bit-tech Shopping: Nintendo Kirby Air Ride (GC)

Rating: 6

Time with product: 4 Days

Strengths: LAN function

Weaknesses: simple control

Summary: Kirby Air ride is the first kirby racing game. Being one of the few gamcube games to take advantage of the LAN function, it makes it a must have if you are into using the broadband adapter. However the game is too simple, and there isnt much replay value

Rating: 6

Time with product: 2 Years

Strengths: Fun pick up and play racing title, good for small kids. Excellent graphics and track variety.

Weaknesses: Though not necessarily easy, the lack of control options makes it less interesting.

Summary: Kirby Air Ride has gotten a bad rap in the gaming community. Certainly, had I bought this game for its original $50 price tag, I would have felt that I didn't get my money's worth. Now, however, with it being a Player's Choice title (and thus MSRP of $20, and often cheaper in reality) I think it was well worth it. It is a fairly simple racing game where you steer using the analog stick as expected. The issue that many have with the game is that all other control is done via a single button ('A'). You use the button to slow down (or stop) and drift around corners. You also use the same button for attacking using the Kirby powers you have absorbed from various creatures on the race course. This causes problems as you will slow down or drift when you are just trying to attack. The fairly simple control also makes the game more difficult than it should be. It is hard to gain any advantage over the computer-controlled characters since there is very little depth to the racing itself, making some races difficult to win. On the plus side, the graphics and race track design are excellent, and the game features a huge grid of unlockable achievements to obtain for added replayability. My kids return again and again to this game, so there is definitely some appeal for the younger set as well.

Rating: 6

Time with product: 1 Years

Strengths: 4 Player Split Screen, LAN Play, Progressive Scan

Weaknesses: 1 Button Gameplayer Hampers Certain Aspects of The Gameplay

Summary: Kirby Air Ride is a racing game in which you play as Kirby and can absorb the powers of other racers much like you can in other Kirby games. The game play only consist of using the control stick to steer and the A button to drift or use attacks. The gameplay while focused on being simple can also be hurt by this fact as if you go to use a weapon with the A button you'll also do a mini draft since A does both of these when you press it. Although Kirby Air Ride suffers from some of these faults it still is fun and include 3 different single player modes along with 4 player split screen and LAN play making it fun just not as fun as it could have been if some of these things were worked out so that you would have better control. I would recommend Kirby Air Ride as a rental.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: Colorful graphics, easy for novice players, loads of unlockables, multiplayer support, budget price

Weaknesses: Too easy for most players, simplistic controls, won't hold experienced player interest for long

Summary: Kirby Air Ride began as a tech demo for the old Nintendo 64. It never did get released for N64, but Nintendo did eventually take the time to polish and improve it for a release on Gamecube. Kirby Air Ride takes the now familiar Nintendo character racing of Mario Kart and further simplifies it for the kiddies. Now you just have one button to boost and brake, and you do it with Kirby and friends instead of Mario. Kirby offers a lot of challenges and unlockables in single player mode as well as full multiplayer support. While the game play and controls are easy for beginners to get a hold of, it will bore more advanced players in no time. Serious race fans will probably want to go with something more complex like Mario Kart, Need for Speed or Street Racing Syndicate. While offering a lot in terms of quality and content, Kirby Air Ride was designed for little kids, and as a result, only diehard adult Kirby fans need apply.

Rating: 4

Time with product: 1 Day

Strengths: Look at kirby go!

Weaknesses: Simplistic, geared towards kids.

Summary: With so many kart games (including mario kart), why does Nintendo need to release this game. It's too simple for me to really get into it. It's simple little fun, but nothing more. I don't recommend it for older gamers.