kirby Air Riders is a cracking sequel that gives solo players much more to dig into with its story campaign, whilst also bringing all-new levels of shiny graphics, bells and whistles to its returning City Trial, Air Ride, and Top Down Racing modes. This is a chaotic and frenzied racer, there's no doubt, but it's got depth for those who wish to learn and plenty of competition to be had both online and at harder difficulties for diehards…With lots of excellent tracks, riders and machines to unlock, sat alongside some surprisingly deep machine customisation, Kirby's latest air riding adventure is off to a strong start. Oh, and that soundtrack!”
read full review ↗ - 85
“If you own a Switch 2, have additional controllers, and a group of gaming friends, get yourself Kirby Air Riders. This is an adrenaline-filled game that represents the essence of good party games. Just don’t expect too much when playing alone.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“I asked earlier why anyone would buy this for Switch 2 when Mario Kart World is right there, and there’s one simple answer: Kirby Air Riders is much better. Races are always chaotic, City Trial matches are always a frenetic rush and the game is always a joy to play. It can be overstimulating at times, with most of my play sessions not going over an hour, but with nothing in the game taking longer than five minutes at most, it’s easy to jump in for a couple of races or a trial before switching to something else. Mario Kart 8 was rarely far from my Wii U, and Kirby Air Riders is set to be a perennial title for solo or multiplayer play for me. If you’re on the fence about getting a Switch 2 or are looking for a new title to pick up, this is the best the system has to offer so far.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“With its boost‑and‑drift mechanics and chaotic action, the concept may take some time to fully click. Once it does, Kirby Air Riders becomes an exhilarating, stylish racer with plenty of depth. Road Trip brings real longevity, the returning modes are better than ever, and the wealth of unlockables keeps the momentum high. It’s a colourful, technically impressive showcase and a passionate revival of a cult favourite. Kirby Air Riders is a Nintendo Switch 2 essential, built with passion and unbound fun at its core.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“Kirby Air Riders is a bold and addictive reinvention of the GameCube classic, full of personality and featuring City Trial mode that shines brighter than ever. It’s not the visual leap we expected on Nintendo Switch 2, but it makes up for it with solid gameplay, plenty of variety and content, and a social focus that can keep it alive for years.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A chaotic, vibrant combat racer with excellent visuals and multiplayer potential, shining strongest in Air Ride and City Trial, but stumbling slightly with uneven pacing and weaker modes. Fun, frantic, but occasionally overwhelming.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Kirby Air Riders is a masterclass in game design and in how to make an anticipated sequel. It has everything that made the original game so incredible, and it adds so much content that it seems like an infinite title. You can play it by yourself or with friends in local or online multiplayer, and in any way it will make you have a blast.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“More party game than a pure racing title, Kirby Air Riders takes everything that made the original Kirby Air Ride so beloved and builds upon it with more characters, vehicles, courses, and unlockable items.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“I knew I’d like Kirby Air Riders, since I enjoyed the GameCube original, but I didn’t expect this game to feel stronger than Mario Kart World. It’s so enjoyable and robust. There’s room for both racers on the Switch 2, of course. But if I had to pick a favorite and never touch the other game again, I’d pick Kirby Air Riders every time.”
read full review ↗
Gamepressure
The Jimquisition
Slant Magazine
Nintendo Life
GRYOnline.pl
The A.V. Club
Cubed3
Gfinity
LevelUp
PCMag
Siliconera…and 90 more tracked reviews.