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Our most played game ever---Addictive in the extreme!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 34 / 35
Date: July 22, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I am not sure just what it is that this game has, but it's got it! It didn't get great reviews, but it looked fun to me, and I bought it for my kids---well, it's been played far more than any of the other (too many) video games we have!

There are 3 basic modes---a standard racing mode, a overhead view racing mode and City Mode, which takes more explaining! The standard mode uses Kirbys riding on different vehicles, going VERY fast on different kinds of courses. Kirby can eat enemies and take their powers for a while. You can race each other, or the computer. All you really do is steer and slow down in order to power up for a boost. It's very simple to control Kirby, and you get a great feeling of being half out of control while still in control!

The overhead mode is kind of retro looking. You race a little Kirby around and around a small track (there are several different ones). The track looks like those little car tracks from the 70s. There are bonus items you can eat up as you race, some boost you, some hurt others.

The City Mode is what we play the most. It's WEIRD but fun! It's a city full of odd things---a section of trees, a section of run down buildings, a waterwheel, a castle, a subway, lots of underground areas---all sort of minimalistically portrayed! The real goal is to break open all kinds of boxes and get power up items, like better turning or better speed. In the standard mode, you have 5 minutes to do this. You can find different vehicles lying around, and ride them instead of your starting one. Then, after the 5 minutes, you compete in a random pick of one of 20 or so stadium events---a long jump, a race, a melee match, etc. It's fun as you might have collected items for a race, which do you no good in what you are actually doing, so all have a chance!

The most fun of this game is trying to finish the grids with records! There are a huge 128 boxes to fill in for EACH mode! Some are things like getting a certain score, but others are out there, like finishing with your time all a certain number on the seconds! We haven't filled all the boxes in any of the modes yet! But we have had fun trying---it's so neat to see after you finish a section if any of the little boxes get filled in! We are simple people, I guess---we enjoy that a lot!

If I had any complaint about the game, I guess I wish there were more unlockable tracks or modes---I love that, although I don't know why---I guess it gives you something to aim for!

All in all, a super game!

Don't listen to the bad reviews

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 27 / 32
Date: October 17, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I got this game the first day it came out, and boy was I excited. This game is every bit as fun as I expected. Over 300 goals to reach, a ton of different vehicles, and, of course, META-KNIGHT AS A PLAYABLE CHARACTER!

There are three modes to this game-
Air ride- Normal racing
Top Ride- Mini-racing
City Trial- Upgrade your machine in a limited amount of time, and see how good it does in a random challenge

I've noticed this game getting quite a few bad reviews. Don't listen to them. If you're a Kirby fan or a fan of Racing games, get this game.

Remember kids, just because a game is E rated, dosn't mean it's kiddy!

Blink-or-you'll-miss-it racing, Kirby style

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 15 / 17
Date: November 03, 2003
Author: Amazon User

To be honest, when I bought this game, I was a bit doubtful. One-button controls didn't seem like all that great an idea, and I was considering buying F-zero instead. Nevertheless, I am a big fan of Kirby, having played most of his games, even weird spinoffs like Kirby's Dream Course, (basically Kirby Golf), so I decided on the less traditional game. I was glad I did. Lacking a storyline but not much else, this game leaves F-zero far behind in sheer variety of gameplay. If you get tired of the Normal Race and Time Attack modes, which each feature plenty of unlockables, you can compete in entirely separate top-view racing (I got used to the controls for this pretty quickly, considering). Also available is the vast City Trial, almost a game on its own, in which you race to boost your vehicle's attributes, such as speed, steering, etc., then battle in a random multiplayer contest. It will take any player a long time to complete every objective of this game, so even without other players it is extremely fun. One thing is for sure: If this is meant for kids, they must be kids who have really good reflexes.

KIRBY AIR RIDE

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 18
Date: October 17, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game rocks. I just got it and it's so....... much fun. Here are some machines and how to receive them:

Warpstar: Slow, but great acceleration. Default machine.

Wheelie Bike: Mediocre. Can rip through some courses, but can be as very slow in other courses. Play every course once in one section (I did free run)

Wheelie Scooter: Awesome. Get it by going in air ride, and boost in a level until you're fourth and wait for the rest to finish one lap. At the final lap, finish first (wagon star recommended, if have it)

Wagon Star: Awesome. Finish a race three times in something other than free run.

Rocket Star: Decoration Machine. It's horrible. You have to charge up just to make it go fast. Complete a lap in Machine Passage under 1 minute 5 seconds 0 milliseconds.

Swerve Star: My favorite machine. Very fast. You have to stop to steer, but it R-O-X rocks. Get it in Sky Sands and finish two laps under 2 minutes 5 seconds 0 milliseconds.

Meta Knight: Extremely awesome. Glide for 30 minutes total.

Formula Star: Very fast when at top speed, slow side of awesome. Finish Time Attack under 3 minutes 14 seconds 0 milliseconds.

I will add to the list the next time I edit. Here are some I will tell you about next time:

Rex Wheelie
King Dedede
Shadow Star

It's a great game, overall. The two unlockable people are Meta Knight and King Dedede. Hope you enjoy it.

One if the best racers I've ever played...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: November 20, 2004
Author: Amazon User

If you've ever played Gran Turismo 3 for the PS2, you know for a fact that the reason the game is so good is because it's so realistic.

Now skip ahead to a different idea, an idea such as people are tired of playing video games with too many confusing buttons and such.

Not saying I have a problem with this stuff, but let's just say my Dad won't play any of my 2-player games with me because the "controls are too confusing". Well, he should get a load of this game. Control stick and the 'A' button. What, are you asking if that's a trick to perform in a video game? No, that's all you need to remember to use on the controller when you play Kirby's Air Ride. But don't think it's all just simple foolish kiddy stuff, as I will explain now.

There are three different game modes:
Air Ride, the racing part.
Top Ride, a mini-racer game that's a blast to play.
And last but not least, City Trial, which is basically exploring a large city and powering up your vehicle to prepare for a random minigame.

The levels you race in in Air Ride are amazing. They have an incredible sense of speed and they deliver some of the coolest effects seen in any game.

When you first start each race, you automatically accelerate. You'll quickly forget the automatic acceleration after about five seconds. The 'A' button is used to help make tight turns, then gives you a boost. Use it to your advantage. The 'A' button also can suck up enemies. Pressing 'A' again will help to use the enemy's special power. But basically when you're going through a race, you're gonna end up sucking up everything, and not really choosing what you want to suck up.

Top Ride, although it contols awkward at first, is one of the most addictive mini-racing games I have ever played.

And now we have City Trial, where you...well, I already explained it before, but powering up your vehicle and playing a fun minigame never gets old. The minigames sort of remind me of Super Monkey Ball, and if you play both of these games, you'll know why.

Oops. I forgot to mention that every mode in this game can be played with up to four players, which makes everything even more fun. It's also LAN compatible.

And if THAT wasn't enough, there's a staggering 150 unlockables. Completing these and getting more and cooler stuff adds to what is already an excellent game.

If you enjoy racing games, and don't mind your games sugary sweet, this game is a bargain for it's Players Choice price.

Kirby rocks the world

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: April 12, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Kirby Air Ride is THE game to get!!! It has simple but great graphics, very addictive gameplay and excellent music, which sounds as if it was played by a full-sized orchestra, or at least a very good keyboard.
The Kirbies are ULTRA CUTE. There is no way you can hate them.
There are three modes: Air Ride, Top Ride and City Trial. Air Ride is a simple race. Top Ride is a mini race that you view from the top. City Trial(my favorite)is where you power up in a city by getting new air ride machines, power-ups for the machine and getting advatage of all the events that happen in the city(falling meteors, Dyna Blade the giant bird, bouncy power-ups, ect.). Then when time runs out in the city, you play a mini game(drag race, target flight, air glider, destruction derby, ect.). If you got enough of the right power ups in the city, you win! So, for example, if you get lots of the Top Speed power-ups in the city, have a fast air ride machine, and the mini game is drag race, you win! Also, Kirby is multiplayer: even more fun!!! It only takes up a few memory blocks, too.
AND, you have all these records to break on all the modes. Like, "Get 10 Turn Power-Ups in the city", "Fly for 15 seconds in Target Flight" or "On Air Ride, come in 1st place without hitting the walls." There are more than 100 of them.
AND...there are two Legendary Machines called Hydra and Dragoon. You have to collect their pieces in City Trial to get them. Hydra is the king at speed and strength, and Dragoon is the master at flying.

So, Kirby may look boring, but it is anything but! So BUY TODAY!!!!!!!!! You won't be sorry.

A good game; worth the money

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: February 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Here's my brief take on this game:

Control: 4/5
It takes a while to get used to the simplistic controls of this game, especially if you are used to playing Mario Kart or other more conventional racing games. After you become accustomed to it, though, the 1-button controlling is rather nice. Despite what others may say, it is NOT easy, especially the turning and boosting. I find it pretty challenging and very fun.

Gameplay: 5/5
Really nothing to complain about. It's a racing game, so you can play it over and over...

Graphics: 5/5
The graphics aren't breathtaking, but they don't need to be. They suit the purposes of this game, and are without any glitches. Some of the courses are really amazingly detailed, which sometimes confuses you when your driving because You don't know where to go. Just follow the arrows.

Music: 2/5
I'm sorry, but the simple light music of this game doesn't match the high-speed, awesome courses. The game could be a lot more exciting with better music.

Overall: 4/5
I like this game. Not the BEST racing game ever, but definitely up there as one of my favorites. I think it's worth the money.

Kirby is my home dog!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: December 20, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Kirby Air Ride was my very first Gamecube game. Now looking back, I couldn't have chosen a better game! To begin with, the controls are very simple; all u use are the A button and control stick during races- perfect for beginners. Additionally, every vehicle has a different characteristic. I enjoy using each vehicle's special characteristic as an advantage during races. Also, this is the only game my sister will play with me. (Kirby is sooooo cute!) Playing with more than one person is twice as fun than playing solo, especially in City Trial(one of the 3 race styles u can choose from). Sure it gets boring after a while playing by yourself, but with others, the possibilities are endless! Over all, this game is great, but I strongly recommend playing multi player. I'm waiting with anticipation for the next Kirby game for gamecube!

Don't play it alone...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: September 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Like another game I reviewed recently (SUPER SMASH BROS.MELEE) this is mildly entertaining on single player but is twice as much fun on multiplayer. But unlike MELEE, the graphics here are fairly bland. There are three different ''modes'' to choose from, ''City Trial'', ''Top Ride'', and ''Airide'', all of which are pretty much the same. There are ''mini games'' after you finish each of these courses, such as ''Beat King Deedde''. Like I said in my title, don't play this one alone.

Easy to use, a little too easy

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 9 / 17
Date: November 08, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Kirby's air ride is one of those games that many will only buy because it has the name "kirby" in it, a household name part of one of nintendos premiere franchise. While nintendo is not one of those develpers who make racing games, 3 will be coming out this year. F-Zero GX (great game), mario kart double dash (which is getting alot of hype) and kirby's air ride, a game that just doesn't seem like it actually came out of the nintendo camp. Like nintendo couldn't have possibly ok'd a game that uses one button. But they did and to tell you the truth this game has little going for it.

The game boasts of being a "one button game" which is basically saying we want to appeal to the younger crowd and get them involved in some of the older nintendo franchises. But after 2 days of renting the game my little brother was found playing the game, hands on the controller sleeping in front of the television set. And the 3rd day he was saying how he didnt like the game (and this is funny cause he's at that age where anything he watches that appeals to young audiances he will like no matter what - if its bad he'll like it, if its good he'll like it). This got me into playing the game. The game has terrible gameplay. Like I said before it's a one button game meaning it takes absolutley no skill to win, just knowing when to press the A button. If you know when to press A you can win. This means that I can play the game for years and years and my little brother can come up (after not playing the game in years) and whoop me cause he knew when to press A. And this doesn't just go for racing in multiplayer. In city mode you can pick up items and while picking up things (like the rocket launcher) if you pick up something it will begin a rapid fire of rockets giving you no control over where the rockets go. Why not use the Y button or the B button. This is just plain old silly, why cant you use the other 5 buttons on the GC controller to shoot a rocket, why? why? why?

Kirby's Air Ride does have a few things going for it. The graphics and the colors are nice and bright and the music is good but can get a little repetettive. Plus there are plenty of cool feaures ot unlock in one of the modes giving the game a decent amount of replay value. Something many kirby fans aren't used to (remember how quick it took to beat the last kirby game.)

Unfortunatley kirby air ride is the first GC game to support the LAN support for a GC game. This means that if you have 4 tvs, 4 gamegubes and 4 copies of the game plus an Local area network (LAN) you can play the game with 4 of your friends. This is nice but I did say unfortunatley. Unforunatley this game is so unworthy of this feature that you'd wish tht this feature came out on F-Zero GX or some other mutliplayer game on the GC.

Kirby air ride is not one of those games you would want to buy or rent. I reccomend that no matter how old you are to not think about getting this game and staying away from it

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