Dr. Wilkinson
Member
Smh good grief, grow up
Nintendo Direct for Kirby Air Riders - 19th August (6am PT // 9am PT // 2pm UK)
- Thread starter touchfuzzy
- Start date
Robb
Gold Member
I'd say the first thing is that the actual racing is a very minor part of the allure.
As they also said in this Direct the "main event" is the City Trials game mode.
Phase 1:
You get thrown into an open world with 16 other players. You explore it for ~5 minutes to find new ships/karts and powerups for those ships/karts and also try to destroy your competitors ships/karts and steal their powerups. Lots of different random events can also trigger at any time, like a meteor storm etc.
Phase 2:
The actual competition is selected and you can vote for the one that best fits your ships/karts abilities/powerups. This can be a race (speed), but also something entirely different like seeing who can fly the furthest (endurance), trying to hit a dart board (accuracy), battle royale where you need to destroy each other (power) etc.
I think that's the main gist of it. Been a loooong time since I played the original but it was super fun back then. Hopefully it holds up in this one.
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Heimdall_Xtreme
Hermen Hulst Fanclub's #1 Member
They use the same engine as Smash Bros
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Robb
Gold Member
Would make sense. It's the same developers as Smash 3DS/WiiU and Ultimate (Bandai Namco and SORA) as well.
Heimdall_Xtreme
Hermen Hulst Fanclub's #1 Member
And in fact, Pokémon Legends Arceus... It uses the same engine as Zelda Breath of the Wild. I have no doubt about that
.I bet the new Pokémon will use the same Zelda engine but more updated.
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Robb
Gold Member
I wish. If they actually used an engine made by competent developers maybe Pokemon wouldn't run like ass.And in fact, Pokémon Legends Arceus... It uses the same engine as Zelda Breath of the Wild. I have no doubt about that
I bet the new Pokémon will use the same Zelda engine but more updated.
Chittagong
Gold Member
It's best shown in the bit at 17:10 where he does the water track. The game moves crazy fast and has a gazillion variables in your car, character, special moves and timings to boost through the track at great speed.
It's like an autistic mashup of F-Zero and Mario Kart for an ADHD generation. I'll probably enjoy it as I find MKW boring.
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WhiteWaterM00se
Member
Actually based on the recent survey, the average Nintendo user is around 40 years old. You could argue that they knew this and this game is to get the younger audience and possibly esport later as well. (Which is a market Nintendo is interested in).
I actually like this game better for families with younger kids with 4 player split screen local, etc. look it up on Nintendos eshop! More info there.
Even though I like it better, I confess I have never played an air riders game.
Hudo
Member
Kirby Air Ride's City Trial mode was dope, especially when you turn it into a drinking game.I'd say the first thing is that the actual racing is a very minor part of the allure.
As they also said in this Direct the "main event" is the City Trials game mode.
Phase 1:
You get thrown into an open world with 16 other players. You explore it for ~5 minutes to find new ships/karts and powerups for those ships/karts and also try to destroy your competitors ships/karts and steal their powerups. Lots of different random events can also trigger at any time, like a meteor storm etc.
Phase 2:
The actual competition is selected and you can vote for the one that best fits your ships/karts abilities/powerups. This can be a race (speed), but also something entirely different like seeing who can fly the furthest (endurance), trying to hit a dart board (accuracy), battle royale where you need to destroy each other (power) etc.
I think that's the main gist of it. Been a loooong time since I played the original but it was super fun back then. Hopefully it holds up in this one.
Nintendo's Witch
Member
I need it
Robb
Gold Member
Nice, looking forward to hearing impressions.
Touch fuzZy. get BizZay
Member
just watched the direct. Looks great!
despite being a big gamecube guy, I barely even knew riders existed and never played it.
but everyone's like "oh city trial is so good wait til u see city trial bro!" Nobody told me 20 years ago wtf
despite being a big gamecube guy, I barely even knew riders existed and never played it.
but everyone's like "oh city trial is so good wait til u see city trial bro!" Nobody told me 20 years ago wtf
Emedan
Member
Yeah I think it makes sense as a game for families to pick up over Christmas. Nintendo is a platform for all ages.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Awesome art, but that logo is wild, totally unprecedented for a Kirby game. I was completely sure that it's a placeholder but nope, it's the real deal. I wish they would discuss it in the Iwata Asks about this game.Official box art:
Price is confirmed to be $69.99.
Total file size of the game is 25GB.
ChoosableOne
ChoosableAll
Write crud 3 times if you're here.
NeoIkaruGAF
Gold Member
What, no angry Kirby this time?Official box art:
Robb
Gold Member
It's either a serious looking logo with happy Kirby or lighthearted logo with angry Kirby
diffusionx
Gold Member
they should make him angryOfficial box art:
Price is confirmed to be $69.99.
Total file size of the game is 25GB.
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touchfuzzy
Member
Right? All I heard back then was the game was lame and bad, suddenly a new one gets announced and everyone is saying the OG had one of the best multiplayer modes on the GameCube.
Robb
Gold Member
I'd take it with a grain of salt. I remember it very fondly as well, but it's been +20(!) years since I played it..
I'd interpret it more as being by far the best mode in a otherwise messy and rushed out game at the time.
The mode was also very light on content. You could only play as different colored Kirby's, there were no other characters.. And 4 players was the max.
I'm very curious to hear impressions of this one now that it's so much more fleshed out.
This game kind of seems to be what the original should've been.
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Rran
Member
The negativity was IMO largely because of IGN's review where the reviewer (Matt C I think) kind of missed the point of the game and kept comparing it to F-Zero. IGN was kind of weird sometimes in those days, pushing hard for Nintendo to grow up already and release the next GTA or Gran Turismo or whatever. Most people who played the game at the time liked it quite a bit.
If you wanted to 100% KAR it actually took a good while. The game kind of invented Achievements so it could get you >100 hours pretty easily in order to fill out all three checklists. And you could play as Meta Knight and Dedede in addition to Kirby.
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Robb
Gold Member
Oh right, I had totally forgotten about that 'achievement wall'.
Did they mention that in the Direct, I can't recall. Would love to get something similar again.
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diffusionx
Gold Member
ahh that's more like it:
Kirby games have always been geared toward a younger audience.
I think they brought (back) KAR because it was probably relatively simple/quick title to make, the Smash director said yes and perhaps was interested in this to begin with and Forgotten Land was the most successful Kirby game and has an S2 version and DLC. PLus it's been 20+ years since the first KAR.
There's also a bit of a BR aspect to the game which obviously is has been the hot 'mode/genre' of the past ~5 years.
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WhiteWaterM00se
Member
Average age of a Kirby player per Nintendo is 28ish years old. I agree with what you're saying, but I think Nintendo wants the Roblox audience very badly.
KAR seems like a modern mix of Smash, SpLatoon and Twisted metal. So it may appeal to that 7-18 year old audience
KAR first came out 25 years ago. It's not a new franchise. IT's basically the same game as ~25 years ago as someone who played it back then.
Kirby has always been aimed at younger audiences. The simplicity of the games/controls and the look of Kirby himself designed/aimed at even younger audiences than Nintendo's other franchises. (also applies to more casual audiences.)
I don't think there is anything new and special in terms of Nintendo going after this or that audience than in the past is what I'm saying and why I'm pushing back against some of your characterization.
Those average ages you quote... likely have asterisks. For one, a quick dirty Google shows average age for Japan. Not the world. Not sure if that's your source or not.
And second, average age could easily be including Mom & Dad.
If you bought Kirby games and played them with your kid ... the average age might be 20 in a survey while the actual ages are 5 and 35. Or average age could be 8 and 44 for an average age of 26.
and there's other ways the data could be skewed.
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Guerilla Munch
Member
I somehow never managed to play the original even though I had a huge library of niche GameCube titles, so this wasn't on my radar at all.
After watching the videos this game looks miles ahead of MKW in terms of visuals, inventiveness and fun. Bananza snuck up on me as game of the year and Kirby looks like another game that will catch a lot of people off guard with how good it is.
After watching the videos this game looks miles ahead of MKW in terms of visuals, inventiveness and fun. Bananza snuck up on me as game of the year and Kirby looks like another game that will catch a lot of people off guard with how good it is.
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MiguelItUp
Member
As someone that didn't play the original game, how exciting is this? I mean, it does look pretty cool, I honestly didn't think the original game had THAT much of a following to get a sequel.
...maybe (why) it didn't get a sequel for 22 years.
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Robb
Gold Member
Feels like a fan-service project and spiritual successor more than anything. I'm amazed it's even being made.
The first game had lots of development problems and Sakurai was appointed as the games director just to try to get it out the door. He managed to do so 3.5 months after taking on the project.
The game reviewed fairly poorly, only has a 6/10 average. And it 'only' sold ~1.6M units.
If the Switch had sold poorly and things were dire financially for Nintendo I'm convinced this game would have never got made.
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Solarstrike
Member
Codes 208
Member
It was like a fusion of F-Zero and mario kart
I personally loved the hell out of it (city trials was addictive to play with friends)
Gambit2483
Member
Same. I think the simplicity of it all (one button gameplay) probably turned me off since I'm a pretty moderate Kirby fan but somehow completely overlooked this on Gamecube.
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WhiteWaterM00se
Member
Right. I understand your point. Nintendo didn't have children take the survey, if they were under a certain age. But according to Nintendo itself, the average age from their survey was 28ish. It was one of their IP's that averaged younger. Mario was 38-40 years old on average. Zelda, and Paper Mario, fire emblem were over 40 years old. If i am not mistaken.
I agree with you. I do not think the average 40 year old is wanting Kirby. BUT…if i am looking at a game to play with my nephew and niece who are between 5 and 10 years old. I think Kirby may have larger appeal to me than Mario kart world. If i am going to play a game with them for example.
I also think there is an esport element to this game we don't understand yet. Allowing Nintendo to grow its esport lineup like Splatoon, mk8D, and Smash for the high school esport scene.
I have never played the GC title. BUT, this seems far more interesting to me thank MK:world. But, i am a dad whose kids are college age. And we watch nephews and nieces who are little. Again, this seems like it could be more fun.
BUT don't get it twisted. I am so far not impressed with MKW. But, i realize it is likely a service game that will grow over time. I actually think the best Kart racer this year is likely from Sega! Not Nintendo. Sonic looks amazing. And, i view Sonic Allstars and Sonic Transformed as two of the five best kart racers ever.
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Bridges
Member
I'm so excited for this, especially after that direct. It's very interesting to me how much this game is not trying to evolve the concepts of the original. It seems incredibly faithful to the GameCube release and just adding a whole lot on top of it + online play. As a massive fan of the original it's exactly what I would've wanted, but I don't know if that will actually capture a wider audience.
Either way I'm there day one, I hope we get a third mode and an achievement wall as well
Either way I'm there day one, I hope we get a third mode and an achievement wall as well
robor
Member
The original was unfinished (under cooked).
Toots
Member
Fun fact :It's either a serious looking logo with happy Kirby or lighthearted logo with angry Kirby
Notice that the gamecube cover pov is looking behind Kirby. It is where his opponent are and will stay for the whole race. Serious Kirby knows that if he ain't first, he's last.
Switch Kirby cover pov on the other hand is from behind looking ahead. It's because switch Kirby is at best third (you can see at least 2 opponents in front of him), which is worst than to be last. He looks behind in a carefree way because he doesn't even care about the race. Like every gen z kid he's aimed at representing, he's just there for the hell of it and knows he won't amount to anything in life anyway.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Watched the whole thing now. Several surprises
- Pro Controller is the developer's preferred way to play
- The game is super deep with character skills, vehicles, items, powerups
- The race mode is the least important, the Elden Ring Nightreign style "prep for a while, then compete" is the essential mode
- Pro Controller is the developer's preferred way to play
- The game is super deep with character skills, vehicles, items, powerups
- The race mode is the least important, the Elden Ring Nightreign style "prep for a while, then compete" is the essential mode
kirby games have challenge if you go for 100%
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