I would listen to Masahiro Sakurai talk about folding laundry for an hour, and I feel like I wouldn't be alone in that regard. Thankfully, he instead spoke about Kirby Air Riders, the upcoming sequel to the cult classic GameCube game, for over an hour this morning in what was the longest Nintendo Direct in history.
There was a lot to cover, and while most of it could have been an email, it's still exciting to see the devotion and backing for a Kirby Air Ride sequel. Would most people prefer another Super Smash Bros.? Absolutely, but let's allow Sakurai a chance to cook. This is shaping up to be one of the best racing games of the year, after all. That's a sentence I never expected to say, considering we already have Mario Kart World and Sonic Racing: Crossworlds, both of which were very, very good.
Perhaps the most exciting reveal today is that Kirby Air Riders will have an online demo event, allowing fans to play the game a week before release. In total, there will be six sessions, all of which take place during the weekend.
Here are the game modes available during the Global Test Ride...
