Kirby's Air Ride

KIRBY, KIRBY, KIRBY. THE mascot who never was. Just think, if Kirby had taken off like Mario, we'd have games like Kirby World 64 and Kirby Kart 64, where the little pink blob races against his mates Green Blob, Blue Blob, Yellow Blob and Vomit-Coloured Blob. But it was not to be.

Still, Kirby has managed to make his way onto the N64 along with all of Nintendo's other old characters (Samus Aran from Metroid is also scheduled to appear – see 64 Showcase this issue). Kirby's Air Ride (provisional title) has changed a lot from early versions shown at various trade shows in the past, when it appeared to be a kind of racing game over mad landscapes, a lot like Konami's mental coin-op Armadillo Racing. The most recent shots that have been released now show a more adventure-like landscape, akin to Mario 64, but the aim of the game still seems to be the same – get the li'l pink fella from Point A to Point B as fast as possible.

This time out, Kirby has bragged some clothes from somewhere – he now sports the fashion tragedy that is a backwards-facing baseball hat. 'Rad', 'kewl', and stuff. Presumably this is to tie him in with his new mode of transport, a sort of hoverboard affair that whips across the colourful landscape at pace. Skilful control of the board lets Kirby jump through hoops and collect stars for bonus points.

So far, the only obstacles to Kirby's quest that anyone has seen come from the severe contours of the landscape, but a range of equally cute enemies can be expected to appear in his path before the game is completed. No word yet on whether Kirby will keep his ability to swallow and then gob out enemies, Yoshi-style, to use as weapons though.

The eventual release date for Kirby's Air Ride is uncertain – as a Nintendo game, it won't be released until they're completely satisfied with it, and since the game has undergone at least one change of direction already there's no telling how long that'll take. Will people be sick of cuteness by then?

THE BASICS:

Control Nintendo's infamous pink puffball in a series of fast-paced races and multiplayer challenges for up to four players. All you need is one thumb on the control stick and another on the brake--slowing down charges up speed bursts and lets you powerslide through turns. Kirby takes care of the rest, sucking up enemy powers and attacking foes when you steer close to them.

HOW WAS IT?

Its simple one-button gameplay will please younger Kirby fans, but it runs the risk of leaving anyone over 10 unsatisfied.