One of the highlights of April 2’s Nintendo Direct was the announcement of a new Kirby game, directed by the franchise’s original creator Masahiro Sakurai himself. Set to release as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive in 2025, Kirby Air Riders is a sequel to GameCube classic Kirby Air Ride – the last Kirby game Sakurai directed before leaving HAL.
With the release of Kirby Air Riders’ trailer, fans were quick to notice a telltale characteristic of Sakurai’s involvement that distinguishes his games from other franchise directors like Shinya Kumazaki and Shinichi Shimomura. The answer lies in the design of the Warp Star – Kirby’s star-shaped ride that appears throughout the series.
As Japanese fans on X point out, Sakurai’s depiction of the Warp Star has consistently been flat and thin – as seen in numerous Kirby and Smash titles, while Kumazaki’s has been thick and fluffy-looking by comparison (as seen in titles like Kirby and the Forgotten Land or Kirby Star Allies). As one fan described it, “Kumazaki’s Warp Star is soft and squishy, like a companion; while Sakurai’s is like a high-spec sports car that will throw you off if you can’t handle it.” This might have to do with the fact that Kirby rides the Warp Star while standing (as opposed to sitting or lying down) a lot more often in Sakurai’s games.
It’s also been pointed out that Sakurai’s portrayal of Kirby tends to have smaller eyes, shorter hands and a peachier hue (as opposed to pure pink) when compared to Kumazaki’s. With Kirby Air Riders coming back after 20 years under Sakurai’s direction, nostalgic fans are up for a treat.
Kirby Air Riders is scheduled to launch in 2025 as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive.
