Power-ups are strewn throughout these constrained tracks to help you bash up or blaze past your competition, making for more thrills-per-minute than the other game modes. There are seven courses available, all of which are limited in size to fit the screen. Here, you’ll have a single top-down view of an entire course much like the classic Super Off-Road arcade game. Next up is Top Ride, the most elementary yet frantic mode of Kirby Air Ride. This simplicity serves its purpose of being instantly accessible but also risks alienating an audience looking for any sort of complexity, so it won’t appeal to everybody. You may be wondering how you accelerate, but as is the case with so many modern-day smartphone racing titles, that’s not your responsibility as your vehicle will automatically move forward. You’ll use the analog stick for steering while the A-button is used for various actions such as sliding, boosting, and inhaling enemies. This is an interface so basic that gameplay is restricted to the analog stick and the A-button. The thing that immediately differentiates Kirby Air Ride from other racing games is the ultra-simple control system. Nevertheless, just because it’s a charming little racer doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. While the game may be reminiscent of Mario Kart, and maybe more so F-Zero, it also has the accessibility of a game of Candy Land (yes, the uber-jubilant board game for children), and retains a feel all of its own. He’s brought with him a few of his brethren, a unique set of controls, and some recognizable scenery, which is packed into this multiplayer-centric package.

Kirby, everyone’s favourite pink puffball, has hopped on his Warpstar and blasted into the world of “kart” racing in Kirby Air Ride for the Nintendo GameCube.

Kirby s air ride