There’s a big anticipation for the next Nintendo Direct, which will hopefully drop this month, because many people want to know more about the games that the Nintendo Switch 2 will bring this year and next. Yes, Donkey Kong Bananza is coming out next week, but we need to know what’s coming after. Kirby Air Riders was one of the titles announced during the first Switch 2 Direct, and it’s being headed up by Masahiro Sakurai. However, we don’t know much about the game outside of its teaser trailer.
That being said, on the anniversary of the original game’s 22nd anniversary, Sakurai dropped this tease for the game, while also honoring his late friend, Satoru Iwata:
きょうは､ゲームキューブ『カービィのエアライド』発売日でした｡22周年!!
同時に､岩田さんの命日でもあります｡2015年｡あれから10年…
岩田さんとは年齢も入社時期も10年前後離れていて､そろそろ歳も追いついてしまいますね｡いま私は『カービィのエアライダー』制作に打ち込んでいます｡…
— 桜井 政博 / Masahiro Sakurai (@Sora_Sakurai) July 11, 2025
“Today was the Japanese release date of Kirby Air Ride on the GameCube. It is now on its 22nd anniversary! At the same time, it is also the anniversary of Iwata’s passing in 2015.
Ten years have passed since then… Iwata and I were about ten years apart in age. I’ll be catching up to him in age now, won’t I?
Right now, I’m pouring my heart into making Kirby Air Riders. It’s shaping up to be something great”
While it’s sad that Iwata’s passing fell on the same date as the anniversary, you know that Sakurai is never going to be too sad to talk about his friend. As for the original Kirby Air Ride, it was a title that Sakurai had a lot of fun with. If you want to learn more about what went into it, and what might be happening with its follow-up, check out this video from Sakurai’s YouTube channel!
